The Place of Atonement (Mercy Seat)
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Readings
(The Mercy Seat)
Passage on Ark
Hymns for Capstone
Before the Throne of God above.
Passage on Day of Atonement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7R5Pnh-5FM
Introduction
Introduction
Define Atonement using an Illustration from life. (Make this simple and Clear)
Explain Expiation and Propitiation
For atonement to occur the offence has be removed (Expiation) and the offended party appeased. (Propitiation).Expiation + Propitiation + forgiveness = atonement.
Describe the place of atonement.
Tonight we are studying the Ark of the covenant and in particular what was called “the place of atonement” sometimes referred to as “The mercy seat” The place of atonement was basically the cover or lid for the the Ark of the Covenant. The most Holy piece of furniture in the whole of God’s house.
An earthly symbol of a heavenly reality, The ark of the covenant might be described as an earthly symbol of a heavenly reality. Its cover was a three-dimensional picture of a scene from Heaven, where God is surrounded by his holy angels.
The Lord reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
Point to ( or Ezekiel )
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
He said, “Go and tell this people:
“ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
Make the heart of this people calloused;
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”
Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”
And he answered:
“Until the cities lie ruined
and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted
and the fields ruined and ravaged,
until the Lord has sent everyone far away
and the land is utterly forsaken.
And though a tenth remains in the land,
it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”
The cherubim on the ark represented the burning angels beneath God’s throne in heaven. God seems not to have told Moses exactly what they looked like, except that they had faces and wings, which they spread protectively over the ark. Above these cherubim—whom Hebrews calls “the cherubim of the Glory” ()—was the holy presence of God. No doubt this explains why the cherubim lowered their gaze, looking down on the ark rather than up to God. They were bowing in God’s presence to worship him with reverence and awe.
The space above the cherubim was empty. God did not tell Moses to make any representation of his divine being. (Ex20:4) Any such representation would have been a graven image, an idol of a false god. Instead, the space between the cherubim was left empty, only to be filled with the living presence of God. The place of atonement covered over the Ten Commandments that were placed within the ark.
Introduce the concept of Atonement.
Atonement in the biblical sense simply means reconciliation with God. To be made one with God. A good way to think of it is by breaking up the word itself (At-one-ment). For atonement to occur the offence of sin has be removed (Expiation) and the offended party appeased.(Propitiation). Expiation + Propitiation + forgiveness = atonement (Reconciliation).
Define Atonement using an Illustration from life. (Make this simple and Clear)
Explain Expiation and Propitiation
Atonement in the biblical sense means reconciliation with God. For atonement to occur the offence of sin has be removed (Expiation) and the offended party appeased.(Propitiation). Expiation + Propitiation + forgiveness = atonement (Reconciliation).
Illustration Expiation. When he invented the pencil eraser, British engineer Edward Nairne was reaching instead for a piece of bread! Crusts of bread were used then, in 1770, to erase marks on paper.
With us too the worst errors of our lives can be swept away. It’s the Lord—the Bread of Life — who cleans them away with His own life, promising never to remember our sins. “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake,” says , “and remembers your sins no more.”
This “Place of atonement” (mercy seat) in the tabernacle was the place where sin would be symbolically removed with the sprinkling of blood and God would be propitiated (appeased).
This “Place of atonement” this “mercy seat” was the place where sin would be symbolically removed and God would be propitiated (appeased)
Big Idea
Big Idea
The place of Atonement for-shadows and symbolises Jesus’ atoning work on the cros. Through his atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, Our sin was removed, cast as far as the east to the west. washed away by the blood of Jesus (Expiated), Consequently, God’s Wrath on account of his justice against sinners was appeased (Propitiated) and through trusting in Jesus sacrificial death for the forgiveness of our sins we can be justified (Made right with God) and reconciled with Him. ( we are made at-one-ment)
Mercy seat. Through his sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, Our sin was removed, washed away by the blood of Jesus (Expiated), Consequently, God’s just wrath against sinners was appeased (Propitiated) and through trusting in Jesus sacrificial death for the forgiveness of our sins we can be forgiven and Justified (Made right with God).
Why is this such a huge Deal? It’s the answer to the worlds problems. Its the answer to all of humanities problems. I am deadly serious! Humanities biggest problem is with God.
Tonight we will unpack this truth as we consider three things:
The construction and placement of Ark of the covenant particularly the place of atonement (Mercy Seat).
The function of the place of atonement (including why it is sometimes referred to as the Mercy Seat).
What happened at the place of the atonement.
1)The Construction and Placement of the Ark of the Covenant
1)The Construction and Placement of the Ark of the Covenant
Describe the place of atonement.
Describe the place of atonement (Mercy seat)
The Ark of the covnant
More than a symbol. The ark of the covenant might be described as an earthly symbol of a heavenly reality and yet it was so much more than a symbol of God’s presence, God himself manifested his presence over it. God really was present.
It was a golden Box, Its cover was a three-dimensional picture of a scene from Heaven, where God is surrounded by his holy angels.
It was a golden Box, Its cover was a three-dimensional picture of a scene from Heaven, where God is surrounded by his holy angels.
The cherubim on the ark represented the burning angels beneath God’s throne in heaven. God seems not to have told Moses exactly what they looked like, except that they had faces and wings, which they spread protectively over the ark. Above these cherubim—whom Hebrews calls “the cherubim of the Glory” ()—was the holy presence of God. No doubt this explains why the cherubim lowered their gaze, looking down on the ark rather than up to God. They were bowing in God’s presence to worship him with reverence and awe.
The space above the cherubim was empty. God did not tell Moses to make any representation of his divine being. (Ex20:4) Any such representation would have been a graven image, an idol of a false god. Instead, the space between the cherubim was left empty, only to be filled with the living presence of God, God would appear there in a cloud. The place of atonement covered over the Ten Commandments that were placed within the ark.
The Ark wan’t just situated in the Most Holy Place. The ark itself was the most Holy place. Because God was manifestly present above the cheribim the ark was what made the most Holy place the Most Holy Place, thus the ark was accociated with God himself.
Consequences for removing the cover or transporting carelessly. Death! The ark was so Holy it was accociated with God himself. ()
Death! The ark was so Holy it was accociated with God himself.
Place of atonement.
2) The function of the place of the atonement.
2) The function of the place of the atonement.
Why is this such a big Deal? It’s the Answer to the worlds problems. Its the answer to all of humanities problems. I am deadly serous! (expand a little, dont go down a rabbit hole)
What Happened at The Place of Atonement
The Process.
Its function is the reason why it was translated by Luther and Wycliff as Mercy Seat. (ES
Day of Atonement. (Yom Kippur) - Yom means "day" in Hebrew and Kippur comes from a root that means "to atone". Yom Kippur is usually expressed in English as "Day of Atonement".
The Mercy Seat.
Whats in a name? “Place of atonement” or “mercy Seat?” Place of atonement is the literal translation! (NIV)
Why was the place of atonement referred to as the mercy seat by (Wycliff and Luther)? and retined in some of our translations (KJV ESV) because of Its function!
It was called mercy because It covered the law (The Ten Commandments). There was no way for man to keep the law, no way for man to save himself. So what happened? God covered His law (The ten commandments) with mercy—with the mercy seat.
mercy—with the mercy seat.
“Who is a God like You,Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?He does not retain His anger forever,Because He delights in mercy.He will again have compassion on us,And will subdue our iniquities.You will cast all our sinsInto the depths of the sea.You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham,Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old”
Why was it sometimes translated as a “Seat” rather than “cover?” After all there was no actual seat or chair recorded among the furniture of the Tabernacle?
1) God was said to sit enthroned above the Cherubim. ().
1) Above the lid, God was said to sit enthroned above the Cherubim. ().
1) God was said to sit enthroned above the Cherubim. ().
1) Even though there was no physical seat - God was said to “sit” enthroned above the Cherubim. (Psalm 99:1).
2)There was no seat among the furniture of the tabernacle. There was no need for one. The priestly work was never finished. Each priest continued to minister until he was relieved by another, and so, in relays, the ministry of the priests went on continuously. Only once do we ever read of a priest finishing his work and actually sitting down. He was the great High Priest, Jesus Christ Himself. Listen to , : “And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man [Jesus], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”
2) The finnished work of Christ.- The work of the Priests was continuous day and night, they never got a seat in the presence of God. But when Jesus entered the heavenly tabernacle he sat down at the right had of God. Listen to Hebrews 10:11, 12:
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
God has always beend actually sitting down. He was the great High Priest, Jesus Christ Himself. Listen to Hebrews 10:11, 12: “And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man [Jesus], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”
“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man [Jesus], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”
Do you see the vivid suggestion here? It is the suggestion of a finished work. In the priestly administration of the tabernacle service, there was no end. Christ alone the great priest could say: “It is finished.” But what was finished? The work of Atonement.
3) What happened at the place of atonement? (Mercy Seat)
3) What happened at the place of atonement? (Mercy Seat)
Day of Atonement. (Yom Kippur) - Yom means "day" in Hebrew and Kippur comes from a root that means "to atone". Yom Kippur is usually expressed in English as "Day of Atonement".
Challenge.
Explain what Arron Did using Scripture.
Blood Sprinkled on the Horns of the Golden Alter. (Christ Alter)
Blood Sprinkled on the seat (Christ Blood)
Every year the
Dead or alive? (Christ died)
Remember the Tabernacle is only a copy
For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews
Challenge
Challenge
Do you need mercy? Do you need grace? The Bible says you do.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, p Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011),
What happened to the ark?
What happened to the ark?
Indiana Jones, The Arch of Titus.
Landing
Landing
The Arch of Titus And its inscriptions of the furniture.
Jesus. Jesus is the true place of atonement, Jesus is the true place of Mercy, Jesus is the mercy seat and all that the Ark Pointed towards Is found in him.
People who obsessed with pursuing it should be pursuing Jesus. Jesus is the true place of atonement, Jesus is the true place of Mercy, Jesus is the mercy seat and all that the Ark Pointed towards Is found in him.
Landing
Landing
From every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat—
’Tis found beneath the mercy seat.
There is a place where Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads,
A place than all besides more sweet—
It is the blood-bought mercy seat.
There is a scene where spirits blend,
Where friend holds fellowship with friend;
Though sundered far, by faith they meet
Around one common mercy seat.
There, there on eagle’s wings we soar,
And time and sense seem all no more,
And heaven comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy seat.
Day of Atonement. (Yom Kippur) - Yom means "day" in Hebrew and Kippur comes from a root that means "to atone". Yom Kippur is usually expressed in English as "Day of Atonement".