Tabernacle Lectures (148) The mercy seat

The core of the tabernacle is the ark of the covenant. When we see how the Israelites carried the ark to the battlefield, how they carried the ark and went around the city of Jericho seven times, how the bare feet of the priests touched the water of the Jordan River and it stopped when they crossed over, we can come to know that the ark of the covenant is the core of the tabernacle.

The altar of burnt offering, the water laver, the altar of incense, the lampstand, the table of showbread—these pieces are all important, but God considered the ark of the covenant more important than all the rest of the things in the tabernacle. This is because of the mercy seat on the ark. The mercy seat is the most important thing for the Israelites to come before God.

The mercy seat is the lid that covers the ark of the covenant. On both sides of the lid were two cherubims. They hammered the cherubims and mercy seat from one piece of gold. Blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat, so our sins were forgiven. Because of that, we can meet God there.

God said in Exodus 25, “I will meet you at the mercy seat.” He said he will command us from above the mercy seat. Because without the mercy seat, our sins are not forgiven, so we cannot meet God. This is the deep secret that God wants to reveal to us.

The blood of the lamb that is sprinkled on the mercy seat represents the blood Jesus Christ shed for us. The blood of Jesus Christ was spilled for our sins. After we go to the mercy seat, receive forgiveness of sins and they become as white as snow, we can meet God. Therefore, without the mercy seat, our sins cannot be forgiven, and we cannot hear the voice of God.

In day and age as well, the true church must absolutely have the mercy seat. There must be a mercy seat in the church for people to come forward to receive forgiveness of sins and meet God. Then, they can hear God’s voice and be guided.

The ark is in the center of the tabernacle, and the mercy seat is in the middle of the ark, and it forgave the sins of the people of Israel. God also wants our dirty sins to be forgiven and for us to receive precious blessings at the mercy seat in the church. God loves us, so he made the mercy seat on the ark which is in the center of the tabernacle. He gives us this mercy seat.

The mercy seat fundamentally resolves all our sins. God wants to meet us at the mercy seat, and he wants to talk to us at the mercy seat. If our sins are forgiven at the mercy seat, we can serve God with a bright heart from then on. He answers our prayers.

The church does not have to fancifully decorate its outer appearance. But it must lead people to the unseen mercy seat, so they can gain righteousness and live spiritual life in light and freedom. After we meet with God at the mercy seat, God solves all our problems no matter what they are, so we can live a joyful and blessed spiritual life.