Exodus 25:22 BSB
This was my highlighted verse yesterday from my daily bible reading. I sat with it for awhile mulling it over. I began to picture what this scene might look like between God and Moses and it fascinates me. Something begins to stir inside my heart and thoughts and I realized that’s what I want. I want to meet with God there.
“And you are to construct a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. And the cherubim are to have wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat. Set the mercy seat atop the ark and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.”
Exodus 25:17-21 BSB
“But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would remove the veil until he came out. And when he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded, and the Israelites would see that the face of Moses was radiant. So Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.”
Exodus 34:34-35 BSB
Come with me. Let your thoughts drift with me through the annals of time. Can you just imagine it? Oh to be a fly on the wall as Moses met with God in the Tabernacle as the children of Israel wandered through the desert. God Almighty, commander of the Angel Armies would sit on top the Mercy Seat hovering over and between the two cherubim and He would speak with Moses, telling Moses all He had planned for children of Israel. Let’s roll. Let’s meet with God also. What? What is that I see in your face? Is it fear? Is it shame? You don’t feel worthy to enter behind the curtain of the Tabernacle and meet with God Your Creator? It’s okay. I’m not worthy either. In fact no one is. Moses didn’t even qualify. However, God qualified him. It is God who qualifies all He calls. Can’t you see it yet? Can’t you see Him yet? Look at the Ark of the covenant. The Law is inside we call them the Ten Commandments. They point out all our flaws. It becomes obvious how far we have missed God’s mark of His commandments. Have you lied recently? I have. Have you been disrespectful? I have. But still I am moving forward toward the Ark. I’m placing one foot in front of of the other. Ask me why I am being so courageous. Go ahead. Ask me why so bold.
I’m looking above the box – the Ark. I see God hovering over THE MERCY SEAT. Don’t you get it now? God’s mercy is above the Ten Commandments. The commandments were written to show us and teach us God’s righteous way to live. They point out how far we have to go to obey each and every one. But God’s Mercy hovers over all our waywardness. God’s Mercy beckons us come.
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16 BSB
You see God’s greatest desire is to meet with us, to discuss with us all the things He has planned for us. God’s plans for us are good. He wants to speak with us. He wants fellowship with us. God wants a relationship with us. That is why He met with Moses as He hovered over THE MERCY SEAT. It is called Mercy for a reason.
Yesterday the Jewish nation observed their most solemn appointed day, Yom Kippur. It is the day the Lord God purged and wiped clean the nation’s sin. It is the day that sin no longer stood between a person and God. Kippur means atonement, to place something over the stain of sin so that God no longer counts it against you. God did something about our sin and it came at a very high cost, God’s very own Son. Leviticus 16 lays out this day. Once a year the High Priest went behind the veil into the Most Holy Place where the Ark and the Mercy Seat resides. He went with the blood of the Lamb and the High Priest sprinkled blood on the Mercy Seat.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”
Leviticus 17:11 BSB
This is the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur and every moment, every activity observed is a painting of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Our atonement was not cheap. It was a life for a life. The life of Jesus for our lives, our liberty.
“because on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, that you may humble yourselves; it is a permanent statute.”
Leviticus 16:30-31 BSB