THE MERCY SEAT
Thursday – January 11, 2018
Welcome back to this wonderful Bible Study taken from the Book of Hebrews. I have been talking about our High Priest, Jesus, the priesthood, the Tabernacle, and now the various components of the Tabernacle (and later the Temple), their use then and what it prophesied for we who would follow. As I have mentioned several times but bears repeating, we are now the tabernacle or temple of God. Let us go ahead and review our primary text and then dive right into this marvelous material.
Hebrews 9:1-7 (KJV)
1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
You will recall that we are focused on Hebrews 9:5 and the mercy seat today. The Mercy Seat is of pure gold and unlike the remainder of the Ark there was no shittim wood. The shittim wood represented the sacrifice of Jesus, what was necessary to bring purity to man and secure forever the New Covenant. It is to the Mercy Seat that the blood of the innocent animals was applied under the Old Covenant and it is the Mercy Seat to which the Blood of Jesus has been applied under the New Covenant.
Leviticus 16:12-14 (KJV)
12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
The High Priest of old would bring the censer with burning coals from off the alter before the LORD, the incense would be applied creating a sweet smell in the Most Holy Place. This was looking forward to the time when the partition would be broken down between God and man by the Blood of Jesus and man purified by the Blood and the fire of God (Holy Spirit) could stand without fear boldly in His presence. Then we see that the High Priest of old would take the blood of the innocent animal and sprinkle it upon the Mercy Seat. Notice that he did not just sprinkle the blood on the side where he entered the Most Holy Place but all the way around or at least eastward and westward.
Notice that one would enter the Tabernacle from the east and proceed westward to the Most Holy Place. By the way this is also the way the good news, the gospel, covered the earth, going from east to west. The High Priest would sprinkle the blood with his finger “upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat”. You can see that in order to sprinkle the blood eastward the High Priest would have to stand behind the Ark and the Mercy Seat. So, in the course of sprinkling the blood the High Priest would go completely around the Ark and Mercy Seat most likely. I am sure you noticed that he shook the blood from his finger seven times. Seven is the number of spiritual completion. All of this signifying the wonderful and complete redemption to come by Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 9:12 (KJV)
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Until our next publication, I speak blessing into your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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