In the Old Testament and covenant, God provided a place for people to find mercy and grace to help in time of need. God prepared this holy place where the spiritual and physical need of His people could be met. It was a holy place where the glory of God would come down. It is important for us to know that God wants to be a very present help in the time of our need.
Hebrews 9:2-3 NKJV For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; That tabernacle was a tent of meeting where God would come down.
It was a sanctuary and holy place. Often God would come down and speak with His people at the door of that Tent of Meeting. Through the ministry of the High Priest, God had devised a way for the people to gain the help they needed. In the first part of the holy place was a lampstand and a table for the bread of the presence, the showbread. Then, there was a veil before the Holy of Holies.
Hebrews 9:3-5 NKJV and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.
The Mercy Seat was the highly visible lid that Moses placed over the Ark of the Testimony.
God said: “I will speak with you from above the Mercy Seat.” He was establishing a pattern of things that are in heaven.
The Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat were constant reminders to the people.
It was a testimony and a reminder that God had provided mercy. Everyone needs to know that even in the Law, God provided mercy. Under the Mercy Seat was a representation of the people’s sins that should have brought judgment and the curse of the Law. The Mercy Seat was a highly visible reminder that God wanted to give mercy for all their failure and sin. God wanted His people to remember that He had forgiven them of their sins. They were to remember God’s mercy. Each of us should remember the fact that God wants to show us His mercy.
What was under the Mercy Seat?
Under the Mercy Seat, Moses put the Tablets that contained the Ten Commandments. The tablets were a testimony that they had broken God’s Commandments. From the day that God gave the commandments to Moses until Christ, the people had transgressed and sinned. Only by God’s mercy the congregation had not been destroyed. God is merciful and gracious.
Lamentations 3:22–23 NKJV Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
Under the Mercy Seat was the golden pot of manna.
God had already delivered them from Egypt by a strong and mighty arm and had brought them safely through the Red Sea. After the people had used up the food and water they carried from Egypt, they became hungry and thirsty. God knew the wilderness could not sustain the multitudes of Israel, so He did something that had never been done before.
Psalm 78:23-25 NASB95 He commanded the clouds above And opened the doors of heaven; He rained down manna upon them to eat And gave them food from heaven. Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.
God graciously provided food for them in the wilderness. Every day for forty years God provided bread from heaven for the people.
In Numbers 11, the people were sick and tired of manna.
They said: “We have lost our appetite; all we see is manna!” They remembered the fish they freely ate in Egypt and the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
They said, “Our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes.”
Everyone was complaining at the entrance of their tent. What they were saying was not the truth. None of them had been sick or weak. Even their shoes and clothes did not wear out. God had protected, provided and prospered His people.
Have any of you ever labored long to provide something special for your family?
They walked into the dining room and the table was filled with the fruit of your labors. But, when they sat down everyone began to complain. I don’t like turkey and gravy. I don’t like green bean casserole or sweet corn casserole. I don’t like sweet potatoes. Everything you prepared received the same response.
God gave them food from heaven and they did not like it.
It is terrible when God takes care of His people and they say, “It is not enough. I don’t like this.” They wanted the things they had when they were in Egypt. The pleasures of this world will never really satisfy the need of your body or soul.
Numbers 11:10b “The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.”
It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of an angry God. God’s provision was not enough. They lusted after the fruit of Egypt more than the gift of God.
The people’s dissatisfaction with God’s protection, provision and blessing continues to grow. On the way from Mount Hor by the Red Sea, the people became very discouraged.
Numbers 21:5 NKJV And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”
The bread God had given them from heaven was worthless in their sight. When the Lord saw how they responded to His gift from heaven, He sent fiery serpents among the people and many of them died. Even in judgment, God provided mercy and escape.
Hebrews 9:4 tells us that there was a pot of manna under the Mercy Seat.
Under the Mercy Seat was Aaron’s rod that budded.
They complained and rebelled against God’s given leadership. Once again, the Lord spoke to Moses about their rebellion in Numbers 17. The Lord told Moses to have all of the leaders put a rod before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The next morning, Aarons rod had sprouted, put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
Numbers 17:10 NKJV And the Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.”
Symbols of their transgressions and sins were under the Mercy Seat.
Most of us remember sins and failure that we have done. Some of those things are like pictures that come to mind and torment us. Some are like a tape that is played back to remind us of what we have done. The adversary of your soul wants to keep bringing those images, sounds and failures to your mind. He wants to keep you from God. He wants to kill, steal and destroy any peace, joy or love you have.
We need to run to the Mercy Seat and put those things under the blood of Christ and receive mercy and grace from God. God commanded to put the things that were a reminder of their sins and transgressions under the Mercy Seat.
The Mercy Seat was the place of the blood covering.
God made this provision for His people. The blood of the sacrificed lamb was sprinkled seven times on the Mercy Seat to make atonement for their sins. Mercy that was given allowed God to speak to His people and give grace and favor. Peace and rest could be enjoyed when transgressions and sins were under the Mercy Seat.
God wants to show His mercy to you today. Your cry for mercy can be heard.
- In the New Testament, the cry for mercy brought healing to the blind, (Matthew 9:27, Matthew 20:30; Mark 10:46). When everyone else told them to be silent, they cried out, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes and they were healed.
- The woman who had a severely demon-possessed daughter cried out: “O Lord, Have mercy on me.” (Matthew 15:22) When she was willing to eat crumbs from the Master’s table, Jesus healed her daughter.
- In Matthew 17:15 a man knelt before Jesus and said: “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water.” When no one else could help, Jesus had mercy and the son was cured.
- The Lord showed great mercy on Elizabeth and gave her a son, John the Baptist, (Luke 1:58).
- Ten lepers cried out to Jesus: “Lord have mercy on us,” (Luke 17:13). They were outcasts because they were sick, contagious and unclean. When Jesus had mercy, they were cleansed.
- Titus 3:5 tells us it is by mercy that He saves us.
You can come to God and find mercy for what you need.
In the Old Testament, the radiant glory of God was revealed above the Mercy Seat.
When mercy has been granted, God in His glory was known. Mercy will bring you into contact with the glory of God. God’s mercy will set you free. By God’s Mercy you can be healed. By God’s mercy you can receive help. Saving grace comes down to you through God’s mercy.
In Hebrews 4, we are told that we have a High Priest, Jesus the Son of God. He sympathizes with our weaknesses and stands ready to make intercession for us.
Hebrews 4:16 NKJV Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
You can bring anything to God. Bring everything through the blood of Christ and put it under the Mercy Seat at the throne of grace. Bring your sins, sickness, and pain.
Once you have put the load of your sins and cares under the mercy of God, the blood of Christ will cover them and make you free.
His blood is sufficient.
