Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The Mercy Seat Part 1

The Mercy Seat I.

“to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed.”
- 1 Chronicles 13:6

This is an absolutely fantastic statement, and worthy of profound meditation. Lest any of us imitate the irreverence of Uzza, I urge the reader to join me in removing your sandals, for the ground we approach is terribly holy.

It is clear that this statement refers especially to the mercy seat, which rested beneath the wings of the cherubim (cf. Exodus 25:20), those angels who were made to gaze down into that wonderful object. Here we learn the reason why they are so obsessed to see it and consider its glories: there “His name is proclaimed.”

To clarify the meaning, consider Jeremiah 9:23-24:

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight.’ ”

The angels of God might have great cause to glory in their wisdom (they knew ancient wonders no man has thought to consider), their might (a single angel destroyed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, 2 Kings 19:35), or the riches of their great position before the throne of God. Instead they gaze with eternal longing into the mercy seat. Why? That they might understand and know the LORD, who exercises lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth.

But we should ask: Why would such exalted beings, dwelling in the immediate presence of the LORD Himself, have need to supplement their understanding and knowledge of God? Does the wife or child of a great man read his biography, hoping to learn something new about him? Why then do these angels look away from God Himself, to some terrestrial project, hoping to gain some fresh insights into the glories of the King?

This indeed is the profound mystery of godliness. I speak with reverence, but even standing face to face with God is an inadequate revelation of His glories. All virtues are perfected through their natural exercise. Love is perfected in sacrifice; righteousness is perfected in just decisions; bravery is perfected through heroic action; power is perfected in mighty feats of strength. If we want to truly appreciate who God is, the best place to look is the place where He has demonstrated His attributes through real, historical actions.

And that’s why the angels look to the cross, the mercy seat. All of the divine attributes are most perfectly displayed and expressed and exercised at Calvary. God demonstrated the great love with which He loved us by sending the Son of His love to perish as our substitute (Romans 5:8); He demonstrates His righteousness by pouring out His wrath once and forever on Christ, who became sin for us (Romans 3:25, 2 Corinthians 5:21); He demonstrates at the cross that He can be just and the Justifier of those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26; 1 John 1:9). The cross is the wisdom and power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18; 24); the faithfulness of God (Luke 22:20); the truth of God (John 1:17, 14:6); the grace of God (John 1:17, Romans 5:17); the mercy of God (Ephesians 2:4); the forgiveness of God (Ephesians 1:7). Any true statement you can make about God is stated most excellently and most completely in the cross of Christ. Only at the cross can the cherubim truly consider the lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness of God. The host of Heaven worshiped Christ in the beauty of holiness in unknown ages past. Even so, they asked with longing, “Who is this King of Glory? (Psalms 24:8)” It was only when the risen Christ reentered the gates of Heaven, reclaimed His eternal throne as the Son of David, His blessed wounds radiating with might and excellence, that they could cry with awesome voices, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!”