“And
you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall
put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 There
I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the
two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about
all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.”
The writer of Hebrews points back to
this item in Hebrews 9:5, alluding to the parallel work of Christ’s mercy. The
one other time in the New Testament that the mercy seat is mentioned is by the
apostle Paul in Romans 3:25. Here he is more specific as he applies the concept
of the mercy seat to the blood of Christ and what it accomplished. So many
parallels and connections can be made here.
In the blood of Christ we meet the
forgiving presence of God! Christ’s blood as mercy seat becomes the new symbol
for the new covenant. Grace, mercy and compassion are all drenched in the blood
of Christ at the cross. More precious to us than pure gold is the merciful and
cleansing power of the blood of Christ. May we remember and live each day in
the presence of the “mercy seat!”
A transformational leader knows when and how to offer mercy and forgiveness. The original mercy seat was fashioned with gold. The transformational leader knows how to offer mercy and forgiveness because their own heart has been fashioned, shaped and cleansed by the blood of Christ. Of all people, the Christian transformational leader naturally extends mercy because they themselves have been transformed by that same mercy.
God is "rich in mercy" (Ephesians 2:4) and that "great mercy has caused us to be born again unto a living hope"(1 Peter 1:3). Steeped in this kind of mercy, the Christian transformational leader knows why and how to offer such a "living hope" to others. It is crucial that we offer this rich and great mercy to others for the following reasons:
1. It offers hope to those who are living in despair.
2. It is a gift we have received that God expects us as faithful stewards to pass on to others.
3. It is such a costly gift we cannot keep it to ourselves.
4. It is often the first step in helping others to learn how to be merciful to themselves.
5. It is often the first step in helping others to learn how to be merciful to others.
6. This genuine way of living is mercy that cares enough to get involved in the lives of hurting people.
7. We offer such genuine mercy because culturally we do not see too many good models of it!
8. Jesus proclaimed during his Sermon on the Mount in the Beatitudes that "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7). The only way for us to obtain mercy is if we are disposed to offer it!
So much of Christian maturity and growth is based on mercy. It is emphasized three times in the New Testament that God desires "mercy and not sacrifice." Here is meant the legalistic requirements of the sacrificial system. A mindset of understanding, caring, mercy will lead people much further than any autocratic, legalistic mindset ever could!
A literal gold, mercy seat on the ark of the covenant becomes a golden heart with the merciful mind of Christ! May God grant us merciful hearts to offer others for His glory!
In Christian love, Curtis
