The Mercy Seat: Where Law Meets Grace

Discovering the profound truth that God meets us not just with law but with mercy through the covenant.

We discussed the word covenant a few days ago. Today, I want to continue that discussion but promise to lead you to something that will shake your world in an excellent way.

To understand much of what God is saying and doing for us, you must know how He used the term and showed it in the lives of others in the Bible. Then we understand what is being said when God makes a covenant with us or even when we consider the Lord’s Supper as part of the New Covenant.

Some covenants are unilateral and unconditional. In contrast, others have conditions, and both sides are expected to fulfill certain obligations.

The covenant God made with Noah was one-sided and unconditional. God would not destroy the earth again with a global worldwide flood.

God’s covenant with Abraham had some conditions, but it was mainly unconditional. He gave them the land and made Abraham great.

Now, we move to a conditional covenant.

Mosaic Covenant

God gave Israel the Ten Commandments. His covenant with them was bilateral, conditional on their obedience. God blessed them, but the blessings were contingent on their obedience.

Israel was to show their love and commitment to God through their obedience. Israel failed time and time again. These failures led to judgment, and God will establish a new covenant.

The beauty of the covenant with Moses is that God knew they would fail and provided them with a sacrificial system. They would fail, but God foreshadowed the cross, giving them animal substitutes to atone for their sins.

Check out this verse that shows how God looked at and listened to His people.

And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. Exodus 25:21–22.

Even in the days of the law, God placed the law, and the testimony in the ark, but above the ark was a mercy seat. This mercy seat was where the blood was sprinkled and where God met with His people. He doesn’t speak to you from the law but from the place of His sacrifice and His mercy.

And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. Exodus 30:6.

God meets with us from His mercy seat, not His judge’s bench. This was the promise even in the Old Testament and under the law. No one obeyed the law because that was impossible. The law drove us to Jesus.

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24.

The law showed us our need. We must have someone step in and pay our sin debt, which is too great for us. Jesus did that.

God’s people often misuse the law, a problem that has existed since the days of Moses. Check out these verses.

7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 1 Timothy 1:7–11.

God’s people often desire to be doctors of the law and do not use the law lawfully. The law serves the lawless, disobedient, ungodly sinner, not the saint.

We are learning lessons about the covenants little by little. The greatest covenant will be when you see Jesus have His body broken, a covenant meal, and a promise of salvation by grace.

Davidic Covenant

God made an unconditional promise or covenant with David. David’s descendants will sit on the throne of Israel, and David’s kingdom will endure forever. God will rule over His people through a human king, defend them from enemies, and bring eternal peace and justice. God will have a father-son relationship with David and will not quit loving David even if he sins.

Jesus will be the ultimate fulfillment of this covenant. Jesus is the Son of David, the promised seed to establish an eternal kingdom someday.

Lord willing, tomorrow we will discuss the New Covenant.