Exodus 25:21, commentary and pictures

The mercy seat was to be set above upon the ark as its golden cover, and the testimony given by God was to be placed inside the ark beneath it. The testimony is the law of God, the Ten Commandments written by His finger on two tables of stone, enshrined as the sacred depository of the covenant. From between the two cherubim above the mercy seat upon the ark, God meets and communes to make known His will, with the cloud of glory as the manifestation of divine presence. With the law as the foundation of God's government beneath, and the mercy seat above as the place where pardon is granted to the repentant sinner, justice and mercy are united so God remains just while justifying and renewing. The earthly ark and mercy seat are a pattern of the true ark in heaven, where Christ pleads His blood before the mercy seat and ministers before the ark where mercy and truth meet.

Ark and Mercy Seat

The mercy seat was to be set above upon the ark as its covering lid, wrought of one solid piece of pure gold. It covered the sacred chest that held the stone tablets of God's law, the testimony to be put inside. The ark itself is a chest of acacia wood, precious wood overlaid within and without with gold and having a crown of gold about its top. It was made as a depository for what God Himself inscribed, the two tables of stone bearing the ten commandments. For that reason it is called the ark of the covenant and the ark of God's testament, because the commandments inside are God's covenant and the basis of His covenant with Israel.

Surmounting the mercy seat stands a golden cherub on each end, one at either end of the cover. Their wings are spread out over the ark and raised on high, with one wing of each stretched forth on high while the other is folded over the body. Their faces are turned toward each other and look reverently downward toward the ark. That posture is in token of reverence and humility, showing the reverent awe with which the heavenly host regard the law of God and their deep interest in the plan of redemption. When the sacred ark was removed it was always covered so that the cherubim were never exposed and no curious eye looked upon them.

This arrangement stood beyond the inner veil in the holy of holies, the second apartment separated from the holy place by a rich veil. There centered the symbolic service of atonement and intercession. It was the earthly dwelling-place of the Most High, sacred to His presence. The veil at its entrance, inwrought with cherubim, might be lifted by only one hand, and unbidden intrusion was death; on the one day of the year appointed for ministry there the high priest entered with trembling while clouds of incense veiled the glory, every sound hushed and worshipers bowed in silent awe seeking mercy.

The direction was part of the specifications for building the tabernacle given to Moses on the mount of God. It came after the words of the Lord and the judgments had been told to the people, the people had promised to do and obey, the book of the covenant had been read and its blood sprinkled, and Moses with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Joshua and seventy elders had gone up. Paul afterward repeated these directions with the rest of Exodus 24-27 to fellow workers while working quickly and skillfully with his hands at tentmaking, teaching that supreme honor belongs to God and that the skill, genius, wisdom, diligence and thoroughness shown in the building work were given by God for His glory. The same arrangement with the same proportions was continued in Solomon's temple after settlement in Canaan, and in that form existed, except while in ruins in Daniel's time, until destruction by the Romans in A.D. 70.

Testimony Inside the Ark

The testimony commanded to be put in the ark is the law of God, the Ten Commandments written by His own finger on two tables of stone. Those stone tables bearing the ten words were placed inside the ark, beneath the mercy seat, so that the ark was made as the depository to contain and enshrine them. Because the inscribed tables are the basis of the covenant made with Israel, the chest holding them is called the ark of the covenant and the ark of God's testament. The mercy seat set above them is the place where presence is revealed and, through atonement, pardon is granted to the repentant sinner.

The ark enshrines God's law as the great rule of right by which all people are tested, while Christ pleads His blood before the mercy seat for sinners. The tables of the law lie inside under the mercy seat in the holy of holies overshadowed by cherubim. The law under the mercy seat condemns transgressors who follow human plans against God's counsel, bringing defeat, disaster and death rather than deliverance.

The heavenly pattern shows the same contents, for in the ark in the most holy place in heaven are the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone of the testimony. There the tables fold together like a book, with the ten commandments written by the finger of God, four on one table and six on the other.

The law in the ark represented God Himself, and the ark with its contents symbolized His presence and power. The ark was therefore regarded as Israel's glory and strength, with the token of God's presence abiding upon it day and night as the symbol of His presence among Israel and a pledge of victory in battle. The cherubim above the mercy seat, facing one another and looking down toward the ark, represent the reverent awe with which the heavenly universe regards the law as the foundation of God's government. Yet the ark had no power to protect apart from God, and to treat it as a source of power while despising the commandments it contained was formalism and idolatry requiring repentance before victory could be given.

Heavenly Pattern and Presence

The earthly ark with its mercy seat above was a pattern of the true ark in heaven, where the reality stands in the holy of holies behind the second veil, beyond the holy place with the altar of incense, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the table of showbread. That heavenly ark is real and of finest gold, covered on top and sides with purest gold, with beautiful crown-like work as a border around its top. Beside it living angels stand in reverence and humility, for the cherubim above it represent the heavenly host regarding the law with reverent interest.

Above the heavenly ark where the angels stand is an exceeding bright glory like a throne where God dwells. The Father is in the midst above the cherubim, and His glory is shed down upon the ark, so that the train of His glory fills the temple. Between the cherubim, between the angels, is a golden censer.

From between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, above the mercy seat, God meets and communes to give all things in commandment, making known His will. Above the mercy seat is the Shekinah, the manifestation of the divine presence, appearing in a cloud of glory between the cherubim. The second apartment where this arrangement stood was separated from the holy place by a rich veil, and the same arrangement with the same proportions continued from the wilderness tabernacle built by Moses into Solomon's temple after settlement in Canaan, existing except while in ruins in Daniel's time until destruction by the Romans in A.D. 70.

Jesus stands by the ark before the mercy seat, and as the saints' prayers come up to Him the incense in the censer smokes, and He offers up their prayers with the smoke of the incense to His Father. He presents them in faith as sweet fragrant incense like smoke of beautiful colors. As the incense ascends, excellent glory comes from the Father's throne to Jesus and from Jesus is shed upon those whose prayers ascended, with light and glory poured upon Jesus in rich abundance overshadowing the mercy seat.

The earthly mercy seat belonged to the most holy place overshadowed by God's presence until Christ died. At the moment of His death the veil separating the holy from the most holy was torn from top to bottom by God's hand, exposing to common gaze what human feet had entered only once a year and ending the wonderful protection of the temple and its sacred mysteries. From that time God's presence no longer rested over the earthly mercy seat, the light of glory no longer flashed upon and the cloud of disapproval no longer shadowed the precious stones in the high priest's breastplate, and Christ's death as Priest and Advocate in heaven made animal sacrifices for sin valueless. The ark, mercy seat, and tables of the testimony belonged to the first temple's most holy place where the Shekinah abode between the cherubim, and their absence from the second temple marked the loss of those visible signs of God's presence.

Justice Mercy and Intercession

The law placed beneath the mercy seat is the foundation of God's government, the great rule of right by which all people are tested and judged. The stone tables bearing the Ten Commandments were put inside the ark beneath the mercy seat as the basis of God's covenant, and the ark was made to receive them as the symbol of His presence among His people. The mercy seat set above them is the place where God's presence is revealed and where, through atonement, pardon is granted to the repentant sinner.

This setting of testimony inside and mercy seat above shows justice and mercy united in redemption, so that God remains just while justifying and renewing the repentant sinner and restoring fellowship with fallen humanity. Christ pleads His blood before the mercy seat for sinners and ministers in the heavenly sanctuary before the ark, where mercy and truth meet. The heavenly original of the law is kept in the ark in heaven with the mercy seat above it, and Jesus stands before the ark to mediate for humanity, thus joining God's commandments with mercy and Christ's mediation. Through this work Christ raises the ruined and clothes the redeemed in His own righteousness.

The cherubim above the mercy seat, facing one another and looking reverently downward toward the ark, represent the reverent awe with which the heavenly universe regards the law and its deep interest in the plan of redemption. They picture all the heavenly host watching with reverential awe the work by which God justly forgives, with the Shekinah manifestation of divine presence above the mercy seat from between the cherubim making known His will. God receives worship at the heavenly mercy seat, where prayers, praise, penitent confession of sin, obedience and thanksgiving ascend toward Him as incense. Passing through corrupt humanity they are defiled and can never be of value unless purified by blood, so Christ as Intercessor at God's right hand gathers them into the censer of His own merits and spotless righteousness in which there is no taint of earthly corruption, adding His own righteousness and perfuming them with the merits of His propitiation until they come up before God wholly and entirely acceptable upon the glowing fire of His righteousness like a cloud around the mercy seat, and then gracious answers are returned.

Law Sabbath and Witness

The testimony placed inside the ark beneath the mercy seat is the law of God, and its preservation there shows its immutability, that it survived the cross and retains its force and must be given clear emphasis. In the Most Holy place of the heavenly sanctuary behind the second veil the ark is covered by the mercy seat, and Jesus lifts that cover to display what is inside. What is revealed is the testimony of tables of stone bearing the ten commandments, placed close by Jehovah and overshadowed and protected by His holiness, showing the care taken of them. Those who follow Jesus there by faith behold this sight, while the angels with faces turned toward the mercy seat represent all the heavenly host looking with reverential awe toward that law.

The fourth commandment stands in the very center of the ten encircled with a soft halo of light and brighter glory. It alone of the ten defines the living God who created heaven and earth and all things therein, the maker of heaven and earth, and its foundation was laid when the foundations of the earth were laid. For that reason the Sabbath holds central importance and must not be treated as less than the other nine. The heavenly ark also contains the golden pot of manna and Aaron's rod that budded, with the tables folding together like a book bearing four commandments on one table and six on the other, the four brighter than the six, and the fourth, the Sabbath commandment, above them all because the Sabbath was set apart to be kept in honor of God's holy name and looks glorious with a halo of glory around it.

The Sabbath in the ark is unchanged and unchangeable, still reading that the seventh day is the Sabbath as delivered to Moses at Sinai amid flashing lightnings and rolling thunder and written with God's own finger. Nothing has abolished it, it was not nailed to the cross, and it has not been changed from the seventh to the first day. It is and will be the separating wall between the true Israel and unbelievers. Seeing the law in the ark convicts those trampling the fourth commandment by observing a day handed down by heathen and papists instead of the day sanctified by Jehovah, leading to humbling before God and mourning over past transgression.

The mercy seat is the place of God's grace and ministry of healing to be made known to all. Its light of grace is to shine forth from many places through gospel medical missionary work reaching high and low, rich and poor, calling attention to God's message and bringing truths that deliver from physical and spiritual ills to sin-sick souls. Provision is made for the needs of the feeblest of the flock, with unbelief and discouragement put away, especially as the signs foretold are fulfilling and stormy times lie ahead. The most holy place is sacred to God's presence and demands reverence, for above the mercy seat and the bowed, worshiping cherubim dwells the glory of the Holiest upon which no man may look and live. The veil inwrought with cherubim at its entrance may be lifted by only one hand, and to lift it and intrude unbidden into the sacred mystery is death.

On the one day of the year appointed for ministry there the high priest with trembling enters God's presence while clouds of incense veil the glory from his sight, and throughout the courts every sound is hushed, no priests minister at the altars, and the hosts of worshipers bowed in silent awe send up petitions for mercy, all happening by way of example and written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the ages come. Likewise the sacred ark represented Jehovah amid His people, and when removed it was always covered so the cherubim were never exposed to view and no curious eye might look upon it. The ark itself is only a symbol of God's presence, not the presence itself, which is given to an obedient and believing people, and the blessings looked for from it can be bestowed by God alone. When borne by holy men according to express command with the Captain of the Lord's host going before it, God's arm brings deliverance, but when borne in following human plans in opposition to His counsel the law under the mercy seat condemns transgressors to defeat, disaster and death.

Treating the ark as a source of power while despising the commandments it contains is formalism and idolatry, and disobedience separates from God so that repentance and forsaking of sin must come before victory is given. The skill, genius, wisdom, diligence and thoroughness brought into building the tabernacle according to these specifications, rehearsed even while laboring quickly and skillfully with the hands at tentmaking, were given by God to be used for His glory and teach that supreme honor belongs to Him.