THE MERCY SEAT Ex. 25:17-19,21

We are in the again, in the part of the that God kept separate unto Himself. Only once each year was the High Priest allowed to enter in. We considered last week the significance of the , and how it pointed forward to the Lord Jesus. Laid on top of the Ark of the Covenant was a slab of pure gold measuring about 45" x 27". It was the base for the golden cherubim and it was the symbol of the throne from which God ruled (Lev. 16:2; Num. 7:89). On the Day of Atonement the High Priest would have sprinkled the blood of the sacrificial lamb on the mercy seat as he pleaded to God to forgive the sins of the nation of Israel (Lev. 16:15). The Hebrew word means literally “to wipe out or “cover over”. I want to take two weeks to look at the Mercy Seat, - it is such an important item in the Tabernacle. Firstly, because of … THE QUALIFICATION FOR ENTRY

Let’s read together from Heb. 9:2 … Heb. 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: It’s those words I want to pick up on, … not without blood

Religion has caused more wars, been responsible for billions of people being killed, all sorts of inhumanities, bigotry, and a major contribution to mistrust and disharmony. I also believe that the vast majority of what is called Christendom has nothing to do with the Christianity of the Bible. It often is simply a quasi- religious organisation that scurries around regardless and ignorant of God and His agenda. There used to be a subject we heard preached so regularly, … and souls were saved through its proclamation. It warmed the hearts of God’s people. It is central to the Gospel. We have thought about it already when we looked at the Altar of Burnt Offering. … But we shall look at it again this evening, for I want to pick up on those three simple words, not without blood. D.G. 2 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BLOOD * Blood sacrifices play or have played an important part in many religions. * You had it in the Jewish religion, and in the ancient religions of the people who lived around them. * You have blood sacrifice in devil-worship, and in primitive animistic religions, etc. * You have a form of blood sacrifice in some of the world’s larger religions. * So, it is significant that a blood offering is regularly used as a means to placate the wrath of a deity. * … there is something inherently ‘natural within a human being that calls out for the need to be forgiven by a force outwith ourselves, - … through a god or a deity of some sort, … and often this is done through the shedding of blood. * Within this context I believe it is important to mention the place of the blood within Roman Catholicism. (I’ve heard some well- meaning Baptist church members say, “Sure the only difference is they call it Mass or the Eucharist, we call it the Lord’s Table”.) * Here is what the Catechism of the (1994) teaches as it reaffirms the II Vatican Council (1962-65), the I Vatican Council and the 16th century Council of Trent, * In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist ‘the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really and substantially contained’ [Council of Trent 1551]. ‘This presence is called ‘real’ … because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present’ [Pope Paul VI, Mysterium Fidei]. * It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament. * The Council of Trent summarises the Catholic faith by declaring: … by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation. [Council of Trent 1551] * The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated. D.G. 3 * So you see, countless times has the Roman Catholic Church crucified Christ, … thus demonstrating its pagan and occultic roots that lie within the very mind of Satan himself! * Why am I telling you all this? … considering other religions with regard to the significance of the blood? * Remember that our first parents originally worshipped God in holiness and without sin in the Garden of Eden, * The devil spun them a lie and they got caught in his web, * Nonetheless, though, he couldn’t take away that part of the human being that craves the need of the company of God, * There is a part inside the most pagan primitive tribe that knows there is a God, - the sad thing is that in their search for Him they begin to construct their own gods, … and they shed the blood of animals in order to appease his anger. * And inside us we have an inherent knowledge that we have wronged Him and His wrath needs to be placated, … and like the pagans we have our own view of who our god is. * I firmly believe that every person born has an inherent knowledge of a greater force outside him/herself. * Ah, you may say, “David, all you’ve got to do is look around you and you’ll see people in Kirkcaldy aren’t like the people you’re talking about away up the Amazon and in the jungle!” * True, very true! But 30,40,50 years ago God was respected here, - no child would ever have thought of throwing something at a church building or tearing down the Word of God from its noticeboard. * 100 years ago in Kirkcaldy the churches and mission halls were packed. … And even now when disasters come, … Who is the first we run to? … God! * It is an inherent part of every man, woman and child to believe that there is a higher force outside of ourselves. * God’s relationship to the Old Testament people of Israel depended upon the blood, - that was the means by which they approached Him, - that is the significance of the blood .

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BLOOD * I want to leave the other religions behind now, - I believe it is right and proper to highlight their error, - but we must continue on to consider the real importance of the blood, … as far as God and His people are concerned. D.G. 4 * We read that the High Priest entered, not without blood, – there are two very simple, yet special meanings we must take from these three words, (double negative) 1. he entered with blood. 2. he could not lawfully enter without blood. * His object in entering the Holy of Holies was to finish the work of expiation, - i.e. to make complete atonement for, satisfaction for, reparation for himself and the children of Israel. * By what the High Priest did in the Holy of Holies with the blood he washed away completely and successfully the peoples’ sin, - and he became their mediator. * Yes, the lamb was slain at the Altar of Burnt Offering, * Its blood was not poured out at the door of the Tabernacle, … but the atonement was only completed when a portion of the blood was sprinkled seven times before the Mercy Seat. * This was the lamb that had been brought in through the Gate, to the Altar where he was then taken and his blood shed. * The same blood was brought into this most special place, - the Holy of Holies, - and was made the ultimate atonement for all the people throughout all the children of Israel, - that’s the importance of the blood, for without shedding of blood is no remission.

THE FULFILMENT * The blood was sprinkled seven times, - that is an important number in the Bible; it is God’s number of perfection. * When the blood of His Son was shed on Calvary, His was perfect blood, sinless, … the final Sacrifice, * It no longer needs to be repeated or acted out. * Those religions that I mentioned earlier, their sacrifices are unnecessary and uncalled for, … and even worse than that, they are in complete conflict with the Gospel of Christ, the Gospel of Saving Grace, * Eph. 2: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. * Col. 1: 20 having made peace through the blood of his cross * Heb. 9:8-15a D.G. 5 * Heb. 10: 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus * I Peter 1: 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ * That’s the significance of the blood and the importance of the blood, but it is in Christ that we see the fulfilment. * When the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies and he was met with the spectacle of the Ark of the Covenant he would have been filled with awe, * No matter how long he had been a High Priest and every year entered that place, … each time would have been so special because He had come into the place where he was meeting to do business with God. * What a privilege! He was only allowed in once every year. … Through Christ the born again believer has open and ready access at all times into the presence of the same Almighty God. * … and the blood of the lamb not only saved him from his sin it was the only means of entry whereby he could come before God.

CONCLUSION. * The blood, - where would we be without the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ?! * We would be heading towards a lost eternity in hell, * We would know nothing of God’s Saving Grace and His keeping power. * We too would be like the other religions trying to placate - as best we were able – that inherent necessity that tells us we need to be made right with God. * Here, even now, we have no other right to come before God, except through the blood. * This was how the High Priest prepared himself for meeting with God, - and none of the blood was wasted, … and neither was any of the blood of Christ! * Christ’s cross and resurrection showed the perfect presence and accomplished atonement once and for all, * … and it is on the merits of the blood that we have this privilege of approaching Him this evening.