The Mercy of God
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
Many years ago, my wife and I attended a (mostly) black church in Reston, Virginia. They had a guest preacher that Sunday. He started off by asking everyone how to define "mercy." At that point in time, I had never stopped to think about such a definition. Many believers present offered their thoughts on mercy. I do not remember what that guest preacher said about mercy. However, we present herein some thoughts about the mercy of God for our mutual edification.
Grace and mercy are very closely related. Mercy implies pity or compassion for the ills of others. Everyone has heard the phrase to "throw one's self on the mercy of the court."
Mercy is an act of God; peace is the resulting experience in the heart of man. Grace describes God's attitude toward the law-breaker and the rebel; mercy is His attitude toward those who are in distress. Mercy assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it.
In the order of the manifestation of God's purposes of salvation, grace must go before mercy ... only the forgiven may be blessed. It is no coincidence that in each of the apostolic salutations where these two words occur, grace precedes mercy. In the apostolic greetings to the churches (in every case), only the grace and peace of God is mentioned. But in the five instances where epistles are addressed to individuals, it is always grace, mercy, and peace, and in that order. Each one of us, as individual believers, needs the mercy of God to be extended.
Because God is so merciful to us, as we press on into His kingdom, we should likewise exhibit His mercy.
Indeed, we reap that which we sow.
Putting Things into Perspective and Order
To understand more fully the mercy of God we first of all need to understand the ark and its contents, the mercy seat, and the cherubims, as described under the Old Covenant.
In Romans 3:25 we see exactly Who this mercy seat is, "(Christ Jesus) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood." The Greek word used here for "propitiation" is the same Greek word that is used in Hebrews 9:5 which is translated "mercy seat." So Jesus was set forth by God to be our mercy seat. Note that the mercy seat was placed above the ark, which contained the tablets of stone.
It was here, from above the mercy seat that God spoke to Moses (Numbers 7:89). This is where the blood of the slain bullock was sprinkled as atonement for the sin of the nation (Leviticus 16:14-16). Under the Old Covenant (Mosaic) God accepted the blood of a sinless animal as atonement for sin, but this was only a shadow of the sinless blood of Christ which would be for us a propitiation.
The high priest could never enter the Most Holy Place without the blood. So we see that the voice of God from off the mercy seat was only heard through blood atonement. God has nothing to say to man apart from Jesus Christ and His redeeming blood. It was the blood that changed the Throne of judgment into a Throne of grace. It is through faith in the blood that Jesus becomes our propitiation ... our mercy seat (Romans 3:25). The word "propitiation" means "to appease, placate, or make satisfied."
God is a holy God, full of righteousness and judgment. This is the picture of God that we see in the law. When Israel broke the law, they stirred up the wrath of God. Divine wrath is the holiness of God in action against sin. Sin must be judged; the demands of a holy God must be appeased. God's holiness and righteousness must be vindicated. The wages of sin is death. The blood which was sprinkled on the mercy seat testified that a death had taken place. The judgment of God had been executed; hence God's wrath had been appeased. His righteousness was vindicated and now God's mercy can flow.
As we stand sprinkled in the blood of Christ, God can be merciful, just and the justifier of all who believe or have faith in the blood (Romans 3:20-27). Now we can stand with the publican who prayed in the temple, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:9-14), or as the literal suggests, "God be mercy-seated to me a sinner." The blood shed at the brazen altar (a type of the cross) is brought to the ark and mercy seat (the throne of God) and God is propitiated (or satisfied).
To remove the blood-stained mercy seat, as did the curious Israelites (1 Samuel 6:19-20), is to expose and to bring into operation the ministration of death as seen in the 10 commandments. In order to look upon the tables of stone, which had no life in them, one had to remove or put aside the blood. If we reiect the blood, we fall to the level of the law, which can only bring death to fallen man. In Christ alone can life be found (Romans 10:4). It is important to note also that this structure is called a mercy SEAT.
This was the one and only seat in the whole of the tabernacle. It was called a seat, and yet no man ever sat upon this seat. The author of Hebrews clearly identifies the truth set forth here (Hebrews 10:11-12). The fact that Jesus sat down is significant of His finished work (Isaiah 16:5 and John 19:30). Christ presented His own blood at the throne of God, and having done so, He sat down. He is now seated as our heavenly High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, on a throne of pure gold, a seat for Deity, even the eternal Son of God.
There remains at least one more significance to the verses quoted above in Exodus 25.
The Lord told Moses that "in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee" (Exodus 25:21). Further, the mercy seat was put above the ark. But above the mercy seat, between the two cherubims, was the place that the Lord told Moses that He would commune with him. Who or what are the two cherubims? Or who or what do they represent? We present here our understanding at this point in time.
From Exodus 25:18-20, above, note that the mercy seat and the two cherubims were one piece. We have already seen that the mercy seat represents the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the two cherubim must represent God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Who else, in addition to the Lord Jesus, is Deity and one with the Lord? Not angels and certainly not any human being or created being. We also know that God is Spirit (John 4:24). Therefore the place that the Lord communes with His chosen people is in the realm of the Spirit. For confirmation of the above, consider:
To complete the symbology, the ark symbolizes the Body of Christ, those who have been saved by grace and in whose hearts the Lord has written His testimony. The ark was made of shittim wood, from the acacia tree. Wood represents humanity. But the wood was overlaid with pure gold. So when God looks at the ark, He sees the gold which overlays the wood, not the wood. Above the ark was the mercy seat (of pure gold), which symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church ... those saved by grace. Note that the covering of those within the ark is NOT another member of the ark. Our covering is the Mercy Seat, the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This truth is also stated in Isaiah 22:8-11.
Perhaps now we can understand more fully why Paul's priority task was to preach Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23, 1 Corinthians 2:2, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 6:14). Every believer must be thoroughly grounded into the centrality, supremacy, and pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. No real believer would ever question that statement, but it must be much more than a doctrinal agreement. Oh, how we need the mercy of God.
Grace and mercy are very closely related. Mercy implies pity or compassion for the ills of others. Everyone has heard the phrase to "throw one's self on the mercy of the court."
Mercy is an act of God; peace is the resulting experience in the heart of man. Grace describes God's attitude toward the law-breaker and the rebel; mercy is His attitude toward those who are in distress. Mercy assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Romans 9:1622 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.23 They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments. Deuteronomy 5:10And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. Luke 1:50And He said [to Moses], I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. Exodus 33:19Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 2 Corinthians 1:3Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. Psalm 31:9
In the order of the manifestation of God's purposes of salvation, grace must go before mercy ... only the forgiven may be blessed. It is no coincidence that in each of the apostolic salutations where these two words occur, grace precedes mercy. In the apostolic greetings to the churches (in every case), only the grace and peace of God is mentioned. But in the five instances where epistles are addressed to individuals, it is always grace, mercy, and peace, and in that order. Each one of us, as individual believers, needs the mercy of God to be extended.
Because God is so merciful to us, as we press on into His kingdom, we should likewise exhibit His mercy.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
Indeed, we reap that which we sow.
Putting Things into Perspective and Order
To understand more fully the mercy of God we first of all need to understand the ark and its contents, the mercy seat, and the cherubims, as described under the Old Covenant.
10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.21 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 25:10-22
5 And over it [the ark] the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Hebrews 9:5
In Romans 3:25 we see exactly Who this mercy seat is, "(Christ Jesus) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood." The Greek word used here for "propitiation" is the same Greek word that is used in Hebrews 9:5 which is translated "mercy seat." So Jesus was set forth by God to be our mercy seat. Note that the mercy seat was placed above the ark, which contained the tablets of stone.
It was here, from above the mercy seat that God spoke to Moses (Numbers 7:89). This is where the blood of the slain bullock was sprinkled as atonement for the sin of the nation (Leviticus 16:14-16). Under the Old Covenant (Mosaic) God accepted the blood of a sinless animal as atonement for sin, but this was only a shadow of the sinless blood of Christ which would be for us a propitiation.
The high priest could never enter the Most Holy Place without the blood. So we see that the voice of God from off the mercy seat was only heard through blood atonement. God has nothing to say to man apart from Jesus Christ and His redeeming blood. It was the blood that changed the Throne of judgment into a Throne of grace. It is through faith in the blood that Jesus becomes our propitiation ... our mercy seat (Romans 3:25). The word "propitiation" means "to appease, placate, or make satisfied."
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16
God is a holy God, full of righteousness and judgment. This is the picture of God that we see in the law. When Israel broke the law, they stirred up the wrath of God. Divine wrath is the holiness of God in action against sin. Sin must be judged; the demands of a holy God must be appeased. God's holiness and righteousness must be vindicated. The wages of sin is death. The blood which was sprinkled on the mercy seat testified that a death had taken place. The judgment of God had been executed; hence God's wrath had been appeased. His righteousness was vindicated and now God's mercy can flow.
As we stand sprinkled in the blood of Christ, God can be merciful, just and the justifier of all who believe or have faith in the blood (Romans 3:20-27). Now we can stand with the publican who prayed in the temple, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:9-14), or as the literal suggests, "God be mercy-seated to me a sinner." The blood shed at the brazen altar (a type of the cross) is brought to the ark and mercy seat (the throne of God) and God is propitiated (or satisfied).
To remove the blood-stained mercy seat, as did the curious Israelites (1 Samuel 6:19-20), is to expose and to bring into operation the ministration of death as seen in the 10 commandments. In order to look upon the tables of stone, which had no life in them, one had to remove or put aside the blood. If we reiect the blood, we fall to the level of the law, which can only bring death to fallen man. In Christ alone can life be found (Romans 10:4). It is important to note also that this structure is called a mercy SEAT.
This was the one and only seat in the whole of the tabernacle. It was called a seat, and yet no man ever sat upon this seat. The author of Hebrews clearly identifies the truth set forth here (Hebrews 10:11-12). The fact that Jesus sat down is significant of His finished work (Isaiah 16:5 and John 19:30). Christ presented His own blood at the throne of God, and having done so, He sat down. He is now seated as our heavenly High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, on a throne of pure gold, a seat for Deity, even the eternal Son of God.
There remains at least one more significance to the verses quoted above in Exodus 25.
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 25:22
The Lord told Moses that "in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee" (Exodus 25:21). Further, the mercy seat was put above the ark. But above the mercy seat, between the two cherubims, was the place that the Lord told Moses that He would commune with him. Who or what are the two cherubims? Or who or what do they represent? We present here our understanding at this point in time.
From Exodus 25:18-20, above, note that the mercy seat and the two cherubims were one piece. We have already seen that the mercy seat represents the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the two cherubim must represent God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Who else, in addition to the Lord Jesus, is Deity and one with the Lord? Not angels and certainly not any human being or created being. We also know that God is Spirit (John 4:24). Therefore the place that the Lord communes with His chosen people is in the realm of the Spirit. For confirmation of the above, consider:
To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. Psalm 80:1The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. Psalm 99:1
To complete the symbology, the ark symbolizes the Body of Christ, those who have been saved by grace and in whose hearts the Lord has written His testimony. The ark was made of shittim wood, from the acacia tree. Wood represents humanity. But the wood was overlaid with pure gold. So when God looks at the ark, He sees the gold which overlays the wood, not the wood. Above the ark was the mercy seat (of pure gold), which symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church ... those saved by grace. Note that the covering of those within the ark is NOT another member of the ark. Our covering is the Mercy Seat, the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This truth is also stated in Isaiah 22:8-11.
Perhaps now we can understand more fully why Paul's priority task was to preach Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23, 1 Corinthians 2:2, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 6:14). Every believer must be thoroughly grounded into the centrality, supremacy, and pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. No real believer would ever question that statement, but it must be much more than a doctrinal agreement. Oh, how we need the mercy of God.
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