The Mercy Seat

“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17

I hope that your image of God is not of one who sits in the heavens with a big club waiting for us to mess up. Many people view God this way. While it’s true that God hates sin, let’s not forget forget that God died for sinners. 

In the Old Testament book of Exodus, God gives Moses instructions on how to build the tabernacle. The Old Testament tabernacle would serve as a model of the true tabernacle in heaven. It’s a picture of the true place of worship described in Hebrews that was built by the Lord and not by human hands (Hebrews 8:2). 

In the inner court, behind the veil of the wilderness tabernacle, was a small wooden chest covered with pure gold. Two cherubim facing one another, also made of pure gold, stretched out their wings above the mercy seat. Between the wings of the cherubim, above the mercy seat is where God’s presence would dwell. There He would rule His people. Notice that God doesn’t rule from a place of judgement, but from a place of mercy. 

The purpose of Ged sending His Son into the world was not to judge the world, but to show mercy. He sent Jesus into the world so that through Him we might be saved. God still rules from the mercy seat, not the judgement seat. God is not sitting on the judgment seat waiting for us to mess up. He is sitting on the mercy seat waiting for us to turn from our sins and turn to Christ so that through Him we might be saved.