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

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

In the Old Testament book of Exodus, God paints a picture of His love for us through what would become the Wilderness Tabernacle. While Moses was on Mt. Sinai, God gave him detailed instructions on how to build the tabernacle. The Old Testament tabernacle would serve as a model of the true worship in heaven described in Hebrews—a tabernacle built by the Lord and not by human hands.* 

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