A CORRECTION CORRECTED.
By J. H. W.
A HIGHLY-ESTEEMED correspondent, remarking on the position of our High Priest in Heaven, says: “The Father sits upon the mercy-seat between the cherubim, while our High Priest, Intercessor, and Advocate, stands before the throne to plead our cause.” So far as the remark is designed to correct the popular, erroneous idea that Christ sits on the mercy-seat (see hymn to tune of “Calvary”), we heartily endorse it; but as it regards the position of the Father on the throne, we think differently. The Scriptures do not represent the mercy-seat as being the throne of God, nor the Father as sitting on the mercy-seat. Were that idea correct, we could not dissent from the popular view, as the Scriptures prove that Christ is now called and permitted to sit on his Father’s throne. See Ps. cx, 1; Heb. viii, 1; Zech. vi, 12, 13; Rev. iii, 21, &c. Therefore, if the mercy-seat were the throne on which the Father sits, Christ would be there also. But the Scriptures always represent the throne of God as being over and above the mercy-seat. The first definite information given on this point is by the pattern in Ex. xxv, 22: “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat.” And still more clearly is the location given by Ezekiel, who had a vision of the heavenly things themselves. In describing the cherubim, he says: “And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the color of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.” Chap. i, 22; and again: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.” Verse 26. In chap. ix, 3, where a change of position from the most holy place to the holy is indicated, it says: “And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house.” And again, the return of the glory of God to the most holy, where, as by Moses, he promised to meet with them: “Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight; when they went out the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.” Chap. x, 18–20. The question may arise, How then is it that Christ is typified by Aaron, who stood before the mercy-seat to sprinkle thereon the blood of the covenant? No one part of Scripture will contradict or nullify any other part. Let it be remembered that Aaron had no kingly priesthood as Melchisedec had, and our Saviour has; our High Priest as Intercessor occupies a position Aaron never did. Also the work of Aaron before the mercy-seat was but a very small part of his priestly service; and so of our Lord. The work of the atonement in the most holy is a brief work, comparatively, and in no wise interferes with the many scripture declarations that our High Priest was exalted to the throne of the Father. How beautiful and harmonious the truth appears as opened to us in the light of the heavenly sanctuary! J. H. W.