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.
God promises to meet and speak with Moses from above the mercy seat between the cherubim on the ark to make known His will and give His commandments for Israel. That meeting place was in the most holy place beyond the inner veil, over the ark holding the law written by God, where the Shekinah glory dwelt as the center of worship and atonement. The earthly ark, mercy seat, and cherubim are a pattern of the heavenly temple, where Jesus stands by the ark before God's glory and offers the prayers of the saints with incense as sweet acceptance before the Father. With the mercy seat set above the law, mercy and justice meet in redemption as Christ pleads His blood for repentant sinners, so God remains just while justifying them and clothing them in His righteousness. Even the guilty may therefore come just as they are with no plea but Christ's blood to find acceptance before God's throne, yet only in reverence and obedience, for after Christ's death the veil was rent, the earthly presence withdrew, and a new and living way was opened through His priesthood in heaven.
Earthly Ark Described
Beyond the inner veil of the movable wilderness tabernacle, God's earthly dwelling built at His command so it could be carried from place to place, lay the holy of holies where centered the symbolic service of atonement and intercession, and there He chose the cover of the ark as the place to meet and commune and make known His will from between the cherubim. The veil inwrought with cherubim at its entrance marked one apartment as sacred to His presence.
The ark was a chest of acacia wood, precious wood, overlaid within and without with gold, with a crown of gold about the top. Its cover was called the mercy seat, wrought of one solid piece of gold and surmounted by golden cherubim, one standing on each end, with one wing of each angel stretched forth on high while the other was folded over the body in token of reverence and humility. Their faces were turned toward each other and looking reverently downward toward the ark.
The ark was made as a depository to contain the testimony, the tables of stone on which God Himself inscribed the ten commandments, the law of God written by His finger on two tables of stone. It is therefore called the ark of God's testament or the ark of the covenant because the ten commandments were the basis of the covenant between God and Israel. God was particular about every specification He gave Moses for the tabernacle and its furniture. After the covenant was ratified and Moses went up into the mount of God, the Lord gave him there the directions and pattern for the service, obligations, and building of the sanctuary including the ark.
The sacred ark represented Jehovah amid His people and was always covered when removed from the sanctuary, so the cherubim were never exposed to view and no curious eye might look upon it. The ark of God was sacred and was to be as jealously guarded from all intrusion and from all investigation by curious eyes. Above the mercy seat between the cherubim was the Shekinah, the manifestation of the divine presence, revealed in exceeding bright glory like a throne where God dwells, abiding in the most holy place as the center of Israel's worship. From between the cherubim God spoke to declare His will, His glory shining down upon the ark and filling the temple, manifested in the cloud of glory.
God Meets and Speaks
The promise is to meet and commune with Moses from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim upon the ark of the testimony, there to make known the divine will and give all things in commandment for the children of Israel. The ark containing the law written by God's finger on two tables of stone was the sign of God's presence among His people, and the most holy place was where that presence was manifested in a cloud of glory between the cherubim. The tabernacle was God's dwelling place on earth, the meeting place where after the fall He met with people and His voice was often heard.
From that same place above the mercy seat He also met and communed with Israel and with the high priest, continually revealing His love and patience as their instructor and guide. His glory dwelt there in the holy Shekinah, and this visible token of His presence shining forth in the holy of holies kept faith alive through ages of darkness and apostasy until the promised Messiah came. The presence overshadowing the earthly mercy seat in the most holy place flashed forth the light of glory and the cloud of approval or disapproval in connection with the precious stones in the high priest's breastplate.
Communication came through an audible voice from the cloud, and when inquiries were made by the high priest before the ark God sometimes answered with that voice. When no voice came the answer was given by signs: light upon the cherub or angel at the right signified approval, acceptance, or favor, while a shadow or cloud upon the one at the left signified rejection, refusal, or disapproval. It was Christ whose glory dwelt in tabernacle and temple in the holy Shekinah above the mercy seat, and from there as Israel's instructor, teacher, and guide He continually taught them and showed them His love and patience.
God's glory came through Jesus Christ and was veiled in the cloud so that people could endure His presence, and this veiling was God's way of approaching humanity. These specifications for the building of the tabernacle given by Christ to Moses, chapter after chapter, were repeated by Paul while working quickly and skillfully with his hands at tentmaking with Aquila, for the benefit of himself and his fellow workers. He did so to keep in touch with the great Teacher, to educate believers in unity, to give an example in diligence and thoroughness, to teach that supreme honor is to be given to God, and to show that the skill, genius, and wisdom brought into the tabernacle work were given by God to be used for His glory.
Heavenly Sanctuary Revealed
The earthly ark with its mercy seat and its arrangement is a pattern of the true and glorious ark in heaven with living angels, where God's glory rests above the mercy seat. The cherubim looking reverently toward the law kept in the ark represent heavenly angels looking with reverence and awe toward God's law deposited there.
In the holy of holies of the heavenly temple is the ark covered on top and sides with purest, finest gold with a crown-like border, with a lovely cherub standing on each end with wings spread over it and touching above, faces turned toward each other and looking downward to the ark, and a golden censer between the angels. Above the ark where the angels stand is an exceeding bright glory that appears like a throne where God dwells, which cannot be looked upon. Beneath the cover are the tables of stone bearing the ten commandments, and His glory shines down upon the ark and fills the temple. Two angels stand one at either end with wings spread over the mercy seat and faces turned toward it, representing all the heavenly host looking with reverential awe and interest at the law of God written by His finger.
Jesus stands by the ark before that glory at the meeting place, and light and glory pour from the Father's throne upon Him and overshadow the mercy seat until the train of the glory fills the temple. As the saints' prayers in faith come up to Him the incense in the censer smokes, and He offers them up with the smoke of the incense to His Father as sweet incense of beautiful colors. Glory from God's throne shines on Jesus and reaches those who pray, and blessing is shed from Jesus upon those who prayed. There He presents the faithful prayers of the saints to the Father.
The glory of God manifested at the meeting place could be partly seen from the first apartment, though a curtain hid the mercy seat itself. The priest directed his prayers toward the unseen mercy seat in faith, and likewise God's people direct their prayers to Christ, their Mediator before the mercy seat in the heavenly sanctuary, whom they see by faith rather than natural sight. They bring their prayers in faith to that place, trusting that God hears and answers their petitions and confidently claiming the benefits of His mediation.
The prayers, praise, penitence, obedience, and thanksgiving of true believers ascend toward the heavenly mercy seat like incense, but defiled by corrupt human channels they can never be of value unless purified by blood. Christ the Intercessor at God's right hand gathers them into the censer of His own spotless merits and righteousness, moist with the cleansing drops of His blood, and presents them perfumed with His propitiation. Then the fragrance of Christ's righteousness ascends like a cloud around the mercy seat, the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable, and gracious answers are returned.
The mercy seat above the law in the ark, with cherubim looking down upon it, is a picture of the heavenly sanctuary where Christ pleads His blood for sinners before the mercy seat, joining the claims of God's law with mercy in the plan of redemption. The law kept in God's ark is the rule by which all people are tested, while mercy and truth meet there. The arrangement represents justice and mercy united in redemption: God remains just while justifying the repentant sinner, renews fellowship with fallen humanity, and clothes the redeemed in Christ's righteousness. The cherubim looking down toward it represent the heavenly host's deep interest in redemption.
Law Beneath Mercy
The cherubim with faces turned toward each other and looking reverently downward toward the ark represent the reverence with which the heavenly host regard the law of God kept inside, and their interest in the plan of redemption. Their gaze is the awe of the heavenly universe before that law as the foundation of God's government, and the watching of angels with interest over it. The mercy seat covered the ark containing the stone tables of the Ten Commandments, and the earthly ark and its arrangement are a pattern of the true ark and living angels in heaven where God's glory rests above the mercy seat. Beyond the inner veil where centered the symbolic service of atonement and intercession, God chose that cover as the place to meet and commune and make known His will from between the cherubim, with the Shekinah above as the manifestation of the divine presence from which He spoke to declare His will.
The ark was made as a depository for the tables of stone on which God Himself inscribed the ten commandments, and is therefore called the ark of God's testament or covenant because those commandments were the basis of the covenant between God and Israel. That law represented God Himself, and with the token of the divine presence resting upon the ark day and night it was regarded as Israel's glory and strength. In the heavenly Most Holy Place the ark holds the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone folding together like a book with the ten commandments written by the finger of God, four on one table and six on the other. When Jesus lifts the cover the tables are seen, with the fourth commandment in the very center encircled with a halo of glory and light. It holds that place because it alone points out and defines the living God who made heaven and earth and all things therein, laid down when the foundations of the earth were laid.
The fourth, the Sabbath commandment, shines with a brighter light than the others and stands above them all with a halo of glory around it. It reads as when spoken by God upon the mount and written with His own finger, that the seventh day is the Sabbath set apart to be kept in honor of God's holy name, unchanged and not nailed to the cross. Six days of labor with rest on the seventh-day Sabbath remains binding, so keeping Sunday handed down by heathen and papists tramples the fourth commandment and calls for humbling before God and mourning over transgression. The light resting over the mercy seat as a manifestation of God to His people, ever a symbol of His presence, was Christ Himself, the spiritual light shining upon Israel in symbol and type and prophecy. In Him is declared oneness with God and relation to the whole human family, for He is the light of sun and moon and star whose light as the Sun of Righteousness shines upon every soul.
The ark was only a symbol of God's presence, not the presence itself, and had no power or holiness in itself to secure victory while the law it contained was disregarded. Meeting with God from above the mercy seat is given to an obedient and believing people, and blessings sought must be looked for from God alone rather than from the chest as repository of His law. When His people walk in obedience to His express command and revealed will, the Captain of the Lord's host goes before it to bring deliverance. When they follow their own plans in opposition to His counsel and authority, and cherish sin and contempt for the commandments, they are separated from Him and the law under the mercy seat condemns them to defeat, disaster, and death.
Reverence Worship and Access
One apartment of the earthly tabernacle and temple was set apart as sacred to God's personal presence, where the glory of the Holiest dwelt above the mercy seat between the bowed, worshiping cherubim, a glory upon which no man might look and live. The veil inwrought with cherubim at its entrance could be passed by only one hand, and to lift that veil and intrude unbidden into the most holy place was death. Only on the one appointed day in the year for ministry in the most holy place, the Day of Atonement, did the high priest with trembling enter God's presence after careful and solemn preparation, with clouds of incense veiling the glory from his sight. While he was within, every sound throughout the courts was hushed, no priests ministered at the altars, and the hosts of worshipers bowed in silent awe sending up petitions for God's mercy. The people waited in solemn silence and prayer for his return, fearing that delay meant sin had brought death to him or to them before God's presence, and the bells on his garments reassured them when heard until he came out to bless them.
Even sinful and guilty people can find acceptance with God dwelling in glory between the cherubim above the mercy seat by coming just as they are with no plea except the atoning blood of Christ, a never-failing passport by which all petitions gain access to the throne of God. The temple and a dwelling place set apart for worship and keeping the commandments is to be regarded as sacred where God meets His worshipers, so angry feelings in their hearts shut away the Spirit. A permanent meetinghouse answers this purpose of the Lord meeting with His people better than a tent. God desires all to become acquainted with the mercy seat where He meets and communes with His people together with His ministry of healing, for the light of His grace shines forth from that meeting place into many places. He who meets there understands the necessities of each situation and arranges advantages for workers in various places to arouse attention with truths that bring deliverance from both physical and spiritual ills to a world filled with sin-sick souls, and knowing it increases faith.
This arrangement of the sanctuary sign keeping faith alive through ages of darkness and apostasy until the promised Messiah came happened as an example and was written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the ages are come. As the ark of God was sacred and was to be jealously guarded from all intrusion and from all investigation by curious eyes, so the institution placed in Australia is to be respected and guarded from every unwise intrusion so it can stand as a faithful sentinel to proclaim truth and reflect heaven's light.
Presence History and Loss
The ark symbolized God Himself and remained in the tabernacle from the wilderness journey all the way to Jerusalem. Jehovah made Zion His holy habitation, dwelling there in visible glory in the Shekinah above the mercy seat. That dwelling belonged to a thousand years of privilege and blessing granted to the Jewish people. Its place was the base of the mystic ladder connecting earth with heaven, on which angels descended and ascended, opening to the world the way into the holiest of all.
The first temple possessed these visible signs of God's presence, where God met and spoke with Moses from above the mercy seat between the cherubim over the ark to give commands for Israel. The second temple did not have them, for the Shekinah no longer rested between the cherubim and the glory no longer abode there. The ark, mercy seat, and testimony were absent from it. No heavenly voice came there to reveal God's will to an inquiring priest or to instruct the priest.
God's promise to meet Israel from above the earthly mercy seat came to an end when Christ died, when the divine presence that had overshadowed the earthly mercy seat in the most holy place withdrew forever. At that moment the temple veil was rent from top to bottom, laying open to common gaze and curious eyes the most holy place that had been sacredly entered by human feet only once a year and exposing its sacred mysteries. From that time God would no longer overshadow the earthly mercy seat, the light of His glory would no longer flash forth and the cloud of His approval or disapproval would no longer shadow the precious stones in the high priest's breastplate. The blood of beasts offered for sin became valueless because the Lamb of God had died for the sins of the world. A new and living way was opened to both Jew and Gentile, with the Saviour henceforth officiating as Priest and Advocate in the heaven of heavens.