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God commune with Moses as a man speaks with his friend. It speaks once more of
paradise restored.
Heb. 9: 4 and 5 gives a detailed statement that must not be ignored:--
1.
The ark of the covenant, which contained:--
2.
The golden pot that had manna.--Wilderness promises.
3.
Aaron's rod that budded.--Christ's undying priesthood.
4.
The tables of the covenant.--The unbroken law.
5.
The mercy seat.--The propitiatory.
6.
Shadowed by the cherubim.--The pledge of restoration.
It is most important to observe that the cherubim were not placed separately upon the
mercy seat, but as the A.V. margin shows, they were made "of the matter of the mercy
seat".
The covering cherub of Ezek. 28:, though perfect at his creation, stood upon the
basis of creaturehood, which could not guarantee indefectibility. These cherubim and all
that they stand for not only rest upon, but are part of, the mercy seat. Such shall never be
cast out as profane from their sanctuaries, and the restoration they pledge is therefore
secure.
The Mercy Seat.
The Hebrew word translated "mercy seat" is kapporeth, which is the feminine form of
kopher, variously translated "ransom" and "satisfaction". It is very suggestive that the
first occurrence of the word is associated with an ark other than that made by Moses,
namely, that of Noah (Gen. 6: 14). There the word kopher is rendered "pitch". The
pitch was essential if the floods of divine wrath were to be kept out of the ark, and
therefore in its context "pitch", though black, is a precious figure of atonement.
Similarly kophar, "thou shalt pitch it", is the word that is rendered over and over by
"atonement". Other renderings are "be merciful", "reconcile".
There are some who have spoken of the idea of atonement as being an inadequate
representation of the work of Christ, inasmuch as the underlying idea of the word is a
"covering", the argument being that the typical sacrifices only "covered" sin, whereas the
offering of Christ "put it away". Now the Hebrew kapporeth, mercy seat, is rendered by
the LXX hilasterion, and the Hebrew word kaphar, "to make atonement", by exilaskomai
and hilaskomai in a great many passages. Both the words hilasterion and hilaskomai are
used in the epistle to the Hebrews, and hilasterion in Romans, of the great sacrifice of the
Lord Jesus:--
"Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make
reconciliation for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2: 17).
"The cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat" (Heb. 9: 5).
"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood" (Rom.
3: 25).