The Voice from the Mercy Seat

“And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with Him, then he heard the voice of One speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and He spake unto him.” — Num. vii. 89.

What has this to do with us? Everything — for God “hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son” (Heb. i. 2).

I. The Ark. II. The Mercy Seat. III. The Voice from it.

1. The Ark. See Exodus xxv. 10-16. “When we find Christ in the law, that law becomes gospel.”

A. — 1. The ark was of shittim wood and gold, typifying the human and Divine nature of the Lord Jesus.

2. “Overlaid with gold,” not two parts separable, but all the wood overlaid with gold; hence Christ was “perfect God and perfect man.”

3. Crown of gold round about the mercy seat; type of “royalty,” and the “throne of grace.”

4. Rings and staves for carrying the ark; the gospel to be preached to all nations.

5. In the holy of holies it was dark; contrast in heaven, the holiest of all, no created light needed.

B. — 1. What was the ark for? To contain the tables of God’s law. Refer to our last lesson; Christ our law-fulfiller: “Thy law is within my heart” (Ps. xl. 8).

2. The ark was described and ordered and provided (1) before the law was written (Exod. xxxi. 18, and xxxii. 15, 16); so Christ was foretold and provided before; never av moment when Christ was not: (2) before the law was broken, God foresaw; so before He gave the law which He knew would be broken He provided a Mediator and Substitute to keep it perfectly.

3. The ark contained the second set of tables; first broken, never pierced together again (Exod. xxxii. 19), renewed set (Exod. xxxi v. 1, 4, 28). Adam broke the Divine law, therefore the first covenant at an end. So have we broken the law, therefore no covenant of works avails. If one party breaks conditions, a contract is null. Therefore God renewed and placed it in better hands; put it into an ark which held it safe till all ii required was fully accomplished.

II. The mercy seat.

i. Gold only. Mercy God’s prerogative
(Mark ii. 7).

2. Exact size. “And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and two cubits and a half the breadth thereof” (Exod. xxv. 17). As wide as Christ’s whole nature; no wider, because no mercy out of Christ. See Heb. x. 28, 29, and 2 Cor. v. 19.

3. Kept in place by the crown. Sovereignty and kingly righteousness. “A God all mercy were a God unjust.”

4. The mercy seat covered the tables of the law. “God shut up its curses and hushed its thunders.” Now, it is not the law that speaks condemnation, but the blood of Jesus speaks acquittal from the mercy seat.

“Thine was the sentence and the condemnation, Mine the acquittal and the full salvation.”

5. The mercy seat, place of God’s especial presence and glory and meeting place (Ps. lxxx. 1; Exod. xxv. 22). “There will I meet with thee,” in Christ. Promise and fulfilment.

III. The voice from the mercy seat.

1. It was when Moses went to the appointed place that he heard the voice. We shall not hear God’s voice of mercy unless we come to Christ. Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John xiv. 6). “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him” (Heb. vii.

2. Moses heard it from the mercy seat. Contrast Gen. iii. 8; Ps. lxxxv. 8; Acts x. 36.

3. Voice speaking “unto him”; so it is individual.

4. Spoke for direction and guidance.

Application. What do we know of God speaking to us from the mercy seat? He speaks through Jesus. “Jesus speaks and speaks to thee,” etc. He says, “I have somewhat to say unto thee” (Luke vii. 40), and “I have yet many things to say unto you “(John xvi. 12). Are we saying, “Master, say on,” and “Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth”? And Jesus said, “The words which I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life” (John vi. 63). Don’t we want these “words”? and reply, “1 will watch to see what He will say unto me” (Hab. ii. 1). Illustration: the Queen’s dinner “3

party. Surely every voice would be hushed to hear her speak. Do we ever listen for the “still small voice”? He says, “I will speak comfortably unto her” (Hos. ii. 14; Isa. 1. 4). Let our response be, “I will hear what God the Lord will speak” (Ps. lxxxv. 8), and “Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation” (Ps. xxxv. 3).

He appoints the meeting place, all the day long He is stretching forth His hands to us. He is speaking, are we neglecting to hear His voice? “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord?” (Heb. ii. 3). “He that rejecteth Me and receiveth not My words hath One that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John xii. 48, 49).

He still “waits.” “Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool” (Isa. i. 18).

Think who it is that waits. Jesus the Son of God. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. iv. 15, 16). Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having an High Priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart and in full assurance of faith’”’ (Heb. x. 19-22).