When’s the last time you really stopped to think about how much God has done for you? It’s an amazing moment, isn’t it? That question alone can shift everything, your faith, your perspective, even the course of your whole day.
For the Israelites, the Ark of the Covenant wasn’t just a religious item tucked away in the tabernacle. It was a powerful reminder of God’s character, His covenant, and His presence among them. This wasn’t just a box. It was built from acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold, and created exactly as God had said it should be. Inside would soon be the tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a jar of manna. But the focal point wasn’t inside. It was the top.
The mercy seat.
Two golden cherubim faced each other with wings outstretched, overshadowing that place where God said He would meet with His people. The law was inside the ark, but mercy covered it. That’s not just biblical symbolism. That’s the gospel.
The Ark points us to Jesus in every detail. Acacia wood, strong and enduring, covered in gold. Humanity wrapped in divinity. Isaiah said the Messiah would be like a root out of dry ground. And the thorns on the acacia tree? They remind us of the crown pressed into His head. Nothing was accidental. God was showing us His plan all along.
Isaiah 53:2 (NLT) “My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.”
When God said the mercy seat should cover the law, He wasn’t just giving Moses a construction plan. He was giving us a picture of how we approach Him. Not by earning. Not by being good enough. We come through mercy. Through Christ.
Romans 3 tells us righteousness doesn’t come through the law. It comes through faith in Jesus. He is our mercy seat—the one who satisfied justice and made room for grace.
Romans 3:21 (NKJV) “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,”
Still, many today jump back into striving and trying to prove ourselves. Hoping we’ve done enough. But the blood of Jesus already made a way. It covers our guilt. It brings us peace.
That’s what sets us free. We don’t have to live under pressure or perfectionism. We live in the grace He’s already given. Colossians 3:17 reminds us that our whole life can become worship. Even the little things, work, chores, conversations, can point back to Him when they’re done with thankfulness.
Colossians 3:17 (NLT) “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”
When we remember His mercy, it changes how we treat others. It teaches us patience. It softens our hearts. It moves us to forgive. It even shapes the way we share the gospel, not as a duty but as something we can’t help but talk about.
If you’ve never come to the mercy seat, now is the time. Don’t clean yourself up first. Don’t wait to be ready. Come to Jesus just as you are and receive the mercy He offers.
And if you’ve known Him for years, take a moment to pause. Stop striving. Rest in the finished work of Christ. Let His mercy do what your efforts never could.
Truly, He’s done more for us than we could ever repay.
