Topical Bible: Mercy-Seat: The Blood of Sacrifices on the Day of Atonement Sprinkled

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The Mercy-Seat, known in Hebrew as the "kapporet," is a significant element within the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and later the Temple, serving as the lid of the Ark of the Covenant. It is crafted from pure gold and is flanked by two cherubim, whose wings stretch over the seat, symbolizing the divine presence of God. The Mercy-Seat is not merely a physical object but a profound symbol of God's throne and His covenant with Israel.

Central to the function of the Mercy-Seat is its role during Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, as described in Leviticus 16. On this solemn day, the high priest enters the Holy of Holies to perform a sacred ritual that involves the sprinkling of sacrificial blood upon the Mercy-Seat. This act is pivotal for the atonement of the sins of the people of Israel.

The ritual begins with the high priest making atonement for himself and his household by sacrificing a bull. Leviticus 16:14 states, "He is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger against the front of the mercy seat on the east side; he shall also sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the mercy seat." This initial act of atonement underscores the necessity of the priest's own purification before he can intercede on behalf of the people.

Following this, the high priest sacrifices a goat as a sin offering for the people. Leviticus 16:15-16 continues, "Then he shall slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the veil. He is to sprinkle it against the mercy seat and in front of it. In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been." The sprinkling of the blood signifies the covering of sins and the restoration of the covenant relationship between God and His people.

The Mercy-Seat thus becomes the focal point of divine mercy and forgiveness. It is here that God promises to meet with His people, as stated in Exodus 25:22 , "And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites."

The New Testament reflects on the Mercy-Seat as a foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate sacrifice. In Romans 3:25 , Paul writes, "God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand." Here, Christ is depicted as the fulfillment of the Mercy-Seat, offering His own blood for the atonement of humanity's sins.

The Mercy-Seat, therefore, is not only a historical artifact but a profound theological symbol. It represents the intersection of divine justice and mercy, where the blood of sacrifices on the Day of Atonement prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who provides eternal atonement for all who believe.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 16:14,15
And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Day of Atonement
... the purest of men, even the anointed priest, robed in white, who has offered sacrifices
daily all ... Once the blood was sprinkled on the mercy-seat, and seven ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the day of atonement.htm

What is the Sanctuary?
... the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these ... the most holy place
with the blood of this ... and sprinkled it upon the mercy-seat, directly over ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /23 what is the sanctuary.htm

What is the Sanctuary?
... the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these ... the most holy place
with the blood of this ... and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat, directly over ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 23 what is the.htm

Scriptural Types.
... they may there "offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to ... for himself, and sprinkled
its blood in the ... sanctuary upon and before the mercy-seat seven times ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

The Copies of Things in the Heavens
... Our lesson does not refer to the 'mercy seat,' which covered the ark ... Its distinctive
character was that on it the blood of the slain sacrifices was offered ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the copies of things in.htm

Mount Zion.
... Sacrifices are instituted, which, however, when established, evoke no response from
the offended ... His blood is sprinkled on the mercy-seat, and speaks to God ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter xv mount zion.htm

The Blood of the Testament
... blood was then sprinkled upon the mercy-seat itself ... the cherubims of glory shadowing
the mercyseat; of which ... alone once every year, not without blood, which he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 58 1912/the blood of the testament.htm

The Voice of the Blood of Christ
... We may say of all the sacrifices that were ever offered, however ... the mercy-seat,
and there is the cross, and the blood is dropping on the mercy-seat. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the voice of the blood.htm

The Blood of Sprinkling
... of the covenant, and upon the mercy-seat, which was ... the heavenly things themselves
with better sacrifices than these ... be saved you must have the blood of Jesus ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/the blood of sprinkling.htm

The New Covenant.
... It is evident that reconciliation through blood was the ... stood between the sinful
people and the mercy-seat. ... and yet that the gifts and sacrifices there offered ...
/.../chapter viii the new covenant.htm