The mercy seat was the golden covering of the Ark of the Covenant, found in the Holy of Holies, which is the innermost sanctuary of the tabernacle. It was made of pure gold and flanked by two cherubim whose wings overshadowed it. This was not merely a decoration or a symbolic lid. The mercy seat was the exact location where God declared He would meet with His people.
“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony…” (Exodus 25:21–22)
The Ark contained the tablets of the Law, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded (Hebrews 9:4). These were all reminders of Israel’s failure to obey, to believe, and to submit. And yet above this testimony of rebellion, God placed a seat of mercy.
The Hebrew word for mercy seat is “kapporet”, which means “covering.” It is derived from the root “kaphar”, meaning “to cover” or “to make atonement.” This is the same root used in Genesis 6:14 when God instructed Noah to “cover” the ark with pitch, symbolically showing protection from judgment.
The Day of Atonement and the Blood
Once a year, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of a sin offering on the mercy seat.
“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil… and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.” (Leviticus 16:15)
This act was central to the atonement of Israel. The blood did not erase the Law, but covered the people’s transgressions in light of it. It was a divine appointment where justice and mercy met, not by ignoring sin, but by providing a covering for it.
The high priest could only enter this sacred place once a year, and never without blood (Hebrews 9:7). If he entered presumptuously or unprepared, he would die. This made clear that access to the presence of God was not casual… it required atonement, reverence, and obedience.
The Mercy Seat and the Presence of God
The mercy seat was not only a place of atonement, it was where God’s presence was enthroned.
“The Lord reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved!” (Psalm 99:1)
The imagery is unmistakable. God sits in judgment, but He rules from a seat of mercy, not wrath. The place where the Law exposes guilt is the same place where blood is sprinkled for mercy.
The prophet Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord “high and lifted up” with seraphim crying out “Holy, Holy, Holy” (Isaiah 6:1–3). This holiness is the context for mercy. God’s mercy is not sentimental… it is holy, pure, and rooted in justice.
The Mercy Seat Foreshadows Christ
All of this was a shadow of something greater. The mercy seat pointed forward to Jesus Christ.
In Romans 3:25, Paul writes of Jesus:
“Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness…”
The Greek word for “propitiation” here is “hilasterion”, which is the exact word used in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) for mercy seat. In other words, “Jesus is the mercy seat”. He is the place where the blood is applied. He is where justice and mercy meet… not just figuratively, but quite literally.
He is not just the sacrifice, not just the High Priest, but the very location where atonement takes place.
“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)
Jesus didn’t merely fulfill the mercy seat, He embodied it.
Jesus Entered the True Holy of Holies
The tabernacle on earth was only a copy.
“For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” (Hebrews 9:24)
“Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12)
Unlike the high priest, who returned year after year, Jesus entered once. The blood He offered was not of an animal, but of His own.
The Veil Was Torn
When Jesus died, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the people was torn in two.
“Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.” (Matthew 27:51)
This tearing was not symbolic, it was seismic. God was declaring that the way into the true Holy of Holies was now open, not just for one priest once a year, but for every believer, every day, by faith in Christ.
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Hebrews 10:19–22)
The Blood Still Speaks
The blood of Jesus is not a past event, it is a living testimony.
“To Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:24)
Abel’s blood cried for justice and Jesus’ blood speaks mercy.
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)
The Mercy Seat Is Now a Throne of Grace
Because of Christ, the mercy seat has become a throne of grace.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
The Old Testament priest trembled before the mercy seat. The New Testament believer is invited to approach boldly… not arrogantly, but confidently, because the blood of Jesus covers us.
We no longer come to a golden seat in a tent, we come to a risen Savior seated in heaven.
“He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)
The Mercy Seat and the Gospel
At the heart of the Gospel is the mercy seat. Without it, there is no place for forgiveness, no covering for sin, and no access to God. But with it, we have everything.
- Justice has been fulfilled.
- Mercy has been offered.
- The way has been opened.
The cross is where the blood was shed. The resurrection is where the High Priest rose to minister forever. The ascension is where He entered the true sanctuary in heaven.
My Final Thoughts
The mercy seat reveals the very heart of God… a place where holiness and mercy are not in conflict, but in perfect harmony. God does not compromise His justice to forgive, nor does He withhold mercy in order to uphold righteousness. At the mercy seat, He does both.
Jesus Christ is our mercy seat. He is the fulfillment of every type, every shadow, and every offering. His blood speaks on our behalf. His sacrifice opened the way. His presence invites us in.
You don’t need a priest. You don’t need a veil. You need only the blood of the Lamb and faith in the Son. So, come boldly, because mercy is waiting.
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1)
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