THE MERCY SEAT

The Bible is the most magnificent book ever written. It is a book of exact sciences. No other book ever written explains man's origin, his present, and his future in such simplistic terms. God has given us many types, shadows, and examples of His plan for His creation man. The Old Testament is full of God's hidden mysteries for man's present and future. One such example of these hidden mysteries is shown in the Mercy Seat..

The Mercy Seat was the covering above the Ark of the Covenant. The Mercy Seat was where God met man in the Holy of Holies. When we hear the word Ark mentioned, three arks come to mind.

1. Noah's Ark used by God to protect His creation through the flood.

2. Moses' Ark used to protect Israel's deliverer from the wrath of Pharaoh.

3. The Ark of God that sat in the Holy of Holies.

The Ark of God is called the Ark of the Testament, the Ark of the Testimony, and the Ark of the Covenant.

When God gave Moses instructions how to build the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, He called Moses to go up into the mountain. There He gave him the exact dimensions of the Ark of the Covenant. He informed him to make a Mercy Seat to cover the contents of the Ark.

The Ark of God represents seven things in our lives:

God's Provision God's Protection God's Promise
God's Presence God's Power God's Peace God's Praise

God gave Moses the exact dimensions of the Ark and the Mercy Seat. The Mercy Seat was to be the same size as the Ark.

"And thou shalt make a Mercy Seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the Mercy Seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the Mercy Seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the Mercy Seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the Mercy Seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the Mercy Seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy Seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." *** Exodus 25:17-22

The Ark was approximately 42 inches long and 27 inches wide. The Ark, with the Mercy Seat, was carried with wooden staves covered with pure gold. The staves were inserted into rings on the side of the Ark.

The Mercy Seat was where God met with man.

"And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy Seat..." *** Exodus 25:22a

God met with the High Priest once a year, on the day of Atonement. At this time, the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies with blood to atone for all the sins of Israel.

Moses continued his explanation of the Ark and the Mercy Seat.

"And he made the Mercy Seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And he made two Cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them on the two ends of the Mercy Seat;" Exodus 37:6-7

As stated before the Mercy Seat had the same dimensions as the Ark because it was the lid for the Ark. It was covered with pure gold; the top, bottom and sides. One piece of gold was used to cover the Mercy Seat. We need to remember these facts about the Mercy Seat.

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the Mercy Seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the Mercy Seat." *** Leviticus 16:2

When God met with the High Priest above the Mercy Seat, He would appear in a cloud:

"And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the Mercy Seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the Mercy Seat eastward; and before the Mercy Seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times." *** Leviticus 16:13-14

There were certain preparations the High Priest had to make before He could enter into the presence of God. The Altar of Incense was in the Holy Place. The Ark of the Covenant was in the Holy of Holies. A veil separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. In the Holy Place directly before the veil, sat the Altar of Incense where the priest burnt incense continually before the Lord. When the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies, he was to take the Altar of Incense through the veil, to the Ark and burn incense before the presence of God. Some of the incense was to cover the Ark. After the smoke of the incense covered the Ark, he was to dip his finger in the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it seven times on the Mercy Seat. These are types and shadows of how we are to enter into the presence of God.

Let us consider the cloud. God appeared in a cloud above the Mercy Seat. Clouds always represent the glory of God. Clouds are revealed as God's glory all through the Bible.

When Solomon dedicated his temple, the glory of God filled the temple:

"So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God." *** II Chronicles 5:14

When Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal, the glory of God appeared to Elijah's servant:

"And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not." *** I Kings 18:44

Elijah was on Mount Carmel with Ahab and four hundred prophets of Baal. Seven times Elijah sent his servant to look for any signs of rain. The seventh time he went, (seven is God's perfect number) he saw a little cloud, as a hand, raising out of the sea. As we view what God is revealing Spiritually, we discover the cloud shaped like a man's hand rising out of the sea represents something very special. The sea represents a multitude of peoples, nations, and tongues. The hand coming out of the sea of people represents the five fold ministry God is raising up in the earth: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, *** Ephesians 4:11. The fact the hand is little reveals this is a small group or remnant that will rise out of the great multitude of people to do God's service. The cloud represents God's glory. God's glory will shine upon this remnant ministry to usher in the Kingdom of God upon the earth.

Today there is a sea of over six billion people on the earth. There has never been this many people on the earth at one time in history. Out of that sea of people, God is raising the little hand ministry. It is coming with the cloud of glory, and it will minister with the power and glory of God.

Elijah told Ahab he had better flee before this storm hit. Ahab represents the sin-sick, godless governments in power on earth today:

"And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded upon his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." *** I Kings 18:45-46

Elijah is a picture of this glorious ministering rain God is going to release upon the earth in the end of this age. Elijah was so empowered and strengthened by the storm, he out ran the best horses in Ahab's kingdom. On foot, Elijah beat Ahab back to Jezreel. In this last hour of time, God is raising up little groups who will break forth miraculously in His power and authority. Today, these little cloud groups are becoming a mighty storm that will cover the whole earth.

God revealed His glory to the children of Israel when they fled from Egypt. The pillar of a cloud went before them in the day time, and a pillar of fire went with them at night. As we view this Spiritually, God's glory was revealed by day, and God's cleansing fire was present by night. Those whom God will use to reveal His glory in this last hour of time will have the cleansing fire of God working in their lives so they can reveal God's glory in the days ahead.

When Moses lead the children of Israel through the wilderness, God's glory was revealed in Moses many times. When the children of Israel refused to hear God's voice...

". . . the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was." *** Exodus 20:21

The phrase thick darkness has the meaning of "cloud." God spoke to Moses in the cloud. When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, God's glory so shone in his face, he had to put a napkin over his face when he addressed the people.

Another time God's glory was revealed to Moses was when he was about to die. Moses had completed the work God had given him to do on earth, and he called Joshua into the Tabernacle:

"And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses." *** Exodus 33:9

God's leadership in Israel was about to change, and the anointing of leadership was going to change from Moses to Joshua. The Lord appeared to speak to Moses in a cloudy pillar. As we study God's Word we always discover God's glory is revealed in a cloud. Moses was the only man in Israel, besides Aaron the High Priest, who could enter into God's presence. But it was only said of Moses:

"And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend . . ." *** Exodus 33:11

Why was this? It was because Moses had come to a place in God where his sins were not atoned for, but forgiven.

Another time God's glory was revealed in a cloud was when Jesus was taken up from the presence of His disciples, and was caught up in a cloud.

"And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight." *** Acts 1:9

When Jesus ascended off the earth, He was received up into a cloud, into the glory of God.

"And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." *** Acts 1:10-11

From these Scriptures, many believe Jesus is going to return in His fleshly body. The two men clothed in white apparel revealed Jesus would return as they saw Him go. His return will be in a cloud of glory. Luke spoke of this.

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." *** Luke 21:27

The cloud Jesus will return in is the glory of God. Jesus is not coming back in the physical, but in the glory of the Father. His disciples saw Him taken up in God's glory, and this is how He is going to return. Paul revealed this glory in his second letter to the Thessalonians:

"When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day." *** II Thessalonians 1:10

The writers of the gospels recorded three times that God spoke from the clouds:

"While He thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear Him." *** Luke 9:34-35

"While He yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Hear ye Him." *** Matthew 17:5

"And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son: hear Him." *** Mark 9:7

Each time a cloud overshadowed the people and God spoke out of the cloud. He spoke out of His Glory. An unknown Psalmist also wrote of God using the clouds:

"Who layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds His chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind." *** Psalms 104:3

Clouds are the vehicles God uses to reveal His glory. The Bible speaks much about the clouds and God's glory. When the cloud came upon the Mercy Seat, it showed God's assurance He will meet with those who go behind the veil in all His glory.

There was a second cloud that covered the Mercy Seat when God came into the presence of man. This second cloud was the cloud of incense. We spoke of this cloud earlier as recorded in *** Leviticus 16:13.

Before God would appear before the High Priest, the cloud of incense had to cover the Mercy Seat. The cloud of incense represents our praise and worship. Our praise and worship must cover our Mercy Seat before God will meet with us. Our praise and worship must go up before God continually. Only by our praise and worship can we enter into the presence of God. God has given us no other vehicle to enter into His presence.

After our Mercy Seat is covered with worship and praise, the Mercy Seat must be sprinkled with blood seven times *** Leviticus 16:14. This perfect blood covering must be on our Mercy Seat before we can enter into the presence of God. When our praise and worship (incense) are offered up, and the blood covering (Jesus) is in place, then God will come in a cloud of glory to meet with us.

When all conditions were met, God appeared between the Cherubims on the Mercy Seat. The Cherubims were also formed from one piece of gold. Gold and the number one always represent God. The Cherubims were not made of many pieces of gold. They were made of one piece of gold showing one God. The one God is Christ Jesus.

Cherubims always protect the holiness of God. When God's holiness was present the Cherubims were also present. When man sinned in the garden of Eden, Cherubims were set at the entrance so man could not enter back to the Tree of Life, which was in the presence of God in the midst of the garden.

The Mercy Seat was made of wood, covered over with pure gold. Wood is symbolic of our flesh. Gold is symbolic of God. All the gold objects in Moses' tabernacle were made of wood, covered with beaten gold. The gold was worked with hammers to shape and mold the gold to cover all the instruments of worship prescribed by God.

All the objects in the Tabernacle represent the life of Christ. The wood overlaid with gold displays His humanity overlaid with the anointing of God. The beaten gold displays His beaten condition before they crucified the Son of God on the cross.

The Brazen Altar, the Altar of Incense, the Table of Shewbread, and the Ark of the Testimony were all made of wood overlaid with gold. All these articles of worship are a picture of Jesus' flesh, overlaid with gold. These articles of worship also represent all those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit of Promise.

As we continue our study of the Mercy Seat, the Hebrew word for mercy seat is KAPPORETH. When we look up the word mercy in the Hebrew, it is the word CHECED. There is absolutely no correlation between these two words. The word KAPPORETH has nothing at all to do with mercy. We must understand the Mercy Seat was not made to sit upon. What then does KAPPORETH mean? It has the base word of KAPPORA which means "atonement." The Jews celebrate YON KIPPUR or the Day of Atonement. The word for Mercy Seat means "atonement." The Mercy Seat was the place where Israel came to have their sins atoned for. This was accomplished by the High Priest once a year when he entered into the Holy of Holies.

On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest took two goats. One was killed, the other was taken into the wilderness and turned loose. The one turned loose was called the scape goat. The blood of the slain goat was taken into the presence of God and offered as a sacrifice upon the Mercy Seat. This was to atone for all the sins of Israel.

The word atone means "to cover, to condone, placate, or set aside." There was no forgiveness of sin under the law. The blood of bulls and goats could not forgive sin. Only the blood of Jesus can forgive sin.

When our Spiritual eyes are opened to the truths of the Old Testament, our understanding of the New Testament becomes clearer. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." *** Colossians 2:16-17

Everything God did in ancient Israel were only types and shadows of what He would do with His New Testament people. The goat that was slain was a type of Jesus whose shed blood was for the forgiveness of sin for His whole creation. Those who accept this free gift will spend all eternity with Him.

The High Priest was to take the blood of the slain goat into the Holy of Holies where God appeared above the Mercy Seat. This is a picture of our High Priest, who shed His blood and sat down on the right hand of His Father.

God has provided a way for us to enter into the Holy of Holies. This example is shown us by the High Priest. Before the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies, the incense had to cover the Mercy Seat. This is how we, too, can enter into the presence of God. It is only by our praise and worship, that we can enter into God's presence.

We may ask, "Why is it so important we know about the Mercy Seat?" God informed Moses to make the Mercy Seat to cover the Ark. The contents of the Ark were as follows:

1. The Ten Commandments or God's Law which is the Word of God

2. Aaron's rod that budded which is God's life in us

3. The Golden Bowl of manna which is God's provision in our lives.

4. The Mercy Seat which is the symbol of God's covering in our lives.

God informed Moses He would meet with the High Priest once a year above the Mercy Seat between the Cherubims. As we view the Mercy Seat through Spiritual eyes, we understand the importance of the Mercy Seat being on the Ark.

The High Priest was to sprinkle the blood sacrifice on the Mercy Seat. This revealed God's mercy and His plan of salvation to His creation man. The law of God which man broke was in the Ark. The Mercy Seat covered the broken law. Man has broken God's law from the beginning and taken God's provision for granted.

The blood was sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat. Without God's plan of redemption, man would have had no mercy, and God would have had to judge every sin in our lives immediately. The beloved John informs us:

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." *** I John 3:4

The Mercy Seat is a picture of how God has put our sin under His Mercy Seat and covered it by the blood of Jesus.

The authority of the priesthood was in Aaron's rod that budded. The budding reveals our new life in Christ. Because of this new life we have authority. But man has abused that authority. If the Mercy Seat had not been in place, God would have had to judge man for this abuse of His authority.

The third object in the Ark was the Golden Bowl of Manna. It represents God's provision. Man has never been thankful for God's provision. If the Mercy Seat had not been in place, God would have had to judge man for His unthankfulness. We serve a righteous God.

If it were not for the Mercy Seat, man could not come into the presence of God, because God would have to judge us for every sin we commit. All the world stands guilty before God. The Mercy Seat covered the sin that separated God from His creation. The Mercy Seat was Israel's place of atonement.

We have heard about the atoning blood of Jesus for many years. We sing the old songs about His atoning blood. But did Jesus' blood atone for our sins? The word atone means "to cover, to placate, to condone, or set aside." Is this what Jesus' blood accomplished for us? Did His blood overlook our sins? NO!!! The word placate means "to appease by making concession." Is that the purpose of Jesus' blood? NO!!!

The word atone is an Old Testament word. It has nothing to do with the new covenant that Jesus made with His creation. The word atone appears one time in the New Testament in Paul's letter to the Romans:

"And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." *** Romans 5:11

The word used for atonement is the Greek word KATALLAGE, and means "to reconcile, or reconciliation." Paul stated it was by and through our Lord Jesus Christ that we receive our reconciliation. As we begin to discover God's plan of reconciliation we look at another Greek word HILASKOMAI. It, too, is translated reconciliation. It comes from the base word HILASTERION translated "propitiation." This is the word Paul used when he explained Jesus' whole purpose for His earthly ministry.

"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." *** Romans 3:24-25

The Greek word HILASTERION means "seat of mercy." Christ Jesus is our Mercy Seat. When we come to Christ Jesus, we are reconciled unto God. How? We are reconciled to God through the redemption that comes through Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit anointing.

We must come by the blood of Jesus into the Holy Spirit anointing. The price of sin has been paid in full by the blood of Jesus. There is no more debt. But, it is by the Holy Spirit anointing and our worship and praise that we can enter into the presence of God. It is the anointing through Christ Jesus, our Mercy Seat, that we can stand in the presence of God.

Jesus Christ is our Ark of the Covenant in which our promises reside, but Christ Jesus, the risen, glorified Christ is our Mercy Seat. We come into the presence of God by our Mercy Seat. We cannot come into God's presence in the flesh. We must come into God's presence through the Spirit.

"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." *** Hebrews 10:19-20

The priest could not enter into the Holy of Holies without the blood. We, too, must enter in by the blood. The blood has done its work in our lives. Jesus' shed blood has provided us with forgiveness of sin. He has also given us a new way to enter through the veil into the Holy of Holies, into His very presence.

We must go through the veil of flesh. Jesus came in the flesh but He passed through the veil of flesh to become the Spirit (Christ Jesus). Christ Jesus is the anointing that came on the day of Pentecost to take us through our veil of flesh into the presence of the living God.

At Jesus' death the veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom. If man would have torn the veil, it would have been torn from the bottom. But God rent the veil to prepare a new and living way for us to enter into His presence. The torn veil is a picture of Jesus' torn flesh. If we are to enter through the veil, our flesh, too, must be dealt with in the Holy place before we can enter into the Holy of Holies.

We can enter into the presence of God, because Christ Jesus has become our Mercy Seat. It is by the anointing that God will meet with man, not in the flesh, but through the Spirit. As Paul informed the Corinthians:

" . . . no flesh will glory in His presence." *** I Corinthians 1:29.

In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul gave us this revelation:

"For verily, He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham." *** Hebrews 2:16

When Jesus came to earth, He did not possess the nature of angels. Instead, He took on the seed of Abraham. Who is the seed of Abraham? Paul explained this in his letter to the Galatians:

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ." *** Galatians 3:16

Abraham only had one seed, and that seed is Christ, the Holy Spirit. It is only through Christ, the anointing, that we can receive the promises made to Abraham. Paul further disclosed to the Hebrews:

"Wherefore in all things it behooved 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." *** Hebrews 2:17

Jesus was not our High Priest while He dwelt in the flesh. He was like us, His brethren. He became our High Priest when He sat down on the right hand of the Father. As stated before we are reconciled through the Spirit, not our flesh.

The Greek word for reconciliation is HILASKOMAI, again, "the seat of mercy." How did Jesus become the seat of mercy? He took on the seed of Abraham, the Holy Spirit, and became the Mercy Seat for us.

"And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world." *** I John 2:2

He is the reconciliation, or the Mercy Seat, for the sins of the whole world.

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." *** I John 4:10

God sent His only Son to become His Mercy Seat for us. The beloved John writes:

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." *** I John 2:1

The Greek word translated advocate is PARAKLETOS and means "called to one's side, to aide, comfort, advise, to be an intercessor, to be a legal counsel for defense." Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, is our intercessor. He Spiritually intercedes for us. John used the word PARAKLETOS when he informed Jesus' disciples:

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever." *** John 14:16

The word comforter is the Greek word PARAKLETOS. Therefore, our advocate with the Father is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, our Mercy Seat where God meets with us.

Our Comforter is the same Comforter the High Priest met with on the Mercy seat when the Holy Spirit descended in the cloud of His glory in the Holy of Holies.

We can meet God, our Mercy Seat, who intercedes for all of our needs. He is our Comforter, our Advisor, our Counselor before the throne of God. The beloved John gave us insight of God's reconciliation process:

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world." *** I John 4:7-17

We can love because God's love is manifested in us. His love is agape love; a manifested, benevolent love because we are in God. God not only sent His Son to die, He also sent His Holy Spirit so we may have a Mercy Seat. Our Mercy Seat has been reconciled to God so we may come into His presence by and through His Holy Spirit. John asks a question:

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us." *** I John 4:11-12

John declares if we love, God dwells in us and His love is made perfect and complete in us. John continues:

"He has given us of His Spirit . . ." *** I John 4:13

We may ask, "Why did He give us of His Spirit?" The apostle Paul answers this question:

". . . all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation." *** II Corinthians 5:18

Why did God send His Spirit to reconcile us unto Himself and give us the ministry of reconciliation?

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world." *** I John 4:17

John related that our love is made perfect when we become as He is in this world. In other words, those who love and have been made perfect are truly His ministers of reconciliation. Our love is to be made perfect in this world, not in the world to come. When our love is made perfect (complete, whole), then we can meet with our God above the Mercy Seat.

When we come by the blood and through the flesh to the Spirit, then we are reconciled to God and there is no longer any separation between God and man. The only thing that separates us from God is the uncleanness and the sin of the flesh. God has opened the door, but we have to walk through it. We can do this only by our worship and praise. That is our holiness in His sight. But this must be with our whole heart. We cannot enter into God's presence with our unholiness. We must clean up our lives. We must tear away the flesh until we come into the place where the flesh comes under the control of the Spirit. Then, by our worship and praise, we can be made perfect. Only by perfecting our worship and praise can we come into the presence of God.

There are three things holding us back from entering in to the presence of God; me, myself and I.

The Mercy Seat is in place. He is waiting there. He is waiting for us to enter in and flood the Mercy Seat with our praise and worship. He is waiting for us to show the shed blood and the torn flesh in our lives so we may enter into His presence.

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." *** II Corinthians 5:19

God has committed to us the Word of Reconciliation. We not only have the Ministry of Reconciliation, but also the Word of Reconciliation. We are given these words of reconciliation to reconcile the world back to God.

When we come to this understanding, it is easy to see God has made us the Mercy Seat to the world. His Spirit-filled people are the Mercy Seat unto the world, so the world can have a place to meet God.

Many are knocking on doors, having their witness nights, trying to fill seats in a building. But if the world cannot meet God through us, then we are not ministering reconciliation. The word reconciliation means to be reconciled unto God. The only way to be reconciled to God is through the Spirit. Yet, many today want nothing to do with the Spirit but have settled for a pseudo-religious spirit. Jesus' instructions to His disciples were:

". . .into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." *** Luke 10:8-9

Jesus informed His disciples when they came into the city they were to heal the sick. Yet many churches do not even believe in healing. They have ceased to pray for the sick. Jesus declared, ". . . tell them the Kingdom of God is nigh unto them." How does the Kingdom come nigh unto them? It is through the Kingdom of God dwelling in us which is the Holy Ghost.

It is by and through the Spirit we are to accomplish the works of God. The world around us should see a difference in us. If the world does not see any difference between their actions and our actions, then we cannot be a Mercy Seat to them. It becomes impossible to minister words of reconciliation to them.

When the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies, there was no levity, no laughter, no dirty stories, no talking about the outside world, no talking about his job, or what he was going to do next week. It was the most solemn event in his year. If there was sin in the priest's life and if his life was not atoned for before he went in, God would strike him dead. The ancients inform us the High Priest had a rope tied on his leg and if God struck him, he was to be dragged out of the Holy of Holies. This was because no man could enter into the Holy of Holies to retrieve his body. There are always conditions put on our entering into God's presence. Paul reminds us:

"That no flesh should glory in His presence." *** I Corinthians 1:29

Until we have dealt with the flesh, we cannot enter into the Holy of Holies, and glory in His presence. Paul asks:

". . . what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." *** II Corinthians 6:16-18

God has admonished us to, "Be ye separate...Come out from among them." Do not have anything to do with that which is unclean before God. Then God will receive us. Then we shall become His sons and daughters. Sons and daughters have the privilege of coming into the presence of their Father. They do not need permission, nor make an appointment. This is the kind of relationship God wants with us. He wants us to come into His presence at any time, with any problem, or anything that is on our minds. As sons and daughters of God, we can have this kind of relationship with our Father.

When He looks on our life, what does He see? Does He see the Mercy Seat? Does He see the beaten flesh, the shed blood, or does He see the transgressors of His law? Is the Mercy Seat in place in our lives? Is the Holy Spirit ministering life? If you have no Mercy Seat in your life, you have no place to meet God. Therefore we can have no relationship with God.

We have witnessed God speaking to us through His Word, and many have heard His audible voice, but we are entering into the place where we can come into His very presence! When God looks on us, is the Mercy Seat in place, or does He still need to judge the transgression of His law in our lives?

We have the ministry of reconciliation. It is the ministry of the Mercy Seat. We have the Word of the Mercy Seat. People need to see God through us because of His Spirit operating in our lives. God has prepared a place for us to meet Him. We need to enter in so we can show others the Mercy Seat of God.

When we go into our prayer closets, we should visualize the Ark of the Covenant, and the Mercy Seat upon it. Then we need to visualize the cloud of our praise over the Mercy Seat. GOD IS REAL!!

We can have that close relationship with Him because He has already prepared the way. Moses spoke face to face with God. Many have the Ark of Jesus in their lives, because they have received Jesus as their Savior, but they have yet to set the Mercy Seat in place upon the Ark.

The Mercy Seat was above the Ark. Jesus came in the flesh, but there is a realm above the flesh realm, and that is the Spiritual or heavenly realm.

When Jesus finished the work the Father had for Him to accomplish in the flesh, His flesh was dealt with on the cross. When Jesus declared, "It is finished", His fleshly task was complete. When Jesus left the earthly realm, He ascended to the higher realm of the Spirit. His work as Jesus Christ was finished, and His work to us as the anointing, Christ Jesus, had just begun. As Christ Jesus He became our Mercy Seat above the Ark. As Paul related:

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." *** I Corinthians 13:11

It is time we put away childish things and become men and women of God. He is waiting for us to enter into His presence. We need to rid ourselves of those things that are not pleasing to God. We need to listen and know the Father's voice.

We are living in a time when another day or week may not exist. When the fullness of time has come, nothing will hold back the judgment of God. It is time to seek our God with our whole heart.

God is revealing His glory in His people and God's camp is about to move. Will you move with the camp or will you be left in the wilderness? The heart of God is crying out to His people,

"Come up higher. Dwell with Me in the heavenlies."

Will you come up higher or will you be left in the dust (flesh)? Is God's Mercy Seat in place in your life so you can enter into His presence through worship and praise, or are you depending on your religious affiliations for your relationship with God.

Today is the Day of Salvation. We need to look up, for our redemption is truly drawing nigh!