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Daily Devotions

Exodus

Exodus 
Day 
Day 234

"Honour and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary." Psalm 96:6

Text: Exodus 25 : 17

THE MERCY SEAT

The ark of the Testimony would not be complete if it did not have a lid. The cover for the ark (“chest”) was called “the mercy seat” for symbolic reasons.

“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold;
two and a half cubit shall be its length and
a half its width.”
EXODUS 25:17

1. Why was it called “a mercy seat”?

The key word is “mercy”. The Lord wanted to emphasize to Israel that the nation indeed had a great and merciful God!

a) It was out of mercy that God delivered them from their anguish and suffering in Egypt.
b) It was out of mercy that He continued to lead them despite their unbelief.
c) It was out of mercy that He continued to provide for them despite their dark doubts.
d) It was out of mercy that He continued to be their God at all!

2. Coming to a God of mercy

a) The degree of sinfulness in man makes the mercy of God most encouraging.
b) The frequency of man’s sin make the mercy of God most outstanding.
c) The obstinacy of man makes the mercy of God most appealing.
d) The propensity of man to sin against God in the future makes the mercy of God most glorious!

3. “Pure gold”

How does one represent the greatness and majesty of God, especially His “mercy”?

a) At least pure gold must be employed.
b) Even the purest gold would be insufficient to represent the majesty of God.
c) Anything less would be nothing short of an insult to God

Israel would have to take time to ponder and meditate long and deeply over these great ideas that Moses would teach them! The idea of the worship of God was truly profound!