Introduction

Good morning, beloved. I greet you with the grace and peace that can only come from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We gather here today, not as strangers or mere acquaintances, but as family. We are bound together by the unbreakable ties of faith, love, and a shared hope in the promises of God. Each week, we come together to open His word, to find comfort, guidance, and wisdom within its sacred pages.

Today, we turn our hearts and minds to an intriguing and profound passage in the book of Exodus. I want to invite you to open your Bibles to Exodus 25:10-22. Let's read it together:

[Read passage]

This passage, my friends, is a treasure trove of spiritual truths. It speaks of the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred object that symbolizes God's mercy, His presence, and His promise of redemption. It is a portrayal of propitiation, a parallel to Christ, and a promise of redemption through propitiation.

Propitiation Portrayed in the Ark

As we look at the Ark of the Covenant, it's impossible to ignore the profound symbolism embedded within its design. The Ark was not merely a physical object; it was a divine representation of God's mercy and forgiveness. It was a sacred vessel, a holy container for the law, and a symbol of God's presence among His people. But more than that, it was a vivid portrayal of propitiation - the act of appeasing a deity, in this case, the one true God, by satisfying His righteous demands.

Gold: The Ark was overlaid with pure gold, both inside and out. This gold is significant. Gold, throughout the Bible, is often associated with divinity, purity, and royalty. Here, the gold represents the divine nature of Christ, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The gold also symbolizes the purity of Christ, who was without sin. Just as the Ark was covered with gold, Christ was filled with the divine nature. He was God in human form, the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

It’s contents: The Ark contained the tablets of the covenant law. These tablets represent the demands of God's law, which we, as sinful humans, have broken. But the Ark also contained Aaron's rod that budded and a jar of manna, symbols of God's mercy and provision. In the same way, Christ embodies both the demands of the law and the mercy of God. He fulfilled the law perfectly, something we could never do. And He provides for us, offering us eternal life through His sacrifice.

The mercy seat: The Ark was also designed with a cover, known as the mercy seat. This was where the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement. The blood on the mercy seat was a visual representation of propitiation. It showed that the demands of the law had been satisfied, that God's wrath against sin had been appeased. In the same way, Christ's blood, shed on the cross, satisfied the demands of the law. His sacrifice appeased God's wrath against our sin. Through Christ, we have received mercy instead of judgment.

The cherubim: the Ark was designed with two cherubim, their wings spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. These cherubim are a reminder of the cherubim that guarded the entrance to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were expelled. They are a symbol of God's holiness and His separation from sin. But here, on the Ark, they overshadow the mercy seat, the place of propitiation. This shows that through propitiation, through the sacrifice of Christ, we can approach God's holiness. We can enter His presence, not because of our own righteousness, but because of Christ's.

Parallelism between the Ark and Christ

In the heart of this passage, we find a striking parallel between the Ark and Christ ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO