Is the God of the Old Testament a harsh and vengeful
God , in contrast to the God of the New ? On the contrary , in the Old Testament God first reveals the depths of his mercy . It was after Israel committed its most egregious sin , the idolatry of the golden calf , that the Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed , “ The LORD , the LORD , a God merciful and gracious , slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness , continuing his steadfast love for a thousand generations ” ( Ex 34:6-7 ).
THE LIVING WORD
Reading Scripture from the Heart of the Church
The Living Mercy Seat
Dr . Mary Healy
Is the God of the Old Testament a harsh and vengeful
God , in contrast to the God of the New ? On the contrary , in the Old Testament God first reveals the depths of his mercy . It was after Israel committed its most egregious sin , the idolatry of the golden calf , that the Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed , “ The LORD , the LORD , a God merciful and gracious , slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness , continuing his steadfast love for a thousand generations ” ( Ex 34:6-7 ).
Even more , God provided a visible way that his people could continually receive his mercy . He instructed Moses to build the wilderness tabernacle , a movable tentsanctuary in which God would dwell in the midst of his people as they journeyed toward the Promised Land . Inside the tabernacle was an inner room , the Holy of Holies , and inside the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant , the most sacred vessel on earth . The Ark held three holy objects : a jar of manna , the rod of the high priest Aaron that had miraculously blossomed , and the tablets of the Ten Commandments . These reminded the people of the covenant God made with them and his gracious provision for all their needs .
But the most significant part of the Ark was its cover , a slab of pure gold on which were two golden cherubim , awesome creatures
“ Paul reveals the mystery : Jesus himself is the hilasterion , the expiation for our sins .”
with their wings outspread , overshadowing the Ark . This cover was called the Mercy Seat , because it was here that God manifested his mercy . ( Some translations call it the Propitiatory , or “ place of the wiping away of sins .”) Each year , on the Day of Atonement , the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of a sacrificed bull and goat on the Mercy Seat , making atonement for Israel ’ s sins ( Lev 16:14-16 ) so the Israelites could continue in fellowship with the living God .
Cherubim had special significance because they are first seen in the Garden of Eden after the Fall , barring the way to the Tree of Life ( Gen 3:24 ). These creatures that represented God ’ s just judgment on sin , on paradise lost , are now a sign of God ’ s merciful forgiveness of sin . They gaze down on the Mercy Seat in humble amazement . They testify that God ’ s plan for humanity is a return to paradise !
As wonderful as it was , the Mercy Seat of the Old Covenant was only a foreshadowing of what was to come , “ For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins ” ( Heb 10:4 ). God ’ s people were still captive to sin . Access to the all-holy God was still barred , except for the high priest , and even he could enter the Holy of Holies
only once a year . The Mercy Seat prepared God ’ s people to understand the infinitely greater mercy that was to come .
The Greek word for the Mercy Seat is hilasterion . In Romans 3:25 , Paul reveals the mystery : Jesus himself is the hilasterion , the expiation for our sins . At the moment of his death on the cross , the veil of the Temple — the veil that closed off access to the Holy of Holies — was torn in two from top to bottom ( Mk 15:38 ). Christ , torn and crushed by the sins of humanity , has opened the way into the very heart of God . He was raised from the dead , ascended into heaven , and entered the true , heavenly tabernacle with his own blood , making atonement for all the unfaithfulness , rebellion , and corruption of fallen human beings .
God ’ s people now are invited to confidently enter into God ’ s presence and draw from the inexhaustible fountain of divine mercy ( cf . Heb 4:16 ). The Mercy Seat is Jesus ! “ In this is love , not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins ” ( 1 Jn 4:10 ).
Dr . Mary Healy is professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart .