17 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.
18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
19 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.
20 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.
21 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.
22 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.
17 “And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold.”
The spiritual import of this is clear from Romans 3: 24, 25, where there is a manifest allusion to it by the Holy Ghost:— “Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, (literally, a propitiatory, or mercy seat,) through faith in his blood.” The word rendered “propitiation” in Romans 3: 25, being the same word that is used in Hebrews 9: 5, and there translated, “mercy seat.”
The Hebrew word signifies to cover over, or to make atonement, to appease, or pacify. The mercy seat, therefore, presents to us “Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation.”
“Of pure gold,” of divine excellency and glory. The ground on which God acts in divine grace and mercy, yet with all respect to holiness and justice. “Pure gold.”
On this mercy seat the blood was sprinkled on the great day of atonement, (Leviticus 16: 1, 2, 14), and it formed the lid of the ark in which were deposited the tables of the testimony. For the exercise of divine mercy towards guilty sinners can only be on the ground of blood-shedding and atonement, and in consistency with the demands of divine and infinite holiness. Hence, the bloodstained mercy seat is erected over the unbroken tables of the law.
“Two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.”
The mercy seat was of the same dimensions and extent as the ark of the covenant.
The exercise of divine mercy and grace is founded on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and is co-extensive therewith. It has for its basis and foundation the incarnation, obedience, life, and death of him who was eternally God, and is now the risen and glorified Christ, at God’s right hand above.
18 “And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold.”
The forms of these cherubim are not here given us, but in Ezekiel 1 & 10, and Revelation 4, the cherubim, or living creatures, are largely described. Wherever we read of the cherubim in the scriptures they are always connected with the performance of the divine will, or the manifestation of the divine glory.
The first mention of the cherubim is in Genesis in, 24, and they are there evidently emblematical of angelic agency. In Ezekiel 1, &c., I believe they are symbolical of prophetic agency, and its various characteristics as employed of God; and in Revelation iv, of the ministry of the redeemed in glory.
In form the cherubim on the mercy seat appear to be simpler than those described in Ezekiel: this we gather from the expression in the 20th verse,— “toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be,” implying that there was but one face to each.
In ascertaining the spiritual import of these cherubim, I believe what, is stated in scripture as to the truth of the person of Christ, is our best and safest guide.
We have already seen, in the shittim wood of the ark, set forth, the incarnation of the Lord Jesus; in the gold, his divine nature; in the unbroken tables, his living obedience; in the blood-stained mercy set his atoning death; and in the crown of gold, his resurrection and ascension glory. We now proceed a step further; for we know that, having ascended up on high, he has received gifts for men (Psalms 68: 18; Ephesians 4: 8). And it is this truth which is, I believe, embodied in these cherubim of glory. The ascended Christ, the risen man, receiving in his own person the fullness of the spirit for the manifestation and extension of divine mercy, founded on his finished work.
There is a somewhat similar figure in the vision of the Lamb in Revelation 5: 6: “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”
Now what is set forth in Revelation 5, by these seven horns and seven eyes of the Lamb, is expressed by these cherubim of glory in Exodus 25. The fullness of the Spirit received and possessed by the Lord Jesus for testimony to God’s mercy and grace.
The comparison of Psalm 68: 18, with the quotation in Ephesians 4: 8 will show the beautiful accuracy of scripture. In Psalms 68: 18, we read: “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.”
Here it is gifts “received,” and received “for men;” or, as in the Hebrew, and in the margin, “in the man.” Christ, as the ascended man, receiving the gifts in his own person, and for the benefit of men.
The gifts of the Spirit as possessed by Christ, in their heavenly origin and source, this, I believe, is what the cherubim typify. The spirit of prophecy in the psalm goes beyond the present application to the church, which is in the old Testament the hidden mystery, and the prophecy takes in the rebellious people of Israel, and foretells their blessing in the latter day, when God will pour on them his Spirit, and set his sanctuary in the midst of them. “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.”
In Ephesians 4: 8, the Spirit gives us the present application of this scripture to the church, and varies the expression thus, “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” In the case of Israel, he has received gifts in his own person for them, to be dispensed in due time. In the case of the church he has given gifts to them, for present benefit and blessing, while he himself remains the Fountain Head, the source, and the communicator of these gifts.
The two types of the cherubim, and the candlestick are beautifully illustrative. In the cherubim we have the gifts of the Spirit in their source above, within the vail, in the holiest of all, as received by and communicated from an ascended Savior; in the candlestick, the gifts of the Spirit in their exercise and manifestation in the church on earth, the gifts being given for the perfecting of the saints.
“Of beaten work shalt thou make them.”
There are three places in which the term “beaten occurs. Here, in connection with the cherubim; in verse 31, in connection with the candlestick,— “Of beaten work shall the candlestick be made;” and in Exodus 27: 20, “pure olive oil beaten for the light;” and in each case it is connected with that which typifies ministry, or testimony, and points out the connection between diligence and testimony, and the strength which diligence gives. As shown in the cherubim, the patient and laborious ministry of Christ on earth, preparatory to his taking his place in heaven, as the center and source of testimony in the church. The candlestick, shows ministry in its exercise, having Christ for its center, a laborious and responsible work. And it is “beaten oil” which is provided for the light.
18, 19 “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 (or from) the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.”
The mercy seat and cherubim were of one solid piece of wrought gold. The cherubim were the extension of the mercy seat from either end, and represent the provision made by God, through the Spirit, for the extension of divine mercy and grace, founded on the finished work of Christ. Christ having come, and suffered, and died, and ascended, would still have abode alone, and his work have been unavailing to man, had he not received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, and from his place in glory sent down the Holy Spirit to bear his testimony to the accepted sacrifice, and to divine mercy as now in exercise on the ground of it (Acts 2: 33; John 16: 7). But now the Holy Ghost, as received by a risen Savior, is the testifier and communicator of this divine mercy and grace to man.
Here upon this mercy seat, and between these cherubim, it is that God delights to sit, and the glory delights to dwell. This mercy seat is the throne of grace, and these cherubim are the cherubim of glory. Here grace triumphant reigns, and reigns through righteousness unto eternal life. Here every attribute of deity is glorified, even in the bestowment of mercy and grace to the guilty and undeserving.
“Hence mercy, mercy from on high,
Descends to rebels doomed to die.”
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
20 “And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings.”
Thus hovering over and shadowing the mercy seat. In contrast with the larger cherubim in Solomon’s temple, described in 1 Kings 6: 23-.28, whose wings extended twenty cubits, touching the wall of the house on either side of the most holy place.
In Solomon’s temple the cherubim represent ministry in its heavenly exercise, but in the tabernacle ministry in its heavenly source.
“And their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be,”
The number two is significant of fellowship, in this case fellowship in testimony. “The witness of two men is true,” as showing the truth of the testimony. “Looking one to another,” “seeing eye to eye,” showing the harmony or agreement of the testimony. And both looking on the mercy seat, shows that the grand mysteries of atonement are the center truths of the testimony. “Which things (also) the angels desire to look into.” Such is the testimony given by Jesus glorified, in the power of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, true, harmonious, and occupied pre-eminently with the glory of divine grace, founded in its manifestation on the person and work of Christ, God manifest in the flesh, his lowly birth, his holy life, his atoning death, and his risen glory.
21. “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.”
The throne of divine grace is founded on the person and work of the Lord Jesus, and all God’s purposes, promises and covenant blessings center in him. lie is the true ark of the covenant, and the ark of the testimony also. All the lines of divine truth center in him, and radiate from him.
22. “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.”
This is the meeting-place, and place of communion between God and those who like Moses receive the word from God’s mouth and give testimony from hire (Ezekiel 3: 17). Those who “stand in the secret counsel of the Lord, who perceive and hear hit word, who mark his word and hear it” (Jeremiah23:18) This is the secret of ministry in the power of dm Holy Ghost, communion with God, over his own word, in Spirit in the holiest. God occupying the mercy seat, Jesus himself our meeting-place, while from him who has received the fullness of the Spirit for testimony, gift is not only received at first, but replenished for constant exercise.
Happy and privileged enjoyment! Yet, while this is, I believe, the interpretation of the figure, since all the promises of God in Christ are yea and amen to every believer, each individual christian is permitted to claim and share the privilege of this communion with God, from off the mercy seat, concerning all the communications of his mind and will. T. N.