The Holy of Holies, The Place of Mercy - Heb. 9:3-10
9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; - Heb. 6:19; 10:20; 9:8
9:4 "Golden censer" - Lev. 16:12 Aaron on the great Day of Atonement came with the blood to sprinkle upon the mercy seat, taking a censer filled with coals and with incense in it, and he went inside the Holy of Holies. He was actually transferring, as it were, the altar of incense to the inside. He took the censer of burning coals from off the altar with sweet incense on it, and took it into the Holy of Holies, but he brought it back out again. And he had to do that again the next year and then again the next.
However, we have a Great High Priest who is our Great and Eternal Intercessor always at the golden altar making intercession for us. You and I can come through Him by prayer. That is what Paul meant when he said, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access.(Rom. 5:1-2)
"Ark of the covenant" - Ex. 25:1-6 Shittim wood, (45" x 27"); covered in pure gold (inside and outside); there was a crown of gold around the top; four rings of gold (one on each corner for carrying; staves (staffs) of shittim wood overlaid with gold to carry the Ark (the staves were not to be taken from the ark, but to were to remain in the rings at all tines); mercy seat (lid) of pure gold.
The Lord would appear in a cloud upon the mercy seat (Lev. 16:3); The tribe of Levi was given the responsibility to care for the Ark, including its transportation; The Jews were not allowed to come close to the Ark (Joshua commanded the people to stay 2000 cubits behind the Ark).
2 cherubims of gold (one on each end of the mercy seat with their wings covering the mercy seat, looking toward one another, but gazing at the mercy seat.
The Ark was made by Bezaleel with instructions given by God; placed next to the Altar of gold (for burning incense); covered with a special veil to protect it until the time of the ministry of the priest;
The purpose of the Ark: God met with Moses, Aaron, and succeeding high priests, to communicate with them from "above the mercy seat ("which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel").
The Ark went before the children of Israel when they crossed over Jordan (Josh. 3:11)
It was carried by 7 priests around Jericho each day, prior to the fall of Jericho
Eli kept the Ark during the early life of Samuel, Hophni and Phineas (I Sam. 4) at Shiloh
Ark captured by the Philistines and taken to Ashdod into the house of Dagon (I Sam. 4:17-5:1) "The glory is departed" (Ichabod)
Ark was taken from Ashdod to Oath by the philistines, then to Ekron (in Philistia 7 months)
50,000 people were put to death by the LORD, for looking into the Ark
The men of Kirjathjearim brought it to Abinadab (kept by Eleazar, Abinadab's son)
Uzziah died after touching the Ark while it was improperly being carried into city of David
David then sent the Ark to away for three months)
David brought the Ark to the city of David, placing it in the midst of the tabernacle David had pitched for it; Zadok and Abiathar carried the Ark into Jerusalem
Solomon placed the ark in the Temple
Golden pot of manna - To remind the children of Israel of God’s sovereign provision
Aaron’s rod that budded - Showed the authority given to Aaron and his house to minister in the Tabernacle. Only one rod budded out of the 12 that we placed in the Tabernacle. The children of Israel questioned the authority of Aaron, but when they realized that the LORD knew of their rebellion, etc., they cried (Num. 17:12), "Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish."
Tables of the covenant - Testimony" given by God (Tablets containing the Commandments: Num.10:2). The tables of commandment reminded the children of Israel that of their need to obey God without question, and see their need for His grace and salvation.
9:5 The mercy seat - Ex. 25:17-22 ilasthrion - propitiation, mercy seat - relating to expiating.
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: And he is the propitiation (ilosmoV ) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. I John 2:1-2
Our God is the God of mercy! 93 verses in the Psalms refer to the mercy of God in some way.
Ps 86:5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Rom. 9:15-16 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Man Has A Need for God’s Mercy and Knows It
Ps 25:16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
Ps 27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
Ps 30:10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.
Ps 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
Ps 31:9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
Mt 9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
Mt 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Mt 20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
Mt 20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
Lot: Gen. 19:19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
Joseph: Gen. 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Moses: Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. Ex. 15:11-13
The Children of Israel: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Ex. 20:4-6
Deut. 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
King David and Lineage: 2 Sam. 22:51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
I Kings 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
Ps 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
God’s Mercy Has Been Shown to The Gentiles
Rom. 15:9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
Eph. 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
1Pet. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pet. 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
When Messiah is Established on His Throne, it is Mercy is Shown
Isa 16:5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.
Believers May Go Directly to God For Mercy
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.