Showing Mercy

Mercy is one of the most important attribute of God that He revealed to Israel.  As part of the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, which was to represent the presence of God among His people, God gave instructions to build what He called the Mercy Seat.  Every time a Priest would approach God, it was at the seat of Mercy.

 Israel had plenty of experience with Judgement seats, the place where disputes were brought before the elders of the city. Pilate had a judgement seat from which he would pronounce his verdict over Jesus.  But before there was ever a Judgement Seat occupied by man, there was a Mercy Seat occupied by God.

Mercy was foundational to Israel’s understanding of God, and it needs to inform our understanding of God today. If we don’t understand the priority of mercy, we will not understand God.