today's mercy seat

My employer, Barkley, is located in the Crossroads Arts District of downtown Kansas City. It's a really cool neighborhood to walk around in at lunchtime. Among many local interesting, even odd, businesses, there is a tattoo and piercing parlor by the name of Mercy Seat Tattoo.

Mercy Seat's logo is a drawing that appears to be an electric chair. I have no idea how they came up with that logo or what it means or anything.

But, it started me thinking about THE mercy seat and the fundamental misunderstanding that so many have of their relationship with God. Too many see God as a merciless judge who is just waiting for a slip up so he can show them straight to the electric chair. But the God I know is a God of mercy. He sits and waits, not for the slip up, but, anxiously, for the opportunity to show mercy. The very name of the place where he sits is the mercy seat.

The mercy seat of the Old Testament was in the most holy place in the tabernacle. It was gold-plated opulence. Only the High Priest could approach the mercy seat once a year with a blood offering for the atonement of sins.

Today's mercy seat is different. You see, something, amazing happened at the crucifixion. As His (Jesus, the Son of God) blood poured out as an atonement for sin for all of time, the temple curtain separating man from God was torn apart (from top to bottom). Any of us, no matter how lowly or sinful can approach the mercy seat and not die, but receive mercy and live eternally. Jesus, through his own blood, made atonement as a High Priest, before the true mercy seat of God which is in Heaven (Heb. 9:11,12).

He chose to do this. The Lamb has been slaughtered. The sacrifice has been made. The sins are forgiven. Salvation is provided. FOR those who come to the Father through the Son, Jesus. Coming to Jesus is easy. Jesus (Emanuel--God Incarnate--God with Meat) came to us. All we have to do is believe his message and accept his free gift.

There is a judgment seat in the New Testament. It's found in Matt. 25:31 and following. Jesus sits on the judgment seat. That's right--the great High Priest who made atonement for my sins. Vs. 46 says that the righteous will enter into eternal life and in Heb. 10:10 "we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (Heb. 10:19-23, NLT)