HeartTablets

                                                      Tablets placed inside of the Ark of the Covenant/Testimony

       The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Eikev, which means, "Because/As a consequence of/following after." The title comes from Deuteronomy 7:12-13, as Moses spoke to the Israelites: "Then it shall come to pass because ('eqeb/eikeb  - because, end, consequence, gain, reward, result, the latter part, wages) you listen to (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-these-judgments, and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-covenant and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-mercy which He swore to your fathers. And He will love you and bless you and multiply you..." 

     For this study, we should pay special attention to the use of the words "the judgments", "the covenant", and "the mercy", and that all three are preceded by the *aleph-tav in the written Hebrew, which Jesus identified as being Himself (see *note below).

     In the readings for this Sabbath from Deuteronomy chapters 8, 9, and 11, Moses continually stresses, not just the law, but the kind of personal and intimate relationship that Israel should keep with the LORD and with His Word. Let us look at some of these instructions of Moses.

     Moses said: "Therefore you shall love (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always." (Deut. 11:1).

     "And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul (see also Deut. 6:4-5), then I will give you the rain for your land in its season...". (Deut. 11:13-14).

     "For if you carefully keep (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-all-these-commandments which I command you to do - to love (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him - then the LORD will drive out (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-all-these-nations from before you..." (Deut. 11:22-23).

     We can see that the keeping of the commandments is "the consequence of" or "follows after" (see 'eqeb/eikeb above) the love for the LORD. There are blessings that will also be "the consequence of" or "follow after" the keeping of God's Word in our love of Him as mentioned in the above verses. The LORD through Moses emphasizes the necessity of loving Him with all of our hearts.

     Moses gives even deeper instructions to the Israelites: "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart." (Deut. 6:6). Also, "Therefore you shall lay up (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-these-words-of-mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes." (Deut. 11:18).

     The Words of the LORD are not only to be obeyed, but they are to be internally placed upon/within our hearts.

      These things brought to my mind a visualization that I had not considered before. Let us go to the next step in the vision that the LORD will present to us through His pattern established with Moses.

     Moses received the first set of stone tablets which contained the Ten Commandments which the LORD Himself wrote on the mountain. The LORD then told Moses to hurry down from the mountain because the people below were committing a great sin. Moses hurried down from the mountain with those tablets to find that a golden calf idol had been molded and the people were raucously worshipping it. He threw down the stone tablets and broke them before the eyes of the people. He took their (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-sin, the golden (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-calf, and burnt it with fire, and then crushed and ground what was left of it into fine dust. He then threw (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-dust into the brook (nahal root- inherit, inheritance, heritage, give as a possession, receive anything as a possession) that descended from the mountain. (see Deut. 9:12-21).

     We have heard of this above account in scripture, but seeing the written *aleph-tav's connected to this event is very thought provoking.

     However, the LORD was not done. He would write again upon a new or second set of tablets, telling Moses: "...Hew (pasal - cut out of a quarry, to carve, building stones, hew off boughs to create a shape) for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain and make yourself an ark ('aron/'ara - ark, chest, coffin/to gather, to reap, to collect together) of wood ('es/'asa - tree, wood, gallows, carpenter/ to shut, fasten, shut a door). And I will write on the tablets (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark...And He wrote on the tablets according to the first writing, the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Ten Commandments...Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and put (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are, just as the LORD commanded me." (Deut. 10:1-5, excerpt).

     As Moses described above, he was instructed to create an ark for the second set of commandments. We know that this ark containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments would later be placed in the innermost chamber of the tabernacle, the Holy of Holies. An additional item would be added to the construction of the ark: a gold covering around the wooden chest of the ark, and a special solid piece of gold for the top of the chest, called the Mercy Seat (kapporeth - to cover, atonement covering), that would also include as one piece two covering angels with wings. Jewish teaching also refers to the space above the ark of the covenant/testimony as the Throne of God. 

     Therefore, the Words are carved on the tablets of stone, which tablets are kept or concealed within the wooden ark, which is directly under the Mercy Seat covering and, at the same time, under the covering wings of the two angels. For me, this is a visualization of our relationship with Jesus Messiah/Christ.

     There are many scriptures that instruct us to write the Word of God on/in our hearts, some even say specifically "the tablets of our hearts": "Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet (luah - of stone or wood on which anything is carved) of your heart." (Prov. 3:3). Also: "My son, keep my (the father's) words, and treasure my commands within you. Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart." (Prov. 7:1-3). Other references to the Words of God being in our hearts can be found in Prov. 6:21, Prov. 4:20-21, Ps. 119:11.

     The prophet Jeremiah connects the writing of God's Word in our hearts to a new covenant: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-house of Israel and with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-house of Judah - not according to the covenant that I made with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-their-fathers...(*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-My-covenant which they broke (parar - to break to bits, shatter, split, crack through, break apart, crumble, destroy)...But this is the covenant that I will make...I will put (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-My-law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people...For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (Jer. 31:31-34, also Heb. 8:8-12).

     For me, according to this spiritual pattern and vision, the tablets of stone upon which the LORD wrote His commandments represents the hearts of His covenant people, particularly His new covenant people represented by the second set of tablets. Why would our hearts be shown in this vision pattern to be of stone? The prophet Ezekiel wrote the Word of the LORD regarding stony hearts that are transformed: "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-My-Spirit within you and cause you to walk (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-in -My-statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." (Ezek. 36:25-27, see also Ezek. 11:19-20). Paul followed this same vision pattern, writing: "...clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." (2 Cor. 3:3).

     Why two tablets according to scripture? Perhaps because the Body of Messiah/Christ and the inclusion of the nations as spoken by God prophetically, is of two peoples: Jewish and Greek/Gentile who become as one man through faith in Messiah/Christ. (see Rom. 1:16-17 and 1 Cor. 12:12-14).

     The ark of wood (see meaning above) in this vision pattern that I am seeing, into which the tablets are placed, hidden, or gathered, is Messiah/Christ. The Hebrew letters that make up 'aron, or ark in English, are aleph, reysh, vaw and nun. The individual meanings of each letter, when joined together can mean: "The Lord Adonai who is the highest, the head, the first and the beginning, is joined to or nailed to, the son, faithful and continual, who is heir to the throne." Paul also wrote of this vision pattern: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above....Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Col. 3:1-4). Jesus told us to abide in Him, rather than just "with" Him. (see Jn. 15:4-5).

     I am saying that the vision pattern has us, as living tablets, permanently inside the Ark of the Covenant/Testimony, which is Messiah/Christ, and inside the Holy of Holies, where no flesh was allowed to go, except once a year by the high priest on the Day of Atonement. The Book of Hebrews says that we now have full, bold, and unlimited access to the Holy of Holies, because of the work of Christ on the cross and His atoning blood that was shed. (Heb. 10:19-23).

     The vision pattern does not end there, but continues.

     So far, the Word of God is written on/in the tablets of our hearts. The tablets, our hearts, are gathered and hidden within the ark, Jesus. The ark is positioned under the solid gold Mercy Seat, which receives the atoning blood of the sacrifice (Messiah/Christ: see Heb. 10:19-23 above). Above the Mercy Seat, and hammered from the same piece of solid gold, are the overspreading wings of the covering angels. Let us look at some scriptures pertaining to this place of the mercy and wings of Elohim (the name of God meaning the exceedingly great God and His angels):

     The Book of Hebrews again teaches: "Let us therefore (through our sympathetic High Priest, Jesus) come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:15-16).

     "For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide (gur - dwell, abide, gathered, gather together [see 'aron/ark above], stand in awe) in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter (seter - secret place, hiding place, covering, carefully hidden) of Your wings." (Ps. 61:3-4). David wrote this Psalm referring to the tabernacle of God as his dwelling place forever, specifically in the hiding place of God's wings.

     "He (the Most High) shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler." (Ps. 91:4).

     "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul (nehfesh - soul, life, breath, mind, heart, tablet) trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by." (Ps. 57:1 by David).

     "How precious is Your lovingkindness (hesed - mercy, goodness, merciful, kindness, love, favor), O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings." (Ps. 36:7 by David).

     David wrote of this same vision of the spiritual pattern that Moses presented to Israel, and which was later fulfilled in Messiah/Christ, Jesus. David also referred to this place under the mercy and wings as a refuge, as a place of our trust and hope. It is also written in the Book of Hebrews: "...it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil (referring to the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle), where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (meaning "King of Righteousness")." (Heb. 6:18-20).

    The idea of our eternal home in the Holy of Holies, within Messiah/Christ, is not far-fetched, but is confirmed in scripture, both by pattern, as Moses gave, and by written Word, as we see above. We are in the world, but not part of the world, as Jesus said, although it seems that we often leave the privilege of our awesome and glorious dwelling in the holy Presence in order to become entangled in the cares of the world which are passing away. However, our position in the Holy of Holies, hidden in Messiah/Christ, is a powerful position - remember the Word of God that is written in our hearts? That Word contains all of God's promises to mankind. That Word contains the plan and provision of God's Kingdom of salvation through His Son. By our position in the Holy of Holies, we bring this Word before God's throne of mercy every moment, every day, and from every corner of the globe.

     I want to always dwell in Messiah/Christ Jesus under the mercy and wings of God.

     If you would like to know more about dwelling in the Holy of Holies in Messiah/Christ, you can join my prayer: "Dearest Father, let Your Word always be written on the tablets of my heart. Let me desire to dwell in the tabernacle of the LORD all the days of my life. Help me by Your Holy Spirit to understand more about ministering Your Word from this exalted and holy place within Christ Jesus, and under Your blood atonement mercy and the refuge of Your wings. I didn't understand the holy place that Jesus went to before us in order to prepare for us, so that where He is, we may be also. Through our Savior, Jesus, we have received this glorious honor, and I thank You, Father, for this awesome purpose in You. I bless and exalt My Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

 

Mercy

For most of the world, and sadly for most of the Church, today is like any other day. It is a typical Monday morning, except of course for the pandemic, the fires, the hurricanes, the political enmity and turmoil, desperate outcries against racism and injustice, and the huge increase in violence and murder. However, today is not like every other day to God. This is a very solemn day to God. It is a day of life and death, and the provision of mercy. It is a day when He looks at His Throne of Judgement, and sees the blood of His Son poured out upon it, crying out to Him. In His Word, He makes clear that this should be a most solemn day for us as well. Today is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Today is not a day for "normal" activities. It is a day when some will be cut off, and some will live. For many in the Church, Yom Kippur is "Old Testament". Now that we have Christ, they think, we are saved, and the issue is moot for us. They argue that it is understood that Christ is our Atonement, and we have already been covered in that blood. However, the Book of Hebrews makes very clear that the Day of Atonement, while fulfilled by Christ, is a Day in which all of the people of God, especially the believers in Christ, should actively participate. It even says within the context of the whole explanation of the Day of Atonement of previous chapters: "...not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace." (Heb. 10:25-29). These words of the Book of Hebrews were written to the Church, the sanctified believers, the partakers of the covenant sealed by the blood of Christ. The writer of Hebrews is saying that to ignore this Day is like trampling the blood of Christ underfoot, and thereby becoming an adversary of God. It is like treating the atoning blood as a common, everday, business as usual thing to which we are automatically entitled. The Day of Atonement is very much a solemn Day that applies to those who, having been saved by the grace of God through Christ, may partake in by faith the opportunity presented by this Day to avail ourselves of the atoning blood that covers our continuing sins. The provision has been made. Why would we ignore it? Why would we despise it? "Kippur" is from the Hebrew word kaphar, which means atonement, reconciliation, merciful, cleansed, forgive, pardon, purge (away), to cover, cover over, to overspread, pacify, propitiate. On the occasion of this feast, the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies with the sacrifical blood of animals, and poured it upon the Mercy Seat which covered the Ark. Not only has Christ fulfilled this feast by entering into the Holy of Holies in heaven as our High Priest, according to the Book of Hebrews, but He covered the Mercy Seat, not with the blood of animals for a temporary relief, but with His own blood, providing an everlasting covering. Though we who are in Christ are saved, there is no doubt that we all continue to sin. This is the place to which we can go to have our continuing sins covered and purged away. We approach the Mercy Seat of the atoning blood of Christ by faith, in the promise of God in this Day, which He has set apart, a Day in which He has provided an appointed time and place for us to partake of His provision of mercy. It is a provision that was appointed for us before the foundations of the world, when the Lamb was slain. This Day is associated with the Lamb's Book of Life. The Father told His people in the Book of Leviticus that he who does not avail himself appropriately of the atonement provision of this day, with an attitude worthy of the Day, shall be cut off from his people (Lev. 23:26-32). The Book of Hebrews says that this Day is still part of the commandments of God. The provision is there for us. The word of God clearly tells us the importance of this Day to Him for our sakes. It is a Day that proclaims life or death. The blood of the Lamb is crying out to His Father on our behalf from God's Mercy Seat, which is the Throne of the presence of God. That blood is crying out, "Atonement! Reconciliation! Mercy! Cleansing! Covering! Propitiation!" Why would we want to ignore that blood or this Day? Our Father has proclaimed the Day of Atonement for His people. "May you be written in the Lamb's Book of Life!"

Mercy (Pt 3 of 3)

This is Pt. 3 in a series covering these three fall feasts of the LORD commanded in scripture: the Feast of Trumpets (see the previous post, "NewMoon"), the Days of Awe/Repentance (see the previous post, "AWE"), and today's post, "Mercy" which is about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. These posts cannot cover all that can be said about these feasts, and their importance not only to the Jewish people, but also to all who know Jesus as Messiah and Lord. I wanted to look into them to discover how these feasts that have been ordained by God to all generations must also contain a great impact on my spiritual walk. God has a purpose for us in these feasts, as well as the revelation of Jesus within them. 
Let's do a brief review of the previous two posts, and then begin our look into Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
We found that as well as the significance of the shofar or trumpet, the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah, is directly tied to the new moon (root word "chadash") of the month of Tishrei (meaning "beginning"). This feast marks the beginning of a process. The chadash meaning of the Feast of Trumpets involves renewal, restoration, rebuilding, as well as the polishing and cutting of a sword. The rapture of the church is the most dramatic "renewal" of all, and it is associated with the sounding of the trumpets on this feast day.
We begin that personal renewal, and the even wider process of renewal of creation, during the self-examination and repentance associated with the Days of Awe, the days between the Feast of Trumpets and Yom Kippur. Repentance is the means, but the end result the Lord is looking for in us is change. Jesus addressed His churches and sought this serious change in them in the Book of Revelation. Failure of the church to address and change our serious shortcomings would result in great loss, according to these scriptures (see chapters 2 and 3). Heeding the Holy Spirit, and seeking the changes that the Lord required of His churches would result in rewards.
According to the rabbis, on  the Feast of Trumpets, our names are written or inscribed into books based upon the Lord's examination and determination regarding us. On Yom Kippur, the names in those books are sealed, or finalized. We have the days in between to search ourselves and determine to change those things that would have us inscribed and sealed into judgment books, "to avert the severe decree", as it is taught by the rabbis. As we saw in the previous post, "AWE", for those not found inscribed in the (Lamb's) Book of Life, the ramifications can be very serious. even deadly. This judgment of Yom Kippur is not the judgment of the dead, but the judgment of the living.
While on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, our names are sealed in those books, Lev. 16 also shows us the pattern for the provision of the atonement and mercy of God, which are also imbedded in this feast day. As we saw in the previous entry, scripture says that mercy and judgment always dwell together in God. The Day of Atonement is a solemn feast day (Lev. 23:26-32). The LORD commands that we fast, pray, and afflict ourselves. We are not to be busy with "life as usual" on this day. The pattern of heavenly intercession for the sins of the people is revealed in this feast day as given to Moses from God (see Lev. 16). The High Priest entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of sacrifice, and sprinkled the blood on the Mercy Seat. This atoning blood was for himself and his family, the tabernacle, and all of the people.
In the prophetic fulfillment of this most holy purpose of the Day of Atonement, God has not relied upon man, but has appointed His only Son to be not only the blood of sacrifice (Heb. 9:13-14), but also the High Priest who applies the sacrificial blood (Heb. 6:20, Heb. 7:24-26), and the Mercy Seat (meaning of "propitiation" used in Rom. 3:25, 1 Jn. 2:2) itself upon which that holy blood is sprinkled. That Mercy Seat is the throne of the presence of the glory of the LORD. Jesus is the Person, the Place, and the Means, the All in All, of the mercy provision of God. Leviticus 16:17 tells us that while the High Priest is fulfilling his duty on this day, no man may be present in any part of the earthly tabernacle. Now, instead of men, who have weaknesses, to intercede as High Priest, using the blood of animals, God has appointed His Son, who has been perfected forever, to be our High Priest as on the Day of Atonement (Heb. 7:28). The purpose of the approach to the Mercy Seat is to seek mercy in the face of the judgment of the living sealed in the books, and to bring reconciliation of man with God.
The Book of Hebrews tells us that we too can now approach that Mercy Seat, having been cleansed ourselves through Christ (Heb. 10:19-23). We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together for this purpose, especially as we see this Day approaching, as some forsake it (Heb. 10:24-25). Here again, scripture tells us that the significance of these feast days are for the church, as well as for the Jewish people. Although it is the current custom of the church to ignore the true observance of these feast days, and the repentance and change that is required within them, we are warned in scripture not to overlook the significance in our walk:
"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?..."The LORD will judge His people"...It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."   Heb. 10:26-31 (see also Deut. 32:35-36)
The verses above were all written in the context of the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement by our High Priest, Jesus Christ. The whole Book of Hebrews teaches the church about this feast, and how it applies to the believers in Christ. The provision of this mercy, and its sanctification is forever. However, that doesn't mean we can take it for granted that the judgment of the living does not also apply to us as believers in Christ. Our Good Shepherd, Jesus, Who examines us, expects us to understand and observe the provision of mercy (and completed renewal) that pushes back the judgment deserved, and has been so lovingly and powerfully provided for us in this feast day. Are we diligent at the Mercy Seat of God on behalf of ourselves and all people? The mercy of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is precious to our walk with Christ. That mercy cost our Father, and His dear Son everything.

Our Father has sent His mercy, His Son, to provide the atonement for us.

MercySeat

We are familiar with the Mercy Seat. It was the only piece of furniture in the holiest place in the tabernacle of the congregation. It, like the rest of the tabernacle, was given to Moses after the pattern of the heavenly things. Once a year, on the Feast of Atonement, the High Priest, and only the High Priest, after careful preparation and sanctification, would enter the Holy of Holies, and sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice with his finger seven times (Sabbath completion of God's work/rest) upon the Mercy Seat to make atonement for the sins of Israel. The only purpose in entering the Holy of Holies was to get to the Mercy Seat.
If the High Priest was not properly sanctified, or tried to approach the Mercy Seat on any other day, he would not remain alive.
Concerning "mercy", this week the Lord had me following a trail of spiritual breadcrumbs inch by inch along a path without knowing where that trail was leading, or what I would find as I walked, except I knew it was "something".
I started in Psalm 136, where the following phrase is continually repeated:

"...for His mercy endures forever."

After recounting many of God's wonders, even the works of creation itself, this phrase above is repeated in the Psalm. This phrase appears 86 times in scripture in several books of the Old Testament. God is trying to tell us something. In Hebrew, the phrase would be expressed using chesed (mercy, kindness, goodness, favor, desire, ardency, zeal, love, grace) olam (everlasting, perpetual, from the most ancient time, continuous existence, indefinite, unending future, concealed, time out of mind beyond past or future). "Olam" extends further back than the measured past, and further beyond the imagined future. God, through the scriptures, tells us repeatedly about this quality of mercy. It is olam. Interestingly, chesed mercy also includes the idea of "reproach, wicked thing, put to shame or contempt, reproof". Undeserved pardon doesn't exist without the prerequisite of the guilt of a crime.
According to Psalm 136, all of God's wonderful works mentioned were works that were attributed to, or came out of, chesed olam, not just during measured and known time here on earth, but before and after known time. It is surely a wonderful, genius God Who chooses to create out of enduring mercy, Who enfolds His creation within chesed mercy.
Let's get back to the Mercy Seat. The Hebrew word is "kapporeth". Kapporeth is not just a physical thing, but a place. It means "place of atonement, golden plate of propitiation, the Throne of God." The Mercy Seat, or kapporeth, is the Throne of God. Paul referred to it as "the throne of grace" (Heb. 4:16). In the earthly tabernacle, the presence of God would appear over the Mercy Seat, so we must also assume according to the pattern, this is the Seat of the presence of God in heaven. It is necessary that this Seat be covered with sacrificial blood, because of the holiness of God. That holiness, by its very nature, breaks out against and destroys all that is not holy, therefore the need for the blood of sacrifice that sanctifies by covering sin. The root word used in kapporeth is "katar". It means "to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cleanse, cover with pitch" (which covered Noah's ark, and baby Moses' ark of bulrushes, both of which preserved life in the face of God's and Pharaoh's judgment). In the earthly tabernacle, the Mercy Seat covered the Word (Tablets of the Commandments), the miracle Bread of life (Manna) provided by God without any work on man's part, and the Resurrection (budded rod of Aaron).
God spoke to Moses from the kapporeth, or Mercy Seat:
"And there I will meet with you, and I will speak (commune, KJV) (Heb. "dabar") with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel."  Ex. 25:22, Ex. 30:6
And at that place, Moses in turn spoke to God:
"Now when Moses went in to the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony..."   Num. 7:89
God speaks from the Mercy Seat, and it is there that we speak to Him. The creation was spoken into being, according to Gen. 1. John 1 tells us that the creative Word was Jesus. Can we then believe that this Word was spoken from that heavenly kapporeth? The Word is the building block of creation, but it flowed from the Mercy Seat of God.
Here is what I discovered as I followed that trail of spiritual bread crumbs that I mentioned at the beginning of this piece. This kapporeth, or Throne, from which God speaks the Word (Christ), is a living throne. The kapporeth, according to its meaning, is The Propitiation. The kapporeth cannot be separated from the body containing the Word, the Bread, and the Resurrection. To me Jesus Christ IS the kapporeth, as Paul wrote that He is our propitiation:
"...Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation (mercy seat, merciful, make reconciliation) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance (holding back) God had passed over the sins that were previously committed..."   Rom. 3:25  and
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (mercy seat) for our sins."  1 Jn. 4:10
Propitiation is about the blood of the Lamb slain for our sin, but I think it is also about the place, the kapporeth. The two cannot be separated.
The veil before the Holy of Holies, which was torn in two, was Christ's flesh (Heb. 10:20). The contents of the ark, which was the Word, the Bread, and the Resurrection, also refer us to Christ. And the covering, or katar, over that Mercy Seat for olam eternity is His own blood from even before known time. Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation. He is the Alpha-Omega, the Beginning and End, which is the defining quality of chesed mercy. Because of this, we can come to the place of the Mercy Seat without fear-not because of who we are, but because of what He provided for us from His own body.
If God is enthroned above the Mercy Seat, then He must be enthroned upon Christ. You may say that God cannot be enthroned upon Christ, because Christ is seated at God's right hand (Col. 3:1). However, if we look at the root meaning in Greek of that phrase used in Colossians, we see a different thing. We see the kapporeth:
sitteth- stays, remains, exists, is, present (note: it does not specifically mean "to sit")

right hand- used as a place receiving one (Moses and High Priest received at Mercy Seat)
                - to receive or grant access to (the Mercy Seat granted access once/year,
                  and now, forever)
                - not to refuse intercourse or friendship (God spoke to Moses as a friend)
                - the thing offered in speaking, teaching, instructing (Ex. 25:22 re Mercy Seat)
                - to give ear to, to embrace, approve, not to reject, sustain, endure ("mercy
                  endures forever")

I can see more clearly why Paul would often greet the churches with the salutation, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord."
I hope I have been able to express to you what I discovered following the trail of spiritual bread crumbs. It led me to the Mercy Seat from which I believe God spoke into existence all creation, and completed His work. It led me to the Mercy Seat where God also speaks to me, and I may speak to Him. It led me to the Mercy Seat where I receive the friendship, instruction, approval and embrace of God, and the place where He gives ear to and answers my prayers and petitions. It led me to Christ, my Mercy Seat, the Living Word of God, in a new way, and to His blood, sacrificed to make a way for me into the Holy of Holies to this place before God. It led me to Christ Who laid Himself down, so that God may be enthroned upon Him. This is the finished work of God, by which I can enter into His rest that He provided for me.
I just followed the trail of Bread crumbs that He left for me. So can you. It will take you right there.

Our Father has provided the Mercy Seat for us from olam everlasting to olam everlasting.