RHAPSODY OF REALITIES TEEVO;
3RD MAY, 2018;
“HILASTERION”
JESUS IS GOD’S MERCY SEAT FOR US
TO THE BIBLE Romans 3:24-25 NASB
“Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed”
LET’S TALK
As a result of Adam’s transgression, man was separated from God. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Sadly, some have concluded man’s present state with this scripture, without looking at the succeeding verses, which both show that Adam’s problem was fixed in, and by, Jesus Christ! We’ve been justified, declared righteous freely, by the grace of God through the redemption that’s in Christ Jesus.
The Greek word translated “propitiation,” in the opening scripture, is “hilasterion,” and it means the place of mercy, or “Mercy Seat.” In the Old Testament, the Mercy Seat was the covering of the ark of God. God met there with the priests, and His presence was on the Mercy Seat.
It was the place where the blood of sacrifice was sprinkled in the presence of God; a place for atonement of sins (Leviticus 16:15-16). In the New Testament, God presented Christ as a propitiation. 1 John 4:10 AMPC says, “In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.”
Jesus Christ is God’s place of mercy for us. So, just as the Mercy Seat was the place for atonement of sins in the Old Testament, today, the Lord Jesus Himself is the propitiation and atonement for the sins of the entire world.
God, in His righteousness and equity, has completely wiped out our sins as though they never existed; He did this in Christ Jesus! This is available to everyone in Christ Jesus; Christ is your Mercy Seat.
We’re no longer short of His glory, because He (Christ Jesus) was wounded for our transgressions; the predicament was fixed in Jesus. He made it possible, by His death, burial and glorious resurrection for us to have eternal life, and live righteously before God.
Go Deeper
1 John 4:8-10; Hebrews 4:14-1
Pray
Dear Father, I thank you for lavishly pouring out your love on me, demonstrating that I’m worth the life of your Son, Jesus. His blood was shed on the Cross for the remission of sins, and now, I walk in your righteousness. I’m compelled by love to turn others from sin to righteousness, and from the power of satan to God, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
John 1:1-18, 2 Samuel 15-17 Daily Bible Reading
ONE YEAR
TWO YEAR
Mark 7:14-23, Numbers 6