Exodus 25:17
And you are to construct a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
atonement cover
The term "atonement cover" is translated from the Hebrew word "kapporet," which is often referred to as the "mercy seat." This cover was the lid of the Ark of the Covenant and held profound theological significance. It was here that the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, symbolizing the reconciliation between God and His people. The concept of atonement is central to the Christian faith, pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who is our atonement, reconciling us to God.

pure gold
The use of "pure gold" signifies the holiness and divine nature of the atonement cover. Gold, being a precious and incorruptible metal, symbolizes the purity and perfection of God. In the tabernacle, gold was used extensively to reflect the glory and majesty of God’s presence. The purity of the gold also points to the sinless nature of Christ, who is the true atonement for our sins.

two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide
The specific dimensions of the atonement cover, "two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide," indicate the precise and intentional design commanded by God. A cubit is generally understood to be about 18 inches, making the cover approximately 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. This precision underscores the order and perfection inherent in God’s instructions. It also reflects the idea that God’s plan for redemption is exact and purposeful, not arbitrary or haphazard. The dimensions ensure that the cover perfectly fits the Ark, symbolizing how Christ perfectly fulfills the law and the prophets.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who received the instructions for the Tabernacle from God on Mount Sinai.

2. The Tabernacle
The portable dwelling place for the divine presence among the Israelites, where the atonement cover was to be placed.

3. The Ark of the Covenant
A sacred chest that held the tablets of the Ten Commandments, over which the atonement cover was placed.

4. The Atonement Cover (Mercy Seat)
A lid made of pure gold placed on the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God's throne and His presence.

5. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, for whom the Tabernacle and its furnishings were made as a means to worship and commune with God.
Teaching Points
The Holiness of God
The pure gold of the atonement cover signifies God's holiness and purity. As believers, we are called to pursue holiness in our lives.

The Necessity of Atonement
The atonement cover was central to the Israelites' relationship with God, reminding us of our need for atonement through Jesus Christ for reconciliation with God.

God's Presence Among His People
The atonement cover was where God met with Moses, symbolizing His desire to dwell among His people. Today, through the Holy Spirit, God dwells within us.

The Fulfillment in Christ
The atonement cover foreshadows Christ's sacrificial death, which provides the ultimate atonement for sin. We are encouraged to live in gratitude and obedience to Him.

Worship and Reverence
The detailed instructions for the atonement cover remind us of the importance of approaching God with reverence and worship, acknowledging His majesty and grace.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the description of the atonement cover in Exodus 25:17 reflect the character of God, and how can we apply this understanding to our daily lives?

2. In what ways does the role of the atonement cover in the Old Testament sacrificial system point to the work of Jesus Christ in the New Testament?

3. How can the concept of atonement in the Old Testament deepen our appreciation for the sacrifice of Jesus and influence our worship practices today?

4. What does the construction of the atonement cover from pure gold teach us about the value and significance of our relationship with God?

5. How can we, as modern believers, ensure that we are creating space in our lives for God's presence, similar to how the Israelites prepared the Tabernacle for His dwelling?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 16
Describes the Day of Atonement, when the high priest would sprinkle blood on the atonement cover to atone for the sins of Israel, highlighting its role in reconciliation with God.

Hebrews 9
Discusses the significance of the Tabernacle and the atonement cover in the context of Christ's ultimate sacrifice, drawing parallels between the Old Covenant practices and the New Covenant fulfillment.

Romans 3
Refers to Jesus as the propitiation for our sins, connecting the atonement cover's role in the Old Testament to Christ's redemptive work.
The Ark, the Table, and the CandlestickJ. Orr Exodus 25:10-40
What Must be Found with Every Soul that is God's Dwelling-PlaceJ. Urquhart Exodus 25:10-40
Community Between God and ManHomilistExodus 25:17-22
Condition of Communion with GodWatson, ThomasExodus 25:17-22
LessonsW. Mudge.Exodus 25:17-22
Meeting with GodJ. Vaughan, M. A.Exodus 25:17-22
The Ark and the Mercy SeatT. M. Herbert.Exodus 25:17-22
The CherubimE. E. Atwater.Exodus 25:17-22
The CherubimR. Newton, D. D.Exodus 25:17-22
The CherubimG. Rodgers.Exodus 25:17-22
The Gospel Under the LawJ. B. Brown, B. A.Exodus 25:17-22
The Mercy Seat and the CherubimD. Young Exodus 25:17-22
The Mercy-SeatG. Rodgers.Exodus 25:17-22
The Mercy-SeatR. Newton, D. D.Exodus 25:17-22
The Mercy-SeatW. G. Lewis.Exodus 25:17-22
The Mercy-SeatB. Beddome, M. A.Exodus 25:17-22
The Mercy-SeatCaleb Morris.Exodus 25:17-22
The Mercy-Seat; its Symbolic SubstanceGeorge Junkin, D. D.Exodus 25:17-22
People
Israelites, Moses, Shoham
Places
Mount Sinai
Topics
Ark-cover, Best, Breadth, Cover, Cubit, Cubits, Gold, Half, Hast, Length, Mercy, Mercy-seat, Pure, Seat, Thereof, Wide
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 25:10-22

     4303   metals
     7306   ark of the covenant

Exodus 25:17-18

     4333   gold

Exodus 25:17-22

     4150   cherubim
     6616   atonement, in OT

Library
The Bread of the Presence
'Thou shalt set upon the table shew-bread before Me alway.'--EXODUS xxv. 30. I suspect that to many readers the term 'shew-bread' conveys little more meaning than if the Hebrew words had been lifted over into our version. The original expression, literally rendered, is 'bread of the face'; or, as the Revised Version has it in the margin, 'presence bread,' and the meaning of that singular designation is paraphrased and explained in my text: 'Thou shalt set upon the table, bread of the presence before
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Golden Lampstand
'Thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold....' --EXODUS xxv. 31. If we could have followed the Jewish priest as he passed in his daily ministrations into the Inner Court, we should have seen that he first piled the incense on the altar which stood in its centre, and then turned to trim the lamps of the golden candlestick which flanked it on one side. Of course it was not a candlestick, as our versions misleadingly render the word. That was an article of furniture unknown in those days. It was a
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Eighth Day. Holiness and Indwelling.
And let them make me a holy place, that I may dwell among them.'--Ex. xxv. 8. 'And the tent shall be sanctified by my glory, and I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.'--Ex. xxix. 43, 45. The Presence of God makes holy, even when it descends but for a little while, as at Horeb, in the burning bush. How much more must that Presence make holy the place where it dwells, where it fixes its permanent abode! So much is this the case, that the place where God dwells
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

April the Thirteenth Pure Gold
"Thou shalt overlay it with pure gold.... And there I will meet with thee." --EXODUS xxv. 10-22. I must put my best into my preparations, and then the Lord will honour my work. My part is to be of "pure gold" if my God is to dwell within it. I must not satisfy myself with cheap flimsy and then assume that the Lord will be satisfied with it. He demands my very best as a condition of His enriching Presence. My prayers must be of "pure gold" if He is to meet me there. There must be nothing vulgar
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Concerning Jonathan, one of the Sicarii, that Stirred up a Sedition in Cyrene, and was a False Accuser [Of the Innocent].
1. And now did the madness of the Sicarii, like a disease, reach as far as the cities of Cyrene; for one Jonathan, a vile person, and by trade a weaver, came thither and prevailed with no small number of the poorer sort to give ear to him; he also led them into the desert, upon promising them that he would show them signs and apparitions. And as for the other Jews of Cyrene, he concealed his knavery from them, and put tricks upon them; but those of the greatest dignity among them informed Catullus,
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

How Intent the Ruler Ought to be on Meditations in the Sacred Law.
But all this is duly executed by a ruler, if, inspired by the spirit of heavenly fear and love, he meditate daily on the precepts of Sacred Writ, that the words of Divine admonition may restore in him the power of solicitude and of provident circumspection with regard to the celestial life, which familiar intercourse with men continually destroys; and that one who is drawn to oldness of life by secular society may by the aspiration of compunction be ever renewed to love of the spiritual country.
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
or, Gospel Light Fetched out of the Temple at Jerusalem, to Let us More Easily into the Glory of New Testament Truths. 'Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Isreal;--shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out hereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof.'--Ezekiel 43:10, 11 London: Printed for, and sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgate,
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles.
The work of the Holy Spirit in apostles and prophets is an entirely distinctive work. He imparts to apostles and prophets an especial gift for an especial purpose. We read in 1 Cor. xii. 4, 8-11, 28, 29, R. V., "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... For to one is given through the Spirit wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

The Kingdom Forming
Exodus Page Leviticus Page Deuteronomy Page EXODUS I. Pictorial Device. Originate one, or omit. II. III. IV. V. 1706 B.C. to 1490 B.C., making 216 years. VI. 1. 1 to 18. Israel Delivered. 2. 19 to 34. Israel Taught at Mount Sinai. 3. 35 to 40. Israel Prepared for Worship. VII. Chapter 20.2. VIII. God Delivering a Nation. IX. 12:13: "And when I see the blood I will pass over you." 15:11. X. 1. Bondage. 2. 3. Burning Bush. 7-11. 12. 14. Red Sea. 15. 16. Manna. 20. 25 and 35. The
Frank Nelson Palmer—A Bird's-Eye View of the Bible

The Word
The third way to escape the wrath and curse of God, and obtain the benefit of redemption by Christ, is the diligent use of ordinances, in particular, the word, sacraments, and prayer.' I begin with the best of these ordinances. The word . . . which effectually worketh in you that believe.' 1 Thess 2:13. What is meant by the word's working effectually? The word of God is said to work effectually when it has the good effect upon us for which it was appointed by God; when it works powerful illumination
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Man's Chief End
Q-I: WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Here are two ends of life specified. 1: The glorifying of God. 2: The enjoying of God. I. The glorifying of God, I Pet 4:4: That God in all things may be glorified.' The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. I Cor 10:01. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial;
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

An Advance Step in the Royal Programme
(Revelation, Chapters iv. and v.) "We are watching, we are waiting, For the bright prophetic day; When the shadows, weary shadows, From the world shall roll away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the star that brings the day; When the night of sin shall vanish, And the shadows melt away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the beauteous King of day; For the chiefest of ten thousand, For the Light, the Truth, the Way. "We are waiting for the morning, When the beauteous day is dawning, We are
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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