The Weekly Bulletin of the Livingston Church of Christ

Meeting at 639 2nd Street, Livingston, CA 95334

Office: (209) 394-3511 | Preacher: Jovan Payes
Subscribe & Email: info.livingstoncoc@gmail.com

The Mercy Seat | Hugo McCord April 3, 2011

The “ark of the testimony” (Exodus 25:22) was a wooden chest about News and Notes
four feet long, about two feet wide, and about two feet deep (Exodus
25:10), made of “acacia [locust?] wood” (Exodus 25:10). A “mercy-seat A Note to Our Visitors:
[kipporeth] of pure gold” (Exodus 25:17) covered the ark. God talked with Welcome! We want you to
Moses “from above the mercy-seat” (Exodus 25:22; Numbers 7:89). know you are our honored
Once a year, “on the tenth day of” the seventh month, (Leviticus guests. Let us know how we
16:29), our October, the high priest sprinkled the blood of a goat upon the can serve you. We have free
mercy-seat “with his finger seven times” to atone for the sins of the biblical literature and offer
Israelites (Leviticus 16:15, 19). This annual observance was called “the day free home bible studies.
of atonement” (yom hakkippurim, “Yom Kippur” (Leviticus 23:27).
Today | Guest Speaker for
The word kipporeth, derived from kaphar, “to cover,” translated as the Bible and Worship hours.
“mercy-seat,” is “only used of the cover of the ark of the covenant”
Condolences & Prayers for
(Gesenius, 412). Kaphar means “to cover” sins, to pardon, to obtain
the Spillman family and the
forgiveness (ibid.).
O’Hara family.
In the New Testament the word for the mercy-seat is hilasterion, “the
place where sins are forgiven” (Hebrews 9:5, Newman, 86), the “means by Remember in Prayer: our
which sins are forgiven” (Romans 3:25, Newman, 86). Literally hilasterion Dreams, Ed (Merced
(eleos, “mercy,” and tereo, “hold”) is a “holding place for mercy.” Memorial), Rozella (ribs),
Pat O‟Hara (cancer), Victor
As the high priest brought goat blood and sprinkled it on the mercy
Barrios (grieving), Fred
seat, so Jesus brought “his own blood” figuratively to sprinkle on
(neck), Linda (knees), Gerald
heaven‟s mercy seat, having “entered the Holy of Holies once for all time,
(recovery), Hazel (recovery),
obtaining eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).
Mike (back), Shelly (testing),
Literally Jesus was never a priest on the earth, even on the day he shed Tammy (upcoming surgery)
“his own blood” (Hebrews 7:14). Figuratively God ordained Jesus as a Connie Payes (dialysis), Elsa
high priest after he had returned to heaven, on the day of Pentecost, May
Avalos (Alzheimer‟s).
28, A.D. 30, when God said to him, “You are a priest forever, after the
order of Melchizedek,” putting the ceremony in pictorial language, “You April 5 | Singing at Ripon @
are my Son! Today I have begotten you” (Psalm 2:7; Hebrews 5:5). 7pm.
The “blood of sprinkling” that Jesus, as a figurative high priest, April 8 | Kick off Dinner at
brought “speaks better than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24). Did Abel‟s Hughson Christian School @
blood talk? God heard it and told Cain that “The voice of your brother‟s 6:30pm for Fore His Children
blood cries out loudly to me from the ground!” (Genesis 4:10). Golf Classic (May 16).
What did Abel‟s blood say? Apparently the same thing as that many April 9-10 | Building Stronger
innocent martyrs for Jesus said as they “cried with a loud voice, saying, Marriages Seminar at
„How long, holy and true Master, will you not judge and vindicate our Woodward Park (Fresno).
blood among the inhabitants of the earth?‟” (Revelation 6:10). Their blood
and Abel‟s blood apparently were crying, “Vengeance! Vengeance!” But April 27 to May 1 | Spiritual
Jesus‟ blood cries out loudly, “Mercy! Mercy!” What a difference! Jesus Growth Expo at W. Visalia
prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” (Visalia).
(Luke 23:34).
 Schedule of Services The Mercy Seat (continued)
Sunday Services The word used by the writer of the book of Hebrews to designate the
Bible Class 10 AM Old Testament mercy seat (hilasterion, 9:5) Paul used to designate Jesus
(Classes for All Ages) “as the mercy seat” (Romans 3:25). If Jesus is our mercy seat, then an
Morning Worship 11 AM astounding thought strikes our minds: Jesus bringing his own blood and
Evening Worship 5 PM sprinkling it on himself!
4th Sunday Services This means “Christ, besprinkled with his own blood, was truly that
Bible Class 10 AM which the cover or „mercy seat‟ had been typically, i.e., the sign and
(Classes for All Ages) pledge of expiation” (Thayer, 301). This means that Christ not only
“propitiates,” but is “Himself the propitiation. To speak in the language
Morning Worship 11 AM
of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in the offering of Himself He is both at
Birthday Fellowship Meal once archiereus (high priest) and thusia (sacrifice), . . .the two functions of
Afternoon 1:30 PM priest and sacrifice” were “united in Him. . . . All this the word hilasmos
Wednesday Services [offering, propitiation, 1 John 2:2; 4:10], used of Christ, declares” (Trench,
Bible Classes 7 PM 294).
(Classes for All Ages) “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of
Daily Bible Readings God!” (Romans 11:33): “God has displayed him [Jesus] publicly as the
4/3 Micah 4 mercy seat [hilasterion], through faith in his blood, as a demonstration of
4/4 Micah 5 his righteousness in overlooking past sins” (Romans 3:25).
4/5 Micah 6 Hugh Stovell‟s hymn, “From Ev‟ry Stormy Wind That Blows,” is
4/6 Micah 7 heart-touching:
4/7 Amos 1
From ev’ry stormy wind that blows,
4/8 Amos 2
From ev’ry swelling tide of woes,
4/9 Amos 3
There is a calm, a sure retreat;
‘Tis found beneath the mercy seat.
Visit us online at:
There is a place where Jesus sheds
livingstoncoc.wordpress.com
&
The oil of gladness on our heads,
twitter.com/lcocupdates A place than all besides more sweet;
It is the blood-bo’t mercy seat.
There is a scene where spirits blend,
Where friend holds fellowship with friend;
Tho’ sundered far, by faith they meet
Around one common mercy seat.
There, there on eagle’s wings we soar,
And sin and senses seem all no more,
www.rechargeme.org
And heav’n comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy seat.
JOVAN’S OFFICE HOURS
Tuesday to Friday
9:30 AM to 3:30 PM