The Mercy Seat Still Stands

Read

Romans 3:25 “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”

Think

There’s a place in the Old Testament that very few people ever saw, but its meaning shaped an entire nation. Inside the Holy of Holies, the innermost room of the tabernacle, behind a thick curtain, sat the ark of the covenant. And on top of the ark was the mercy seat.

This wasn’t just a decorative lid. It was the place where heaven met earth. The place where the high priest would sprinkle the blood of a sacrificed animal once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). It was the one day each year when the sins of the people were covered, and judgment was withheld. But the covering never lasted. Year after year, sacrifice after sacrifice, the process repeated. Mercy was given, but not yet secured.

Then Paul writes these words in Romans 3:25: “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement.” The Greek word used here is hilastērion—the same word used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament for “mercy seat.” Paul is saying something massive. Jesus is now the mercy seat. He is the place where sin is dealt with, where mercy is poured out, where judgment is satisfied.

And it wasn’t done in secret. Paul says God presented him. Publicly. On a cross, not behind a curtain. At the center of history, not hidden behind walls. The mercy that used to be confined to a room and reserved for one person once a year is now available to all who believe.

But this mercy cost more than the blood of bulls or goats. It cost the blood of the sinless Son of God. The high priests of Israel would offer sacrifices for the people and for themselves. Jesus, our great High Priest, had no sin of his own. So he offered himself as the final sacrifice, the perfect substitute, the once-for-all covering that never has to be repeated.

And that word atonement is more than religious jargon. To atone means “to make things right, to reconcile what has been broken, to satisfy justice and restore relationship.” What Jesus did on the cross was not just an act of love. It was an act of justice. He took the penalty that sin demanded so that mercy could be extended without compromise.

We often talk about the love of God, and rightly so. But we cannot truly understand the cross without also talking about the justice of God. Sin is not just a mistake or a misstep. It is a rejection of a holy God. And God, in his righteousness, cannot ignore it. He cannot pretend it doesn’t exist. If he did, he would not be just. But here’s the miracle: instead of pouring out that justice on us, he poured it out on Jesus. Every drop of wrath. Every ounce of judgment. Taken. Absorbed. Finished.

So now, when we look to the cross, we are not seeing a symbol of defeat. We are seeing the new mercy seat. The place where our sins were covered, once and for all. The place where God's holiness and love collided in perfect harmony. The place where forgiveness is no longer a temporary fix but a permanent foundation.

And Paul says this atonement is “to be received by faith.” Not by works. Not by ceremony. Not by effort. Faith is the posture that says, “I believe that what Jesus did is enough for me.” You don’t earn access to the mercy seat. You trust the One who opened the curtain.

If you’ve ever wondered whether God could really forgive what you’ve done, look at the cross. If you’ve ever felt unworthy to come into his presence, remember the mercy seat is now a person. And he invites you, not because you are clean, but because he has made you clean. Not because you are righteous, but because he has declared you righteous.

The mercy seat still stands. Not in a temple made by hands, but in the heart of the gospel. And its invitation is wide open. Come boldly. Come honestly. Come as you are.

And when you do, you’ll find something deeper than temporary relief. You’ll find peace. Because the blood has already been sprinkled. The sacrifice has already been made. The curtain has already been torn. And the mercy seat is not going anywhere.

Apply

Find a quiet place today and picture the mercy seat—not as a piece of furniture, but as Jesus himself. Imagine him welcoming you, covering you, and declaring you clean. If there’s a specific sin you’ve struggled to believe is really forgiven, bring it to him again. Say it plainly. Then remind yourself out loud: “This has been covered by the blood of Jesus.” Let that truth give you peace today.

Pray

Jesus, thank you for being the sacrifice of atonement for my sin. You didn’t just offer mercy—you became mercy. I believe that your blood is enough to cover every sin, even the ones I still struggle to forgive myself for. Help me trust that your justice has been satisfied and that your mercy is secure. I come to you not as someone who deserves it, but as someone who receives it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.