Read Exodus 25 at Bible Gateway.
Admittedly, we are entering into some detailed chapters with the blueprints for the Tabernacle. But hidden within these blueprints are stunning Prophetic Pictures of Messiah Yeshua!
The Ark of the Covenant
The Ark was a beautiful wooden chest overlaid with gold, in which was kept the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were the terms of God’s covenant with Israel.
So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. Deu 4:13
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. Exo 19:5
The Ten are aren’t an overwhelming list of impossible and minute things to remember; but rather the simple basics of loving God and loving others.
The Mercy Seat
This golden lid for the ark represents the sacredness of God’s presence and His authority among His people. In Hebrew, the word is kapporeth, Strong’s H3727, from כפר kaphar, Strong’s H722, “to cover over.”
kaph כ ך = open palm (bend, open, allow, tame)
pey פ ף = mouth (open, blow, scatter, edge)
resh ר = head of man (head, first, top, beginning, man)
The parable being told by the Hebrew Root Word is of covering (kaph, as the father’s open palm covered the head of his son when conferring the blessing) the open wound (pey, as a wound is an opening in the body) of man (resh).
Even more amazing? The mercy seat “covers over” the Ten Commandments, just as God’s mercy covers over our violations of them.
Why This Matters: The mercy seat as a covering reminds me of Noah’s two sons, who “covered over” their father’s shame and so preserved his honor and dignity (Gen 9:23). And that reminds me of “He who covers a transgression seeks love” (Pro 17:9).
The mercy, moreover, comes from the “seat” of God’s authority, just as the Law does. This is the Gospel of grace preached from Torah!
The Hebrew paragraphs for this chapter:
25:1-9 {s} The offering commanded to build the Tabernacle
25:10-22 {p} The pattern for the ark of the covenant
25:23-30 {p} The pattern for the table of showbread
25:31-40 {s} The pattern for the golden lampstand
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Finding Messiah in Exodus 25:1-27:19
Exodus 25:1-9, Chiastic structure
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