Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
THE BLOOD-SPRINKLED MERCY SEAT, No. 2.
James 2:13: “Mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” Most other Bible versions translate it: “Mercy TRIUMPHS over judgment.”
The Douay-Rheims Bible says: “Mercy exalteth itself above judgment.”
The Darby Bible Translation says: “Mercy GLORIES over judgment.”
J. B. PHILLIPS: “Mercy SMILES in the face of judgment.”
We all agree that the law written on the tables of stone was righteous and good, and yet in another sense, it judged and condemned all who could not keep it. And who could keep it?
If it were not for the blood-sprinkled mercy seat we would be hopelessly lost and appointed to death.
Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The mercy seat, sprinkled with innocent blood, makes the ark of the covenant attractive to us. If it were not for the mercy seat, the ark of the covenant would be terrifying and fearful. We would be afraid to approach it.
Praise God, it is the blood-sprinkled mercy seat that attracts us and gladdens our hearts. It reveals to us that despite our hopeless state caused by our sins against His righteous laws, that we have a God who loves us and shows us amazing mercy. He shows us this incredible mercy in a righteous and just way because of the innocent blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, the innocent Lamb of God.
His blood has been sprinkled on Heaven’s mercy seat. Hebrews 9:22, 23: “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood: and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”
I am so incredibly glad for Heaven’s blood-sprinkled mercy seat. I need His mercy so much. So do we all.
Furthermore, we are exhorted to come “BOLDLY unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
We are all living in a time of great need, not only for ourselves, but also on the behalf of so many others who are suffering, here and in persecuting countries. We must come to this mercy seat on behalf of all in the Houston area who are suffering the loss of almost everything they own.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
P.S. Bible translations that say: “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
ESV, BECK, BSB, GOODSPEED, HCSB, NEB, NET, NIV, NASB, NKJV, GW, WEYMOUTH, WEB, WILLIAMS. There may be more, but this is what I found.
