LXII. On placing the ark in the holiest, or inner, Temple.
1. The ark, as we have said, and as the text declares, when carried to its rest, was placed in the inner temple, or in the most holy place, 'even under the wings of the cherubims.' 'And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims' (Exo 26:33, 39:35; 1 Kings 8:3; 2 Chron 5:7).
2. Before this, as was said afore, the ark was carried from place to place, and caused to dwell in a tent under curtains, as all our fathers did; to show that Christ, as we, was made for a time to wander in the world, in order to his being possessed of glory (2 Sam 7:1,3,6; Heb 11:9; John 1:10, 16:28, 3:13).
3. But now, when the ark was brought into the holiest, it is said to be brought into its place. This world was not Christ's place; he was not from beneath; he came from his Father's house; therefore, while here, he was not in his place, nor could he be until he ascended to where he was before (John 8:23, 16:28, 6:62, 3:13).
4. Christ's proper place, therefore, is the holiest. His proper place, as God, as Priest, as Prophet, as King, and as the Advocate of his people. Here, with us, he has no more to do as mediator in person. If he were on earth, he should not be a priest, &c. His place and work is now above with his Father, and before the angels (Acts 5:31; 1 Peter 3:22; Heb 4:14, 8:4; 9:24; 1 John 2:1,2; Rev 1:4,5).
5. It is said the ark was brought 'to the oracle of the house '; Solomon was not content to say it was brought into the holiest; but he saith, his place was the oracle, the holy oracle, that is, the place of hearing. For he, when he ascended, had something to say to God on behalf of his people. To the oracle, that is, to the place of revealing. For he also was there to receive, and from thence to reveal to his church on earth something that could not be made manifest except through this holy oracle. There therefore he is with the two tables of testimony in his heart, as perfectly kept; he also is there with the whole fulfulling of the ceremonial law in his side, showing and pleading the perfection of his righteousness, and the merit of his blood with his Father, and to receive and to do us good, who believe in him, how well pleased the Father is with what he has done in our behalf.
6. 'Into the most holy place.' These words show whither also the ark went when it went to take up its rest. And in that this ark was a type of Christ, it is to show or further manifest that what Christ doth now in heaven, he doth before his Father's face. Yea, it intimates, that Christ even there makes his appeals to God, concerning the worth of what he did on earth; to God the Judge of all, I say, whether he ought not for his suffering's sake to have granted to him his whole desire, as Priest and Advocate for his people?
'Wilt thou,' said Festus to Paul, 'go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?' (Acts 25:9). Why, this our blessed Jesus was willing, when here, to go up to Jerusalem to be judged; and being misjudged of there, he made his appeal to God, and is now gone thither, even into the holy place, even to him that is Judge of all, for his verdict upon his doing; and whether the souls for whom he became undertaker, to bring them to glory, have not by him a right to the kingdom of heaven.
7. 'Under the wings of the cherubims.' This further confirms our words; for having appealed from earth to heaven, as the ark was set under the wings of the cherubims, so he, in interceding with God and pleading his merits for us, does so in the presence and hearing of all the angels in heaven.
And thus much of the ark of the covenant, and of its antitype. We come next to speak of the mercy-seat.
LXIII. Of the mercy-seat, and how it was placed in the holy Temple.
The mercy-seat was made in the wilderness, but Solomon brought it up after the temple was built, with the rest of the holy things (2 Chron 5:2-10).
The mercy-seat, as I have shown of the ark, was but low. 'Two cubits and a half was the length, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof'; but the height thereof 'was without measure.'
1. The length and breadth of the mercy-seat is the same with that of the ark: perhaps to show us that the length and breadth of the mercy of God to his elect is the same with the length and breadth of the merits of Christ (Exo 25:10,17). Therefore, we are said to be justified in him, blessed in him, even according to the purpose which God purposed in him.
2. But in that the mercy-seat is without measure, as to height, it is to show that, would God extend it, it is able to reach even them that fall from heaven, and to save all that ever lived on earth, even all that are now in hell. For there is not only breadth enough for them that shall be saved, but 'bread enough and to spare' (Luke 15:17). 'And thou shalt,' says God, 'put the mercy-seat above upon the ark.' Thus he said to Moses, and this was the place David assigned for it (Exo 25:21; 1 Chron 28:11). Now, placed thus by God's ordinance, it teaches us many things.
(1.) That mercy's foundation to us is Christ. The mercy-seat was set upon the ark of the testimony, and there it rested to usward. Justice would not, and could not, have suffered us to have any benefit from mercy, had it not found an ark, a Christ, to rest upon. 'Deliver him,' saith God, 'from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom' (Job 33:24).
(2.) Because it was placed above, it also shows that Christ was, of mercies, ordaining a fruit of mercy. Mercy is above; it is the ordainer. God is love, and sent his Son of love to be the Savior and propitiation for our sins (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).
(3.) Because the mercy-seat and ark were thus joined, it also shows that without Christ mercy does not act. Hence, when the priest came of old to God for mercy, he used to come into the holy place with blood; yea, he used to sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat and before it seven times. Take away the ark, and the mercy-seat will fall, or at least come down greatly. So take away Christ, and the flood-gate of mercy is let down, and the current of mercy stopped. This is true, for as soon as Christ shall leave off to mediate, eternal judgment will come.
(4.) Again, because the mercy-seat was set above upon the ark, it teacheth us that mercy can look down from heaven, though the law stands by and looks on; but then it must be in Christ, kept there and fulfilled by him for us. The law out of Christ is terrible as a lion; the law in him is meek as a lamb. The reason is that it finds in him enough to answer for all their faults that come to God for mercy by him. 'Christ is the end of the law for righteousness'; and if that be true, the law for that can look no further upon whoever comes to God by him. The law did use to sentence terribly, until it was put into the ark to be kept.
(5.) Let those who come to God for mercy be sure to come to him by the ark, Christ. For grace, as it descends to us from above the mercy-seat, so that mercy-seat doth rest upon the ark. Wherefore, sinner, come thou for mercy that way: for there if thou meetest with the law, it can do thee no harm; nor can mercy, shouldst thou elsewhere meet it, do thee good. Come, therefore, and come boldly to the throne of grace, this mercy-seat, thus borne up by the ark, and 'obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need' (Heb 4:16).
Wherefore, this placement of things in the holiest is admirable to behold in the word of God. For that indeed is the glass by and through which we must behold this glory of the Lord. Here we see the reason of things; here we see how a just God can, in a way of mercy, have to do with one who has sinned against him. The Lord Jesus Christ has kept the law; as you see, the mercy-seat stands upon the ark of the covenant, and there God acts in grace toward us (Exo 25:17-23).
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