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Exploring the profound connection between the Old Testament mercy seat, God’s wrath, and Christ’s atoning sacrifice — and why this theological truth remains central to the Christian Gospel.

Jesus and the Wrath of God

I was recently preaching through the book of 1 Samuel when I discovered a theological connection that I had never noticed before, but I really should have. The truth of Scripture was this: the Old Testament Hebrew term for ‘mercy seat’ is translated into Greek in the New Testament by the term ‘propitiation’. Why had I never seen this before?

If you’re familiar with Christian academic debates surrounding the nature of Christ’s atonement, then you’ll understand why this is so important. Whereas ‘expiation’ refers to simply our sins being ‘covered’, the term ‘propitiation’ also includes the turning away of God’s wrath.

Clearly, this is not an insignificant debate! For example, Ron Bigalke gives the following shocking illustration in his article, “The Wrath Of God Was Satisfied: The Doctrine Of Propitiation”:

Years ago, a popular Christian worship song was deemed too controversial to be included in the current edition of the hymnal for the Presbyterian Church (USA). The modern hymn that was rejected is entitled “In Christ Alone” (written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend). The song is consistently ranked as one of the most popular among churches of all denominations.

The reason that the Committee on Congregational Song rejected the song from the hymnal of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is that one line was deemed offensive. The line is from the song’s second verse: “Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.”

The committee did not want to portray God as wrathful, thus they contacted the songwriters to change the controversial line to be sung as “Till on that cross as Jesus died, the love of God was magnified.” The songwriters rightly rejected the committee’s request.

This is sadly just another reason why faithful followers of Jesus have removed themselves from the Presbyterian Church (USA), a denomination which has increasingly strayed from the Gospel truths of Biblical Christianity.

Jesus and the Temple

As most people know, the New Testament repeatedly and consistently affirms how Jesus is the fulfilment of the OT Temple. From the very beginning of His earthly ministry, Christ equated Himself with the Temple (e.g. John 2:19-20).

However, this also includes not simply certain aspects of the temple, such as the building, the Priesthood and the sacrificial system as a whole, but even the individual elements within it.

As the apostle Paul writes elsewhere, ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

As I have written elsewhere, the apostle John presents “The Empty Tomb of Jesus as the Ark of the New Covenant“. Just consider the following inter-Scriptural connections:

• There were two angels present on either side where the body of Jesus was placed (Exodus 25:18; John 20:12).
• While the ark of the covenant was located in the innermost chamber of the tabernacle and separated by a veil (Exod. 40:3, 21). Jesus’ body was also placed in an inner burial chamber, which was separated by a rock wall and also had a veil-like “face cloth” (20:7).
• The exact same terms “take/carry” and “put/place/lay” are used in both contexts.
• In both places, spices are used regarding the ark (Exod. 30:26) as well as on the body of Jesus (12:3; 19:39), which was an act of holy anointing and consecration.
• Just as the Jews were forbidden to go inside to touch the holy things (Num 4:20), Mary Magdalene is commanded by Jesus not to touch Him (John 20:17).[1] By the way, the prohibition is all the more significant when one realises how Jesus later tells Thomas to reach out and touch Him (see John 2:27)!
• Just as God’s glory descends upon the Holy of Holies, so too Jesus is glorified by God when He is crucified upon the cross to make ‘propitiation’ for our sin (John 17:1-5).

Jesus and the Mercy Seat

If the mercy seat is also not only where atonement is made but where the Father’s wrath is turned away, and if the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus is the fulfilment of the entire temple system, then the spiritual meaning or theological significance of all of this should be crystal clear. Through faith in Jesus, we are justified before our Heavenly Father. As the apostle Paul writes:

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Christ Jesus to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24)

The earthly temple in Jerusalem was a shadow of the reality which exists right now in heaven. Which also means that all of the animal sacrifices of the OT pointed to the one, true, final sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the ‘mercy seat’ or atoning ‘propitiatory’ sacrifice which turns away the Father’s just and holy anger against us once and for all.

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[1] D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, 1991). Carson succinctly states, “This verse belongs to a handful of the most difficult passages in the New Testament”. 641-642.

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