trbccoffeebreak

“When the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud that it made the ground shake!” 1 Samuel 4:5 (NLT)

When my mother was a little girl she was given a Lane cedar chest. A hope chest where she stored her childhood memorabilia. When my daughter was born, I painted it white to match her nursery décor and used it as a toy chest. Twenty-five years later, that beloved chest has a new paint design in John Deere colors and my daughter uses it as a toy chest for her son. To say the least, that cedar chest is a cherished family heirloom.

I believe there was a “hope chest” mentioned for the first time in Exodus. The Ark of the Covenant. The ark served as a symbol of the presence of God and as the throne of God. Inside the ark was manna, Aaron’s staff and the Ten Commandments. These three articles were preserved in the ark throughout Israel’s history reminding them of God’s provision, sovereignty and holiness. Everywhere they carried the ark, the Israelites were victorious; yet when they turned away from His presence, they were helplessly defeated.

The ark of the covenant was the base of God’s mercy seat. The mercy seat was a covering to remind us of our need for a Savior. Aaron was the first high priest that offered blood sacrifices of bulls and goats. But Jesus our last High Priest shed His blood upon the mercy seat to cleanse us once and for all. A Savior full of mercy and grace. God sits upon His mercy seat and shows us forgiveness after forgiveness time and time again.

“Father, You are full of loving kindness and your mercy covers all our iniquities. Thank You for the shed blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all our sins.”

For His Glory

Kim Lacey Schock
TRBC Coffee Break