Easter celebration!

We had a wonderful worship time this morning at 9th and O. It was so good to join as a family with other families to proclaim that Christ is risen indeed. For my birthday we are going to see a rescreening of the original Raiders of the Lost Ark on the big screen today. What has that got to do with Easter, you may ask?

Well, as it turns out, EVERYTHING. The reason the Ark was lost is that it became uneccessary in the light of what the FINAL sacrifice accomplished. The Ark in its original form held three items that were of paramount importance to the people of God

The Bread of Life fulfilled the meaning of the manna from the wilderness.

The Resurrection of Christ fulfilled the rod of Aaron that budded with life.

The finished work of the Word made flesh fulfilled the Law on tablets of stone.

The Final Sacrifice fulfilled once for all, in reality, the Atonement that occurred in the yearly sacrifice at the Ark.

The temple veil that separated man from the Holy place where it had been kept was torn in two from top to bottom at the crucifixion.

I could go on with many more illustrations of fulfillment from Ezekiel to Hebrews 9 to tother passages of Scripture, but the best one of all is found in Leviticus 25.

God gave a distinct set of instructions for the ark’s lid (Ex. 25:17–22), called the kapporet in Hebrew. When the Old Testament was translated into Latin, this word was translated as propitiatorium, which means “the place of propitiation.” The standard English translation is “the mercy seat” (KJV).

The mercy-seat, or place of atonement was the golden plate of propitiation on which the High Priest sprinkled the seat 7 times on the Day of Atonement symbolically reconciling Jehovah and His chosen people the slab of gold on top of the ark of the covenant which measured 2.5 by 1.5 cubits; on it and part of it were the two golden cherubim facing each other whose outstretched wings came together above and constituted the throne of God.

Hebrews 9:13-16 and Romans 3:25 tells us that Christ has BECOME our mercy seat! Romans 3: 25 says, "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished..."

So when I am watching Indiana Jones pursue the Ark, I'll be remembering the finished work of my Mercy Seat today...

Romans 5:10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!