Mercy Seat & Cherubims

God's Judgment and Mercy

Cherubims & Mercy Seat
- Atonement Cover -

Summary: The Cherubims and Mercy Seat illustrate the judgment and mercy of God. On the side of judgment, the Cherubims carry out the judgment of God. On the side of mercy, the Mercy Seat is sprinkled with blood to atone for sin. This blood shows that a victim has given its life in death for sin. The faces of the Cherubims gaze downward upon the Mercy Seat to see if the blood is on the Mercy Seat. If the Cherubims see the blood, they know the penalty of sin has been fulfilled. This teaches us that God offers mercy and forgiveness to sinners without compromising His holiness on the basis of substitutionary sacrifice.  

Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Psalms 85:10 (NIV)

الرحمة والحق التقيا. البر والسلام تلاثما. مزامير ٨٥‏:١٠

Scripture 17 "Make an atonement cover of pure gold?two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. Exodus 25:17-22 (NIV) وتصنع غطاء من ذهب نقي طوله ذراعان ونصف وعرضه ذراع ونصف . ١٧ وتصنع كروبين من ذهب . صنعة خراطة تصنعهما على طرفي الغطاء . ١٨ فاصنع كروبا واحدا على الطرف من هنا . وكروبا آخر على الطرف من هناك . من الغطاء تصنعون الكروبين على طرفيه . ١٩ ويكون الكروبان باسطين اجنحتهما الى فوق مظلّلين باجنحتهما على الغطاء ووجههما كل واحد الى الآخر . نحو الغطاء يكون وجها الكروبين . ٢٠ وتجعل الغطاء على التابوت من فوق . وفي التابوت تضع الشهادة التي اعطيك . ٢١ وانا اجتمع بك هناك واتكلم معك من على الغطاء من بين الكروبين    اللذين على تابوت الشهادة بكل ما اوصيك به الى بني اسرائيل.   خروج ٢٥‏:١٧-٢٢ ٢٢

Cherubims

The first thing that a person would notice when he looked at the Ark of the Covenant would be the two golden cherubims whose wings were spread apart as if ready instantly to accomplish God's will. The cherubims were oriented towards each other with their faces gazing downward. The cherubims symbolize divine readiness to punish sin.

Often the first mention of something in scripture provides the best clue to its meaning. In Genesis Chapter 3 the cherubims and a flaming sword kept Adam and Eve away from the garden of Eden and the tree of life. So, in the first instance, the cherubims were actively involved in fulfilling God's retribution against sin.

After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24 (NIV)

فطرد الانسان واقام شرقي جنة عدن الكروبيم ولهيب سيف متقلب لحراسة طريق شجرة الحياة. تكوين  ٣‏:٢٤

Adam and Eve disobeyed and sinned against the Creator and had to be driven away from the garden of Eden and the Tree of Life. The penalty of Original Sin required that they must labor and finally die. If they had eaten the fruit of the Tree of Life, they would have lived forever. So, they must be driven away from the Tree of Life. As a result of their disobedience, death passed upon them and their offspring.

but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Genesis 2:17 (NIV)

واما شجرة معرفة الخير والشر فلا تأكل منها . لانك يوم تأكل منها موتا تموت .   تكوين  ٢‏:١٧

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12 (NIV)

من اجل ذلك كأنما بانسان واحد دخلت الخطية الى العالم وبالخطية الموت وهكذا اجتاز الموت الى جميع الناس اذ اخطأ الجميع.   رومية ٥‏:١٢

Muslims may reject the doctrine of Original Sin, but they cannot deny its universal effect upon humanity. Death is the common lot of everyone. It makes no difference whether a person were a holy prophet of God, the prophet must die. Adam died, Noah died, Abraham died, Joseph died, Moses died, and the list could go on and on. Even Muhammad is a testimony to the truth of Original Sin. He died and is buried in his tomb (Maksurah) at Medina (al-Madinah). Millions of Muslims do Hajj each year and also visit Medina to see Muhammad's tomb in the Masjid an-Nabwi with its green dome. His tomb proclaims the truth of Original Sin. Muhammad sinned; therefore, he must die. You may reject doctrine of Original Sin, but my friend you still face death and judgment.

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, Hebrews 9:27 (NIV)

وكما وضع للناس ان يموتوا مرة ثم بعد ذلك الدينونة  العبرانيين ٩‏:٢٢

Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. Hebrews 9:5 (NIV)

وفوقه كروبا المجد مظللين الغطاء.اشياء ليس لنا الآن ان نتكلم عنها بالتفصيل. العبرانيين   ٩‏:٥

Muhammad and Atonement

Muhammad rejected the message of the divine prophets of God who emphasized the necessity of the blood of atonement for sin. The good news according to Muhammad is that personal piety is the path to God. Besides the fact that Muhammad contradicted the ancient prophets, Muhammad's good news cannot atone for the sins. Obviously, piety is a moral virtue, but it ignores the fact that everyone has sinned, and, consequently, everyone deserves the judgment and punishment of God for those sins. Abraham and Moses, who are  esteemed examples of personal piety, knew the LORD God required the blood of an atonement sacrifice to cleanse them from their sins. True piety is knowing that your own piety is not sufficient to atone for your sin. Muhammad lacked true piety, so he rejected the message of the prophets and the blood of atonement.

It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do right. Al-Hajj 22:37 Yusufali?s translation

لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنكُمْ كَذَلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُحْسِنِينَ  سورة الحج   ٢٢‏:٣٧

The goods news of Holy Scripture is that sin may be atoned by sacrificial blood. This recognizes the gravity of sin and the grace of God in providing another to die in a sinner's place. All have sinned and acted in an impious manner, and this affronts the holiness and righteousness of God. On the other hand, self-righteous sinners believe their piety will suffice the holiness of God. Thus showing they have a superficial idea of God's holiness and hatred of sin and an inflated view of their piety.

For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Leviticus 17:11 (NIV)

لان نفس الجسد هي في الدم فانا اعطيتكم اياه على المذبح للتكفير عن نفوسكم. لان الدم يكفّر عن النفس. اللاويين  ١٧‏:١١

God does not ignore past sins. Your sins and mine will be called into account at the Last Day. How will you answer God for your past sins and evil deeds? This is indeed a serious question. If a murderer were to stop murdering people, would a human judge remain righteous, if he were to ignore the prior crimes of a murderer? Of course not! Do you think that God is more unrighteous than a human judge? We must give an account to God for all our evil deeds.

Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. Ecclesiastes 3:15 (NIV)

ما كان فمن القدم هو. وما يكون فمن القدم قد كان. والله يطلب ما قد مضى. جامعة  ٣‏:١٥

Our conscience reminds us of our past sins. This was the case with the polytheists who came to Muhammad and who were troubled about their past fornications and murders. While God is merciful and desires to forgive sinners, He does not cast His justice aside to accomplish His mercy. This is why the blood of a sacrifice was required to atone for sins. In this way God can forgive sins and be perfectly righteous too. But, Muhammad treated lightly the past sins of these polytheists and told them they were to call upon Allah alone and to avoid fornication and murder and that this would requite their past evil deeds.

But, there is no way that Muhammad's advice could undo their evil deeds. Those who were murdered were still dead, and their fornications had still violated their female victims. Because their sins had not been punished, those evil deeds remained upon them. Furthermore, simply ceasing from fornication and murder is not piety, because piety is more than not being a vicious killer or a promiscuous fornicator.

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that some persons amongst the polytheist had committed a large number of murders and had excessively indulged in fornication. Then they came to Muhammad (may peace be upon him) and said: Whatever you assert and whatever you call to is indeed good. But if you inform us that there is atonement of our past deeds (then we would embrace Islam). Then it was revealed:

And those who call not unto another god along with Allah and slay not any soul which Allah has forbidden except in the cause of justice, nor commit fornication; and he who does this shall meet the requital of sin. Multiplied for him shall be the torment on the Day of Resurrection, and he shall therein abide disgraced, except him who repents a believes and does good deeds. Then these! for the Allah shall change their vices into virtues. Verily Allah is Ever Forgiving, Merciful (al-Furqan 25:68-70).
Say thou: O my bondsmen who have committed extravagance against themselves, despair not of the Mercy of Allah! Verily Allah will forgive the sins altogether. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful (xxxix. 53) Sahih Muslim Book 1, No. 221

وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا
يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا   سورة الفرقان  ٢٥‏:٦٨-٧٠
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ سورة الزمر  ٣٩‏:٥٣

Again, Muhammad offers a trivial view of atonement for sins when he claimed that behaving quietly during Friday prayers is an atonement for sins. Muhammad seems to have no idea of the serious message of the prophets of God. Of course common courtesies are appropriate human behavior, but they don't make an atonement for sins.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three types of people attend Friday prayer; One is present in a frivolous way and that is all he gets from it; another comes with a supplication, Allah may grant or refuse his request as He wishes; another is present silently and quietly with-out stepping over a Muslim or annoying anyone, and that is an atonement for his sins till the next Friday and three days more, the reason being that Allah, the Exalted, says: "He who does a good deed will have ten times as much" (vi.160).    Sunan Abu Dawud Book 2, No. 1108

Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: if one has a sudden attack of vomiting while one is fasting, no atonement is required of him, but if he vomits intentionally he must make atonement.  Sunan Abu Dawud Book 7, No. 2374

Throughout the Jewish Old Testament scriptures, Allah revealed the absolute need for the death of a substitutionary sacrifice to atone for sins. Muhammad rejected the prior revelations of Allah and instituted the idea that goods deeds alone are sufficient to atone for past sins. In its essence, this is the way of Cain who, unlike Abel, offered the fruits of his own efforts rather than sacrifice a lamb of the flock.

We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers. al-Maeda 5:45 (Yusuf Ali's translation)

وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالأَنفَ بِالأَنفِ وَالأُذُنَ بِالأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أنزَلَ اللّهُ فَأ ُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ  سورة المائدة ٤:٣٦

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When we consider the words of Muhammad, we are reminded of the words of King Solomon,

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 16:25 (NIV)

توجد طريق تظهر للانسان مستقيمة وعاقبتها طرق الموت. امثال ١٦‏:٢٥

Blood of Christ

While good works are required of Christian believers, they are never considered to effect the salvation of the soul. Sin is too grievous in the sight of God to be treated so lightly. Sin requires death, but the gift of God is available because of the sacrificial blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that you may repent of your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for your personal Savior. Millions have come to the Savior and submitted to the righteousness of God!

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)

لان اجرة الخطية هي موت. واما هبة الله فهي حياة ابدية بالمسيح يسوع ربنا رومية  ٦‏:٢٣

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:28 (NIV)
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. John 19:34-35 (NIV)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! Romans 5:8-9 (NIV)
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  Ephesians 1:7 (NIV)
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, Revelation 1:5 (NIV)

لان هذا هو دمي الذي للعهد الجديد الذي يسفك من اجل كثيرين لمغفرة الخطايا . متى  ٢٦‏:٢٨
لكن واحدا من العسكر طعن جنبه بحربة وللوقت خرج دم وماء.
والذي عاين شهد وشهادته حق وهو يعلم انه يقول الحق لتؤمنوا انتم . يوحنا  ١٩‏:٣٤-٣٥
ولكن الله بيّن محبته لنا لانه ونحن بعد خطاة مات المسيح لاجلنا.
فبالأولى كثيرا ونحن متبرّرون الآن بدمه نخلص به من الغضب. رومية  ٥‏:٨-٩
الذي فيه لنا الفداء بدمه غفران الخطايا حسب غنى نعمته أفسس  ١‏:٧
ومن يسوع المسيح الشاهد الامين البكر من الاموات ورئيس ملوك الارض.الذي احبنا وقد غسلنا من خطايانا بدمه رؤيا يوحنا  ١‏:٥

We are by Christ redeemed:
The cost?His precious blood;
Be nothing by our souls esteemed
Like this great good.
Were the vast world our own,
And Thou, Lord Jesus, wert unknown,
We still were poor.

O Blessed Lord, what hast Thou done?
How vast a ransom given?
Thyself of God the eternal Son;
The Lord of earth and heaven.

Thy Father, in His gracious love,
Did spare Three from His side;
And Thou didst stoop to bear above,
At such a cost, Thy bride.

Lord, while our souls in faith repose
Upon Thy precious blood,
Peace like an even river flows,
And mercy like a flood.

But boundless joy shall fill our hearts,
When gazing on Thy face,
We fully see what faith imparts,
And glory crowns Thy grace.

Last edited 10/12/2002
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