Propitiation

Romans 3:25

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,

In this post we will talk about the word propitiation. The word propitiation means to satisfy God's just demands. The justice of God demands the following:

The soul that sins must die. (Ezekiel 18:20) 

The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

Every man who sins must die. This idea is often rejected by liberal Christians. They do not like the whole idea of God demanding death as a payment, they neither believe in the blood of Jesus nor redeeming work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. They argue by saying, "If all this were true what separates our God from the pagan Gods." Even the pagan Gods demand blood sacrifices from the people. That is true but the difference between our God and pagan Gods is this:

Pagan Gods put various demands on people like blood sacrifices, pilgrimages, fasting, penance and people go through great lengths to meet them. But our God has not only made righteous demands, he has also taken it upon himself to fulfill them. God left his throne in heaven, came down to earth and lived among men and then took upon himself the sins of men and died, thereby satisfying his own demands.

For it is written:

Philippians 2:5-8

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Bible Scholars believe, the word propitiation in Romans 3:25, should be translated as mercy seat. If that were so, Romans 3:25 would read as: Whom God hath set forth to be a mercy seat through faith in his blood. 

This same word mercy seat appears in Hebrews 9:1-5

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Paul is speaking in these verses about the Tabernacle that God instructed the Israelites to build in the wilderness. This worldly sanctuary and all that was in it were full of rich meaning and were teaching the people about Jesus Christ. The Tabernacle taught the people:

• To recognize their sins
• Their incapability to save themselves from their sins
• Their need for a Saviour
• God's way of Salvation

In the Tabernacles there was a place called the Holy of Holies and that was where the ark of the covenant was kept. The Holy of Holies was the inner most chamber in the tabernacle and this place had no windows. God is light and his presence would light up the place. In this place was kept the ark of the covenant. In the ark of the covenant was kept the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that had budded and the tables of the covenant. The Tables of the covenant are the 10 commandments that God wrote with his own hand and gave to Moses. And this ark of the covenant was covered with a lid which was called the mercy seat. 

Now Imagine that there was no lid on the ark of the covenant. If the priest entered the Holy of Holies (God's presence), he would immediately see the 10 commandments in the Ark. He would instantly be declared as a transgressor of the Law. The Law would speak out against this Man who has entered the presence of God. (Romans 3:19-20) (Romans 3:23) (James 2:10). The law makes every man guilty before God and worthy of death. The pillar of fire that gave light and warmth to the Israelites by night (Exodus 40:38) would now become a fire of judgement (Numbers 11:1) (Psalm 106:18) (Leviticus 16:2) for the priest standing in the presence of God as a sinner accused by the Law. The wrath of God would immediately come upon him and consume him. (Psalms 50:3) (Psalm 106:18)

But God in his grace did not keep the ark of the Covenant open but covered it with a lid, calling it the mercy seat (the place where mercy sits). (Exodus 26:34). The priest could now enter the Holy of Holies without being accused because the 10 commandments were covered. He could then sprinkle the blood of the animal on the mercy seat to make atonement for his sins and the sin of the community. This blood spoke of the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for us on the cross of Calvary. (Hebrews 9:7) (Leviticus 16:1-34)

The earthly tabernacle is a picture of what heaven is like right now. In heaven the sprinkled blood of Jesus is before God, the Father and it speaks out for mercy for all the people of the world. (Hebrews 9:11-12) (Hebrews 12:22-24)

A picture of heaven

Hebrews 12:22-24

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

It is the sprinkled blood on the mercy seat that saves Man from the judgement of God. 

On top of the mercy seat were Cherubim, the highest order of angelic beings.  The Cherubim are first spoken about in Genesis 3:24: So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. 

The Cherubim are there to keep the way of the tree of life. Many believe the Cherubim are there to keep man from getting near the tree of life but that is not so. One great Bible scholar talks about the east of the garden of Eden being the place where God met Adam and Eve after they sinned and found them in fig leaf clothing. (Genesis 3:8-10) God completely rejected their works, killed an animal and made coats of skin for Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:21). God was teaching them the way of salvation. It is not by works that we have done, but by grace we are saved through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) The only way for Adam to enter the presence of God was to recognize his sin and kill an animal. The animal spoke of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ the Lord. (Leviticus 17:11) 

The Cherubim are not against man but for Man. The Cherubim are there to keep the way of life. If any Man will come into the presence of God by faith in the blood, the Cherubim protect them as they come in and no principality or demonic power can stop them from entering the presence of God by the blood of the lamb. When Adam sinned, there arose an enmity between Man and Satan.

For it is written:

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed... 

Since the fall there has been an enmity between Man and Satan. Satan does not want you to get back to God and have a relationship with God. But the Good News is that if you will come by putting your faith in the blood, the Cherubim will protect you and no demonic power can stop you from entering the presence of God. And once you are in the presence of God you will enjoy it so much, you will never want to leave. (Hebrews 10:19-20) (Hebrews 4:16).