G od the Father has set forth His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus to be a propitiation. “Propitiation” carries the idea of a sacrifice that appeases God’s holy wrath. God being holy and righteous has to judge sin. He cannot overlook it. “For thus saith the LORDof hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not” [Zechariah 8:14]. It is God Himself who has put forward a means to satisfy His own righteous anger and judgment – a propitiation, an appeasing sacrifice. It is all God’s work and nothing that mankind has done. God placates Himself as only He can. This same Greek word “propitiation” is translated “mercy seat” in Hebrews 9:5. The Old Testament records in Exodus 25 and 37 how God instructed the Israelites in the construction of the tabernacle to house the ark of the covenant. The mercy seat sat as a lid over the ark and was where God dwelt between the cherubs and would meet His people [Exodus 25:22]. The High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement and sprinkle the blood of a bullock and goat onto and around the mercy seat [Leviticus 16] as God instructed, to atone for the nation’s sins. Thus, propitiation also conveys the idea of a place where atonement is obtained. Being “atoned for” means to obtain mercy, to be wiped clean, have sin purged and be covered over, thus achieving reconciliation in order that sinners can come before an assuaged God.
LESSON
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.
THOUGHT
For He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned He His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath. – Psalm 78:38
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