There is so much revelation just waiting to be exposed when you start to study out the Tabernacle of Moses. I’ve only scratched the surface of 
the Tabernacle and I still don’t understand the fullness and sincerity of the Tabernacle, but lately I’ve been hung up on study out the Ark of the Covenant found in Exodus 25:1-22.
What a strange thing! The Lord not only wanted a physical place where He could dwell with man (Exodus 25:8,) but wanted a place to sit and rule on Earth as He is in Heaven (Exodus 25:22.) There is so much to be gathered from studying the Ark, but one of the revelations is that the Ark is a physical representation of what mercy looks like. The Lord painted a physical picture for everyone to see mercy.
The Ark was constructed out of acacia wood with gold covering the outside and the inside of the ark. Inside, was the Testimony of the law (Exodus 25:16), which God gave to Moses (Exodus 19:18-31:18). The lid of the Ark, that covers the 10 commandments, has two cherubim facing each other and between them is the mercy seat where God dwelled. (Exodus 25:22)
Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:1-13)
The Ark was designed to show this picture. The Law was inside the Ark and the mercy seat was physically over the Law. I believe that this was God’s way of showing His people that He not only desires to dwell amongst His people, but that He delights in showing His mercy over judgment.
The blood of a pure sacrifice would be sprinkled upon the mercy seat. The one making the sacrifice fully understood that an innocent life was being exchanged for the sin that was committed. They understood that death had to happen. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).
We know that Jesus came and died for our sins and His life was taken in place instead ours. Jesus ultimately conquered death. This was a feat that the past sacrifices could never accomplish. Therefore death has been conquered and we are free in Christ! The blood of Jesus still flows and covers us today.
No one can remove the lid of the Ark because of the holiness of God. They would fall down dead (1 Sam 6:7.) With out this covering of mercy then man is simply judged only by the law… which is merciless since all have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23.) Mercy and judgment function together. You can’t have one without the other.
It’s God’s judgment to have mercy and it’s by His mercy that He shows His judgments.
