Genesis 24:27 English Standard Version (ESV) and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”

Blessed in its usage here is barak and in most cases its usage begins with “invoking God”. Abraham’s servant had prayed for a sign, specific in design in order to know God’s will in finding a wife for Isaac. God answered that prayer perfectly. The servant’s comment was in worshipping God and a witness to Rebekah so that she might become part of the blessing invoked by God.

We hear “bless you” and “blessing be upon you” spoken by people who might not even know God. They are for the most part offhand remarks. People say it without invoking God.

How much different would our service be if we were to prayer for God’s help in doing service? Would our intentions be to invoke the will of God or for God to bless our meager offerings? We are all servants of God in one form or another. Gifts are given with purpose. Talents are to be used in furtherance of God’s will.

At the core of these blessings are two important issues. God’s steadfast love and His faithfulness. These are blessing bestowed upon us by grace. It is who God is and it is God’s desire to be seen, to be known, and to believe in His love and faithfulness. While we may know that that person we encounter in God’s service may not know that. The chances of their encountering God will be greatly improved if we “invoke God”.

Philippians 2:13 English Standard Version (ESV) for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

God is involved and we should acknowledge that in worship in the moment.

Leviticus 16:12-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹² And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil ¹³ and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die. 

Before we get into the distinctions of the mercy seat please note that before the sprinkling of the blood sacrifice, incense is burnt in order to cover the mercy seat. The burning of the incense is symbolic of prayer.

Revelation 5:8 English Standard Version (ESV) And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Within the ingredients for the incense there was pure frankincense which is one of the gifts of the Magi to the Christ child. It points towards Christ.

Now for the distinction of the mercy seat. This rite was only performed with the mercy seat placed upon the Art of the Covenant. No sacrificial blood would ever touch the ordinances of the covenant. The blood only fell on the mercy seat. The covering never allowed the blood to affect the covenant.

Numbers 7:89 English Standard Version (ESV) And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.

God speaks to us from a place of mercy. Who is it that speaks to us now from that place of mercy?

Hebrews 1:2a English Standard Version (ESV) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son