The ark of the covenant was the only article of furniture in the innermost room, or Holy of Holies, of Moses' tabernacle and of Solomon's Temple. From between the two cherubim that were on the ark of the Testimony, God spoke to Moses. Once a year the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, but only with sacrificial blood that he sprinkled on the mercy seat for the atonement of sin.
Ironically, the Hebrew word translated as ark is also translated as coffin. In the last verse of the book of Genesis, this word is used of the coffin in which Joseph's embalmed body was placed after he died in Egypt. - Gen. 50:26 - The ark of the covenant was also a 'coffin' or 'chest' 2.5 cubits long, 1.5 cubits wide, and 1.5 cubits deep. ( about 45" inches by 27" inches by 27" inches ) The builder of the ark was a man named Bezaleel. - Ex. 37:1 -
The ark was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. It had four rings of gold through which carrying poles were inserted. - Ex. 37:1-9 - These poles were never removed from the rings, apparently to show that the ark was a portable sanctuary. Even when the ark was placed in Solomon's Temple, the poles stayed in place, and they could be seen from a certain point outside the inner sanctuary. - 1Kin. 8:8 -
The ark had a gold cover known as the "mercy seat" - Ex. 25:17-22 - because the Israelites believed the ark was God's throne. The ark had a gold molding or "crown" surrounding the top edge. The mercy seat was a slab of pure gold which fit exactly within the crown of the ark, so the mercy seat could not slide around during transportation.
Of one piece with the mercy seat were two angelic statues called cherubim. They stood at opposite ends of the mercy seat, facing each other with wings outstretched above and their faces bowed toward the mercy seat. They marked the place where the Lord dwelled as well as the place where the Lord communicated with Moses.
Within the ark were the two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments - Ex. 25:16-21 - considered to be the basis of the covenant between God and His people Israel. Thus, the ark was often called the ark of the Testimony. The golden pot of MANNA, which God miraculously preserved as a testimony to future generations - Ex. 16:32-34 - was also deposited in the ark. The third item in the ark was Aaron's Rod that budded to prove that Aaron was God's chosen. - Num. 17:1-11 -
While the New Testament states that the ark contained these three items - Heb. 9:4 - the ark must have lost two of them through the years. At the dedication of Solomon's Temple, Aaron's rod and the golden pot of manna were gone: "There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets Moses had placed in it at Horeb, the tablets of the covenant which Yahweh had made with the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt; they are still there today." - 1Kin. 8:9 -
The Ark of the Covenant was carried by the sons of Levi during the wilderness wanderings. - Deut. 31:9 - Carried into the Jordan River by the priests, the ark caused the waters to part so Israel could cross on dry ground, - Josh. 3:6-4:18 - During the conquest of the land of Canaan, the ark was carried at the fall of Jericho - Josh. 6:4-11 - later it was deposited at Shilol which had become the home of the tabernacle. - Josh. 18:1 -
Trusting the 'magic power' of the ark rather than God, the Israelites took the ark into battle against the Philistines and suffered a crushing defeat. - 1Sam. 4:1-11 - The Philistines captured the ark, only send it back when disaster struck their camp. - 1Sam. chapter 5 to 6 - It remained at Kirjath Jearim until king David brought it to Jerusalem. - 1Chr. 13:3-14, 15:1-28 - King Solomon established it in the Holy of Holies of the Temple which he built.
Nothing is known of what became of the ark. It disappeared when Nebuchadnezzar's armies destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and was not available when the second and third temples were built. In the many synagogues that arose after the Captivity, a chest or ark containing the Torah ( scrolls of the Law ) and other sacred books was placed in an area shut off from the rest of the building, just as the original ark was placed in the Holy of Holies of the Temple.
Apparently, there was "Ark of Moses" and "Ark of Noah's " too. Ark of Moses refers to a small basket-like container in which Moses was hidden by his mother to save him from the slaughter of Hebrew children by the Egyptian Pharaoh. - Ex. 2:3-6 - The basket was made of woven Papyrus reeds and sealed with a tar-like pitch. The lid on the basket kept insects and the sun off the child so he could sleep. The ark was discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh when she came to bathe at the river.
Ark of Noah's refers to a vessel built by Noah to save him, his family, and animals from the Flood. - Gen. 6:14-9:18 - God commanded Noah to make the ark of gopher wood. - Gen. 6:14 - Many scholars believe gopher wood is cypress, which was noted for its lightness and durability and therefore was used extensively in shipbuilding by the Phoenicians.
Noah's ark was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. ( about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high ) - Gen. 6:15 - The ark was constructed with three 'decks' - Gen. 6:16 - When Noah and his family and all the animals entered the ark, God himself shut its door to insure their safety against the raging flood. - Gen. 7:16 - In this way, God sealed the judgment against the ungodly who had refused to heed Noah's warnings. When the waters subsided after the Flood, the ark rested on the mountains of ARARAT. - Gen. 8:4 -
In the New Testament, Jesus spoke of the Flood and of Noah and the ark, comparing "the days of Noah" with the time of "the coming of the Son of Man." The ark is a striking illustration of Christ, who preserves us from the flood of divine judgment.
As it was Noah's day, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating and drinking, marrying wives and husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and the Flood came and destroyed them all. It will be the same as it was in Lot's day: people were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but the day lot left Sodom, God rained fire and brimstone from heaven and it destroyed them all. It will be the same when the days comes for the Son of Man to be revealed.
When that day comes, anyone on the housetop, with his possessions in the house, must not come down to collect them, nor must anyone in the fields turn back either. Remember Lot's wife. Anyone who tries to preserve his life will lose it; and anyone who loses it will keep it safe. I tell you, on that night two will be in one bed: one will be taken, the other left; two women will be grinding corn together: one will be taken, the other left. The disciples interrupted. 'Where, Lord? they asked. He said,'Where the body is, there too will be vultures gather.' - Luke 17:26-37 - Matt. 24:37-44 -
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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