The Quest for the Ark

Series on Exodus

VIII. The Covering of God’s People

C. Pattern of the Tabernacle

1 The Ark, Text: 25:10-22, 37:1-9

Title: The Quest for the Ark

Introduction

We come now to the actual description of the tabernacle. The book of Exodus records both the command to Moses with the description of what is to be done and the account of it being carried out. In this case we find the former in chapter 25 and the latter in chapter 37. You will observe that in giving the instructions God begins with that which is most sacred and closest to him; in this case the ark which resided in the holiest place. Exodus 25:10-13, Have them make a chest of acacia wood-two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. We work outward from this point. there is a lot of mystery and intrigue which surrounds the story of the ark. You’ve probably heard of the adventure film, “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The ark has acquired a superstitious following among many. Historically on three occasions the ark played a significant role when it was borne by the priests instead of the Kohathites who normally performed this task. These were the crossing of the Jordan, the overthrow of Jericho and at the covenant renewal under Joshua in Joshua 8 at Mts. Ebal and Gerezim in the valley of Shechem. Israel also carried the ark into battle, and the ark was once lost to the Philistines and recovered in I Samuel 4-6. Later, David brought it up and installed it in the tabernacle/temple. It was constructed in such a way that it could be carried by staffs without being touched and there is a story in II Samuel 6 about Uzzah who was a Levite who reached out to steady the ark when the oxen pulling the cart on which it was being transported, stumbled, and he was struck dead. The history of the ark ends with the Babylonian captivity. To this day there are scholars who think that the ark is secluded in Ethiopia by the Coptic Church, in a small building which is guarded and into which no one but the keeper may ever go. The importance of the ark for us however is not in any of these, that is, either the Scriptural accounts, or fabled stories, but rather in what it symbolized which is very precious and stands at the heart of our faith. The ark is the foremost representation of God’s mercy. We will consider three things, the place of the ark, the purpose of the ark, and the promise of the ark.

I The Place of the Ark

The place of the ark was in the holiest place. We recall that the reason for the tabernacle was that God could dwell with his people. Although the tabernacle as a whole might be referred to as God’s house, actually it was the holiest place which was his dwelling, and in fact, the very throne of God. Here God spoke and manifested his presence in the shekinah or pillar of fire and cloud. The holiest of all was cubical and had only one piece of furniture, the ark of the covenant. There was no light in this place except the light of God himself. It was secluded by a curtain from the rest of the tabernacle where the priests ministered. The curtain for the holiest was a tapestry of purple and scarlet and blue with cherubim woven in. The further curtain for the tabernacle proper was similar. The best commentary on these matters is always the Bible itself. This curtain, later reproduced in the second temple of Herod, was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross according to Matthew 27:30 and 31, and the author of the book of Hebrews explains 10:19-22. thus we are brought by Jesus atoning death into the very presence of God. This place was entered under the old administration only by Moses and once a year on the day of atonement, by the high priest of Israel.

II The Purpose of the Ark

Now the ark itself was a box made of durable acacia wood and overlaid with gold. In it were Aaron’s rod that budded, a pot of manna, and the tables of the law. It is the tables of the law which are the central focus, for the law was the summation of God’s covenant with Israel, and His righteous demands which they could not and did not meet. But the law with its righteous demands was covered. for upon the ark was a mercy seat of solid gold. Exodus 25:17-22, Make an atonement cover of pure gold-two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. In the Hebrew language the word cover means to atone and the Greek translators of the Old Testament correctly perceived that the word covering did not mean simply a cover for the box, it meant an atonement. Thus they translated it as a propitiatory covering. it is the same word used in I John 2:1 where we read that Jesus is the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins and not for ours only but also for those of the whole world. He is our mercy seat or “hilasterion.” Thus the ark which was God’s throne was a place of mercy. That is its purpose. This is indicated in a unique way by the fact that God dwelt and spoke to Moses from between the cherubim. The mercy seat had two carved cherubim, angelic like representations facing inward. God is said to be above the mercy seat but between the cherubim. Cherubim are symbols of the life of God. They kept the way of the tree of life with flaming swords after Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden. Elsewhere, as for example, in Ezekiel they are pictured as the fullness of life, full of eyes, and movement. The Hebrew word for fountain (ayin) is also the word for eye. The cherubim represent not just life, but the life of God in all its purity and holiness. The point is that when God is seen in judgment he is pictured in the Old Testament as going up from the cherubim, or being above them, but when he is showing mercy he is seen between the cherubim. He is giving life.

III The Promise of the Ark

The promise of the ark is wrapped up in the way in which it entered into the worship of Israel. There was a day of atonement, Yom Kippur (yom=day , kippur=covering) which occurred around the beginning of October. It was a day of sabbath rest and a day in which the Israelites were to afflict their souls. It is described in Leviticus 16. They were to exhibit penitence because forgiveness is available only to those who do. On this one day every year the high priest went into the holiest place. He did this only after he had numerous sacrifices including a bullock for his house and himself, and then sent up incense at the altar before the curtain, and then he sprinkled blood upon the mercy seat and seven times in front of it. All of this was for himself and those who served, then with the blood of a young goat he did the same thing for the people. There was a second goat who had been chosen by lot. He took it at the door of the tabernacle and confessed the sins of the people and that goat, called the scape goat, was escorted into the wilderness. It was a marvelous representation of the atonement Christ was to fully finally offer for his people on the cross. The author of Hebrews enlightens us in 9:6-8, When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. Then in verses 11-14 he tells us what Christ accomplished through His atoning death, When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! We see here not only the once for all nature of Jesus’ sacrifice, but also the result which is our being fully, finally, permanently cleansed. There are no more days of atonement needed. And another practical result is in chapter 10:19 and 20, Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?