THE ARK OF THE TESTIMONY
Text: Exodus 25:10-17
Mercy Seat is the cover (top) of the ark.
Text verses are the directions given for its construction.
Exodus 37:1-9- construction is carried out according to directions.
Exodus 39:32, 35, 42-43- finished construction was brought to Moses.
Exodus 40:3- Directions for putting it in its place.
Exodus 40:20-21- Was put in its place.
The ark was the first piece of furniture mentioned in the building of the Tabernacle. It is the center piece of the entire structure due to what it represents (presence of God). It contained items, one being the two tables of stone (the 10 commandments).
The ark and mercy seat were each 45 inches long (2.5 cubits), 27 inches wide (1.5 cubits), and 27 inches high. Each was made of shittim wood overlaid with gold, including the inside of the ark. The ark had a rim molding around the top similar to the altar of incense and table of showbread.
- The ark is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ:
- The other tabernacle articles point to some aspect of His work:
- The ark speaks of His personal presence.
- It was the lone object behind the second veil, in the holy of holies.
Hebrews 9:1-5– The ark and mercy seat covering were in the “Holiest of all”, representing God’s throne.
- Today, the emphasis is placed on what the Savior has done for us, rather than on His person:
- The Scriptures show this, pointing out Jesus before the work He did.
- John 1:29- The forerunner of Christ, John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus the Lamb of God (His person) that takes away the sin of the world (His work).
- 1 Corinthians 2:2– Paul determined to know Jesus (His person) and Him crucified (His work).
- Revelation 5:6– John saw Jesus as a Lamb (His person) as it had been slain (His work).
- It is the blessed person of Christ which gave value to His work:
John 10:30- Jesus is God.
Galatians 4:4-5– Jesus is God who took on flesh to be our Savior, to pay for our sins on the cross so we could become children of God.
II. The ark was made of shittim wood, Exodus 37:1.
- Shittim wood typifies the humanity of our Lord:
Isaiah 53:2– His flesh was not the beautiful part of Him. It was temporary as ours is.
Hebrews 2:14– He took on flesh to be able to die to overcome death.
- It has been called incorruptible wood:
- His humanity was incorruptible.
- 1 John 3:5; Hebrews 7:26- In Him is no sin.
- Exodus 25:11; 37:2- It was overlaid with pure gold.
- John 1:1, 14– This typifies His deity.
III. The contents of the ark:
- 1 Kings 8:1- What was in the ark when it came to rest in the temple.
- Hebrews 9:4- What it contained while it was in the Tabernacle.
- Exodus 16:31-35– The golden pot that had manna.
- Exodus 16:11-15- Manna was the bread God sent down from Heaven to feed the children of Israel on their way to the Promised Land.
- Psalm 78:24- Corn of heaven.
- John 6:32-35, 48-51– The manna was a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Bread of Life on which we feed as we journey through the world on our way to the great inheritance.
- John 1:1, 14- The golden pot that held the manna emphasizes the fact that He was Divine as well as human.
- Numbers 17:1-10– the rod that budded – the emblem of God’s chosen priesthood.
Numbers 16:1-10, 28-40– God swallowed up those who challenged the priesthood, their censers on the brazen altar were a reminder.
Hebrews 9:4– Aaron’s budded rod was in the ark.
- Isaiah 53:2– Jesus was a root out of dry ground
- Isaiah 53:8; Philippians 2:8- He was cut off out of the land of the living.
- 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 54-58– The buds speak of His resurrection, life came forth from that which had been dead, overcoming death. As He was resurrected, so shall we.
- Philippians 2:9-11– The blossoms speak of His exaltation, as the flower is the glory of the tree.
- The almonds speak of His reproduction. Producing fruit where there was something dead.
- John 1:4, 12; Acts 4:21– Christ from Heaven is reproducing His life in every sinner who repents and believes. Giving life to those who are dead.
- Exodus 25:16– The two tables of stone – the Ten Commandments (given in Exodus 20:1-17).
Exodus 40:20- Moses puts the tablets into the ark.
Deuteronomy 31:24-26, 29- For a witness against thee. Moses knew they would stray from God, the tablets in the ark were to remind them of how to live. Today we have God’s Word as a witness against us also. We will be judged from it, John 12:48.
- Christ is the only One who kept the whole law.
Psalm 40:7-8– When Jesus came, as God’s Word pointed to, it was to do the Father’s will, to fulfill the Law, nailing it to the cross.
Romans 10:4– Jesus was the end of the Law.
Matthew 5:17- Jesus fulfilled the Law.
Galatians 3:23-26- The Law pointed us to Christ, the only One able to fulfill it.
Colossians 2:11-14– Jesus nailed the Law to the cross, allowing us to escape it’s death grip, made us alive spiritually, right in God’s eyes.
What does it mean when we say that Christ fulfilled the law? Picture a situation where a group of people is given the task of filling a thimble exactly full of water; no water is to be spilled, and the thimble must not be a drop less than full. The thimble is to be filled using a fire hose. After the people try and try, they are still not able to do the task. Someone comes along and does it exactly right. The task is fulfilled, but not destroyed. The people no longer have to try to do the task, because it is done. In the same way, men tried for thousands of years to keep the law, but were unsuccessful. Christ came to the earth and did fulfill the law. Since He fulfilled it, we are not under the law anymore.
IV. The four rings and two staves to carry the ark, Exodus 25:12-15; 37:3-5.
2 Samuel 6:1-11- David went to move the ark incorrectly, using a cart instead of the staves and not using Levites. David found out there was no “new way” to do things when it came to God, just as we should remember.
Hebrews 13:8- God is not going to change with the times.
1 Chronicles 15:1-3, 12, 15, 25- Did it correctly this time, using the staves and Levites.
- Numbers 2:17- The ark was to be in the midst (middle) of the people.
- Numbers 1:52- The camp at rest (setup).
- East – Numbers 2:3, 5, 7- Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; Moses, Aaron, and their sons.
- South – Numbers 2:10, 12, 14- Reuben, Simeon, and Gad.
- West – Numbers 2:18, 20, 22- Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin.
- North – Numbers 2:25, 27, 29- Dan, Asher, and Naphtali.
Numbers 1:53; 3:17- Tribe of Levi camped around tabernacle by the Sons of Levi.
- East – Number 3:38- Moses, Aaron (The High Priest), and his four sons (Numbers 3:2), camped at the east side, the entrance into the tabernacle.
This shows we have to go through Jesus (our high priest) to get to God, Hebrews 4:14-16.
- South – Numbers 3:29- Kohathites.
- West – Numbers 3:23- Gershonites.
- North – Numbers 3:35- Merarites.
- Numbers 10:13-28- The camp on the move, in order.
- V.13-16- Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
- V.17; Numbers 3:25-26, 36-37; 4:21-33- The Gershonites and Merarites bearing the boards, sockets, and curtains of the Tabernacle.
- V.18-20- Reuben, Simeon, and Gad.
- V.21; Numbers 3:31; 4:1-15- The Kohathites bearing the sanctuary.
- V.22-24- Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin.
- V.25-27- Dan, Asher, and Naphtali.
- This shows Christ in the midst of His churches.
Revelation 1:13– In the midst of the candlesticks (churches).
Matthew 18:20; 28:20- with the church.
- Numbers 10:33-36- The one exception to this order was the placement of the ark, it went in front.
God is to be what we follow.
Numbers 14:44-45– Israel was to follow God via the ark, when they got ahead of God they failed.
Numbers 9:15-23- when cloud or pillar of fire moved off of the ark they were to move. Numbers 10:31- Moses wanted his brother-in-law, Hobab, to lead them.
- God would not permit this, He is to be the one we follow, not man.
- God is jealous of His people’s affections and dependence upon himself
- Hobab’s knowledge of the wilderness may be acceptable where God’s people are not concerned, but the presence and guidance of God alone is to be the security and blessing of His Own people.
Isaiah 40:11- God wants to lead His people as a shepherd would lead his sheep to green pastures.
Psalm 23– God is our Shepherd, protecting and providing for us.
John 10:27-28- Jesus is our Shepherd today, no one can remove us from His hand.
Joshua 3:3-17- The ark stopped the Jordan river (full at this time) to allow Israel to enter the promised land.
Joshua 6:6-16– At Jericho, the ark went around the city, first except for those seven priests blowing the trumpets and armed men leading the way. The people followed quietly, God did the work.
1 Samuel 5:1-6- The ark symbolized God’s presence. When the Philistines took the ark, God showed them He would not tolerate any other idol in His presence. Their god was knocked down and its head broke off. Every place they took the ark God was against them (they were not His people).
1 Samuel 6:1-2, 7-8, 14-15, 19; 7:1-2– Philistines put the ark on a cart with no one leading the oxen, it ends up back with Israel. V.19- God killed 56,000 in the area who looked inside the ark.
V. Where is the pot of manna and Aaron’s budded rod?
1 Kings 8:9– When the temple was finished and the ark placed there, the manna and rod were not in the ark. The tabernacle was no longer to be used, a more permanent place of worship was being used, picturing how God’s place of worship will be during the millennial reign. Than the symbol of God providing, and God’s priestly line will be physically before us, Jesus will be reigning in person on this world.
VI. Where is the ark today?
Revelation 11:19– God is preserving it somewhere. Or it will be replaced by God.
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