The Ark of the Covenant and Jesus Christ

The Living Ark!

I personally find this to be one of the most fascinating moments — so subtle yet so powerful.

At the time of our opening Scripture, this scene is actively taking place, and the Ark of the Covenant isn’t even in the temple!

The last time the Ark of the Covenant was seen, supposedly, was in Jerusalem around 2600 years ago. Warning! You can spend an incredible amount of time searching this out. There’s a famous carved panel of a ceremonial depiction known as “the Arch of Titus.”

It shows the Babylonians carrying off items from the temple. Pointedly is the temple Menorah, but no sign of the Ark, which would have been the true treasure of capture. Searching the Scriptures of the 66 books of the Bible along with the book 2 Maccabees 2:4-10 of the Catholic Apocrypha. Much of the Jewish tradition that I came across holds that it disappeared before or while the Babylonians sacked the temple in Jerusalem in 586 BC.

For me this ultra-fascinating moment was the actual living Ark of God walking and talking to them, outside the temple built to house the Ark of the Covenant! Which represented the tangible presence of God.

Jesus is called the Incarnation of God. The Incarnation is the Christian Belief that God took human form by becoming Jesus. Incarnation literally means to “take on flesh,” so, the doctrine I follow is Jesus was fully God and fully human.

I share with you Scripture from Colossians 1:13-15: “For he has rescued us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of His Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born overall creation.”

The Ark of the Covenant is/was a picture of the person and saving work of Christ.

In the New Testament book of Hebrews 9:4 is a pointed verse, “which had golden censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the Tablets of the Covenant.”

Manna in the gold bowl represents God sustaining life for His people. They called it manna because this bread was from heaven; they didn’t know what it was. Manna literally means: “What is it?”

Aaron’s staff is found in the Old Testament book of Numbers 17:1-13.

To me, God often chooses the simple and makes it important. The budding of Aaron’s rod is a Biblical life illustration. When Aaron’s priestly ministry was doubted, God’s proof was to have the doubters lay down their staffs alongside Aaron’s. The proof of God’s approval was seen in the growth — the budding.

Jesus is God’s chosen. In the New Testament book of Hebrews 5:4, it says: “And no man takes this honor to himself but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.”

The Ten Commandments — two tablets of stone — were placed in the Ark. To show the moral law of God will always be in the presence of God. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s law. The Mercy Seat — Atonement Cover. The mercy seat was set on top of the Ark as a covering. When the priest went into the Holy of Holies, he sprinkled the sacrificial blood on the Mercy Seat.

This represents the atoning blood of Jesus.

How can a sinful person stand before a righteous God? The sacrificial blood of Christ Jesus.

First Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”

Being I never know who may be reading this article, allow me to share this little tidbit. Oftentimes we use “Jesus Christ” with many thinking Christ is Jesus’ last name. Christ is actually a title. With that title being the Anointed One or the Chosen One = Christ Jesus.

Exodus 25:8: “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.”

Hebrews 8:1-2: “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the [a] sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.”

Hebrews 8:5a: “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.”

May each of us continue to be blessed that we may be a blessing to others.