The Ark of the Covenant
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The Ark of The Covenant
The Ark of The Covenant was the place where
God met and talked with Moses (Ex. 25:22).
It was made of acacia wood and covered
with gold.
The tabernacle (the “tent of meeting”) was
built to house the ark. The ark was the first
item of furniture constructed after God told
Moses to build the tabernacle (Ex. 25:10–22).
The ark was intended to be the central focus of
the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle and later
the temple (Ex. 40:1–21). The ark rested in the
Most Holy Place which was separated from the
Holy Place by a thick veil (Ex. 26:31–33).
The heavy veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus’ death (Matt.27:50–51). The torn veil symbolizes the free access believers have through Christ to the presence of God (Heb. 6:19-20; 10:19-20).
God set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the
ark and stand before him, to serve him, and
to bless his name (Deut. 10:8).
Only the high priest was allowed to enter the Most
Holy Place once a year (Lev. 16) the Day of
Atonement, to sacrifice and to sprinkle blood
on the mercy seat (the top of the ark where the
winged cherubim face each other) to atone for
the sins of the people (Ex. 37:6–9;
2 Sam. 6:2; Ps. 99:1).
The Journey of the Ark of the Covenant from Mt. Sinai
Manna laid before
the testimony
(Ex. 16:33–34).
Aaron’s rod laid
before the testimony
(Num. 17:8–10).
1. God gives Moses directions to build the ark of the covenant (Ex. 25).
2. The veil is woven (Ex. 26:31–33).
3. The ark in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:1–21).
4. The ark is carried for 40 years in wilderness
(Lev. 16; Num. 4, 10, 14; Deut. 10).
5. Priests carry the ark across
the Jordan River (Josh. 3).
6. People build a
memorial after the
Jordan parts (Josh. 4).
7. The ark is carried around Jericho (Josh 6).
8. After taking Ai, the covenant was remembered at Mt. Ebal (Josh. 8).
9. Tabernacle at Shiloh (Josh. 18:1).
10. Ark taken to Bethel (Judg. 20:27).
11. The Lord speaks to the child
Samuel who is sleeping near the ark
at Shiloh (1 Sam. 1:3; 3:3).
12. Philistines
take the ark
(1 Sam. 4).
13. Philistines return
the ark to Beth
Shemesh (1 Sam. 6).
14. Men struck dead by
the Lord for looking into
the ark (1 Sam. 6:19–21).
15. Ark brought to the
house of Abinadab in
Kiriath Jearim and stays
there 20 years (1 Sam. 7).
16. Saul brings the ark to war
camp temporarily (1 Sam. 14:18).
17. Ark moved on a cart to the house
of Obed-Edom for three months.
Uzzah struck dead (2 Sam. 6).
18. David brings the ark to Jerusalem and
places in tent set up for it (2 Sam. 6:12–17).
19. David flees Jerusalem
but sends ark back to
Jerusalem (2 Sam. 15).
20. Solomon has ark brought
into Most Holy Place in the
temple (1 Kings 8).
21. Josiah recovers book of the law and
puts ark in temple (2 Chron. 34:14–35:3).
22. Prophecy of Jeremiah that the ark would not be
thought of or missed nor will another be made. It will
be replaced by the Lord’s presence (Jer. 3:16–17).
Scholars believe that when the Babylonians destroyed
Jerusalem (586 bc), and plundered the temple, the ark was
either taken by Nebuchadnezzar and destroyed, or hidden
by Levites. Its existence, or location, remain uncertain today.
“Then God’s temple in
heaven was opened, and
within his temple was seen
the ark of his covenant.
And there came flashes of
lightning, rumblings, peals
of thunder, an earthquake
and a great hailstorm.”
—Revelation 11:19
“But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year,
and never without blood, which he offered [by sprinkling on the ark] for
himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. ... 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.”
— Hebrews 9:7, 11–12