Did the ark of the covenant picture God with us, Emmanuel, a name given to Jesus Christ at His birth? Let’s begin in 2 Chronicles 5.
Was Solomon faithful in finishing the temple and storing the donated treasures? How faithful are we in building God’s spiritual house?
So Solomon finished all his work on the Temple of the Lord. Then he brought all the gifts his father, David, had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and the various articles—and he stored them in the treasuries of the Temple of God. (2 Chr 5:1 NLT)
Did the priests bring the sacred chest into the new Holy of Holies? Did it picture God’s Throne, God’s covenant, God’s mercy?
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ households of the children of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Yahweh’s covenant out of David’s city, which is Zion. So all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month. All the elders of Israel came. The Levites took up the ark. They brought up the ark, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent. The Levitical priests brought these up. King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled to him were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. The priests brought in the ark of Yahweh’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. (2 Chr 5:2-7 WEB)
Where was the ark of the covenant placed? Where were Aaron’s rod and the jar of manna?
The winged creatures spread their wings over the place where the chest rested, covering the chest and its carrying poles. The carrying poles were so long that their tips could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, though they weren’t visible from outside. They are still there today. Nothing was in the chest except the two stone tablets Moses placed there while at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they left Egypt. (2 Chr 5:8-10 CEB)
Was the music and singing filled with praise? Did God’s presence show His approval?
The priests of every group had gone through the ceremony to make themselves clean and acceptable to the Lord. The Levite musicians, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives, were wearing robes of fine linen. They were standing on the east side of the altar, playing cymbals, small harps, and other stringed instruments. One hundred and twenty priests were with these musicians, and they were blowing trumpets. They were praising the Lord by playing music and singing: “The Lord is good, and his love never ends.” Suddenly a cloud filled the temple as the priests were leaving the holy place. The Lord's glory was in that cloud, and the light from it was so bright that the priests could not stay inside to do their work. (2 Chr 5:11-14 CEV)
Does God’s presence at the mercy seat, on the sacred chest, foreshadow one of Jesus’ names given to Him at His birth?
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Mat 1:22-23 ESV Isaiah 7:14)
Did the ark of the covenant picture God with us, Emmanuel, a name given to Jesus Christ at His birth? You decide!
