The Tabernacle Part 11 The Ark Of The Covenant Series

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

(Exodus 25:10-22; 37:1-9)

The Ark of the Covenant, with its covering, the mercy seat, was the first article that God commanded Moses to make.

In the work of salvation, it is always from God to man

It was God who said, "Adam, where art thou?" instead of Adam calling to God.

In the actual construction, the tabernacle was made first in order that the Ark of the Covenant might be put in

the secrecy of the most holy place, and protected from inquiring eyes by the inner veil

1. Materials

Like all the other articles in the tabernacle, save the candlestick, (pure gold) the Ark of the Covenant was made

of acacia wood overlaid with gold

The wood in the Ark of the Covenant was the same as the wood in the altar of sacrifice. We must never lose

sight of the fact that the Man in the glory is the Lamb of Calvary. He was the God-man on earth; He is the God-

man in the glory

He was full of sympathy and compassion. He gave to those who suffered, "The oil of Joy for mourning, beauty

for ashes, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness”. Jesus was real and an actual man and He was

God. He healed the sick, raised the dead, stilled the storm, and did it by his word. He was man yes, but he

was God come In the flesh

Jesus was the Ark of the Covenant in the center of his people in the flesh. The Mercy Seat was the throne of

God. Here in the Holiest of Holies, in the tabernacle, in the midst of the Camp of Israel, we see Jesus the

Christ, Messiah; all man; all God; dwelling together amongst his people

“In HIM dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9)

Think for a moment and you will have to stand speechless in awe. He created the universe. He raised the dead. He walked on the water. He knew the hearts of men, healed the blind, unstopped deaf ears, touched the lepers and cleansed them, and so much more. But he was weary and slept in a boat. He wept at the grave of a friend named Lazarus. He wearied at the well. He hungered and was thirsty. HE WAS TRULY MAN. HE WAS GOD and HE WAS MAN.

Jesus said, "Ye believe in God, Believe also in me" (John 14:1)

2. The mercy seat

“And over it the cherubim's of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.” (Hebrews 9:5)

The word translated "mercy seat" is "hilasterion" and means "place of propitiation". The place of

appeasement. The place of favor

This mercy seat was made of pure gold with a cherub of beaten gold at either end. Between the cherubim

with their outstretched wings and bowed heads, stood the glory cloud of God. Thus the mercy seat was the

throne of God

3. The position

The Ark of the Covenant stood in the midst of the most holy place (Hebrews 9:4)

Revelation 5:6 (Jesus is in the center of worship in heaven)

John 20:19 ( where two or three are gathered in my name there I AM

4. The contents

Three things were put into the ark and covered by the mercy seat.

a. The first were the tables of stone

When Moses came down from the mount with the first tables of stone, he found Israel breaking the first two commandments written thereon. He threw the tables to the ground and broke them to pieces. In spite of the fact that they were demolished, three thousand Israelites fell.

The second tables were put into the ark and covered over with the blood-sprinkled mercy seat

When God looked upon the demands of the law, He saw them through the atoning blood

Jesus had the Law hidden within his heart, "I, Lo, I come: In the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight

to do thy will, o my God: ye thy law is written within my heart." (Psalms 40:6-8)

Jesus was circumcised under the law, on the eight day according to the law

He kept the law perfectly towards God and towards man

Every word and thought He had was of love towards his father (when he saw sheep he spoke of his Father’s

sheep, when he described a simple Lilly he did so that men and woman would glorify God and see His

provision)

When asked who is my mother, brother and sister he said, "All who do the will of God were his mother and

brethren

b.The second article was a pot of manna

The manna was kept as a memorial of God's provision for their wilderness journey. This spoke of Christ who came from heaven to meet the needs of perishing man.