“After the second veil, the tabernacle which is called Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant, and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat…”
Hebrews 9
I said last week I would tell you why we should know about
the contents of the Ark, and so I shall. First, let’s dispel the idea that the
Ark is lost. No, I do not know where it is and have no desire to speculate. I
know this, God knows where it is and its His so all is well. A second point is
that the Ark is a type and shadow (a symbol) of something real. That is what
the writer of Hebrews was trying to get across. Finally, there is a modern
application.
You remember there are three things in the Ark. A pot of
manna, Aaron’s rod, and the tablets of stone with the ten commandments written
on them. These things are all symbols of man’s rejection of God presented in a
downward spiral of depravity. Rejection of God’s supply, rejection of God’s
leadership/sovereignty, and rejection of God’s law/design for humanity.
During the Exodus, Israel was guilty of all three. However,
they too are but a symbol of typical humanity. God chose them as
examples/teachers for the rest of us. What do the memorials of their rebellion
stored in the Ark teach? God’s mercy for wayward people.
The Ark was essentially a wooden box covered with gold. The
lid of the box was solid gold on which stood two angels. The Spirit of God was
said to reside (as much as anywhere God could reside) in space between the
angels. Thus God was continually looking down on the contents of the Ark—the
sins and rebellions of humanity.
Once a year the High Priest entered the Holiest of Holies
and sprinkled the blood of a sacrifice on the Mercy Seat between the cherubim,
covering the sins of the people. Scarlet sins seen through the red blood looked
white as snow. And so, that is how people appeared with the blood covering.
The writer of Hebrews explained what this means to us now.
“But Jesus Christ being come an high priest…by his own blood
he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for
us…”
The blood of Jesus offered once, now continually covers the
true mercy seat in the tabernacle of heaven, “blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us” and purging our consciences from dead works.
The Ark was a symbol of God’s presence, our rebellion, and
His mercy to the rebellious who, should they turn to Him, He will gladly
receive as His own.
Maranatha
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