Lesson #35

• In our study of the tabernacle, we have come to the last piece of furniture in the Holy of Holies.
• The Ark of the Covenant was the most important piece of furniture because it was where the Holy presence of God dwelt. It was the only object that occupied the Holy of Holies.
• The Ark of the Covenant – the Mercy Seat
• Read Exo 25:10-22
• Read Exo 37:1-9
• The scriptural names for the Ark of the Covenant:
• The ark of the testimony
• The holy ark
• The ark
• The mercy seat
• The construction and significance of the Ark of the Covenant:
• The ark was a box with 2 angels on the top.
• The ark was made of wood which represents the humanity of Jesus Christ.
• Like other pieces of furniture in the tabernacle, the ark was made of wood covered with gold.
• The pure gold represents the Deity of Jesus Christ.
• The dimensions:
• The height of the ark was the same as the height of the grate in the bronze altar and the same height of the table of showbread.
• Why is this significant?
• God’s judgment of sin on the cross (the bronze altar) produced the fruit of Christ on the table of showbread, bringing us into the presence of God (the ark of the covenant).
• There was a golden crown around the edge.
• This gold crown represents the glory of Jesus, the one who is crowned.
• This is the third time this decoration of a crown was used in the tabernacle.
• There were 4 gold rings which represent Christ’s love for all humanity to the 4 corners of the earth (North, South, East, and West).
• There were 2 carrying poles.
• These represent Christ our mediator and Christ our surety. (Heb 9:15 1Tim 2:5,6 Heb 7:22)
• The contents of the ark of the covenant:
• Three objects were put into the ark:
• A pot of manna
• Aaron’s rod
• The tablets of stone.
• Why these three elements?
• The number three is symbolic of the Holy Trinity.
• =1= the golden pot of manna =
• This was a memorial of food given to Israel.
• It signifies man’s rejection of God’s provision.
• This element represents the rejected Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”
• =2= Aaron’s rod =
• This was a memorial of Aaron’s leadership confirmed by the Holy Spirit by means of blossoms blooming on a dead stick.
• It signifies man’s rejection of God’s leadership.
• This element represents God, the Holy Spirit, because it is the Holy Spirit who guides the believer.
• =3= The tablets of stone =
• These tablets were a memorial of God’s law.
• It signifies man’s rejection of God’s law.
• This element represents God, the Father, as it was God that wrote His law on the tablets of stone.
• The Mercy Seat:
• Read Exo 26:34
• Read 1Joh 2:2
• The word, “propitiation” in the King James version of the Bible literally means mercy seat and refers to this part of the ark of the covenant.
• The word actually means lid or something that covers.
• In applying the word to spiritual truth, it means to make an atonement for sin or to cover over sin.
• This lid of pure gold forms the throne of God over which the presence of God sat.
• The significance of the Mercy Seat:
• If the ark did not have a mercy seat, there would be nothing between the presence of God in the cloud and the ten commandments inside the ark. Man would therefore be judged by his rejection of the Holy Trinity.
• Read Rom 1:18-22
• We see in this passage man’s failure to acknowledge Jesus Christ.
• We see man’s failure to seek God’s guidance.
• We see man’s failure to obey God’s laws.
• However, because the mercy seat came between the presence of God and the ten commandments, man received mercy.
• Jesus Christ is our mercy seat who made atonement for our sins on the cross. He is our mediator who comes between God and the law so that we receive mercy and the forgiveness of sins.
• In what way does 1Tim 2:5 (our memory verse) represent the mercy seat?
• Jesus Christ is our mediator between us and God just as the mercy seat was between God and the law.
• The two cherubim represent justice and judgment.
• Read Psa 89:13-14
• Two angelic beings guarded the holy presence of God and they form the sides of His throne.
• The wings of the cherubim overshadowed the throne. In other words, they guarded the holy presence and majesty of God..
• The cherubim were made of one beaten piece of gold.
• This represents the inseparable judgment and mercy of God that produces perfect justice.
• The glory
• Read Exo 40:34-38
• This glory cloud that could be seen over the Holy of Holies and extended down into the Holy of Holies signified the guiding presence of God.
• When the cloud lifted, the Israelites dismantled the tabernacle, covered the pieces of furniture with blue cloth, and carried them through the wilderness. They followed the cloud until it stopped. Then they set up the tabernacle again.
• The Holy of Holies
• This little room at the back of the tabernacle was the place beyond the veil where only the high priest could enter and only after he had passed by way of all the other pieces of furniture and after offering incense to create a heavy cloud cover. He sprinkled blood on the mercy seat for the sins of the people on the day of atonement once a year. He threw blood on the walls and on the beautiful covering with cherubim.
• There is a story of warning regarding the ark of the covenant.
• Read 1Sam 5:1-12
• Read 1Sam 6:1-21

• How was the ark of the covenant to be transported from place to place? What did they do wrong that cost the life of the man with good intentions?
• They were not to carry the ark on a cart. They were to carry it by hand.
• They were to cover it with a blue cloth when it was being carried.
• No one was to look at it, except the High Priest, and not one was to touch it.
• The warning for us:
• The power and presence of God are precious.
• God’s holy vessels must be treated with respect. In the Old Testament days, these holy vessels were objects, but in the New Testament days, God’s holy vessels are believers in Jesus Christ.
• Read 2Tim 2:20-21

• What happened to the ark and the other sacred articles after the time of Moses?
• 1491 BC Moses received the earthly pattern for the tabernacle from God. It took them a year to build it.
• 1490 – 1451 BC
• The ark traveled through the wilderness. It went to war against the Midianites (Num 31:6-7)
• 1451 BC the ark crossed the Jordan River into the promised land with Joshua (Jos 3:3-4:11)
• The ark led the army of Israel around the walls of Jericho. (Jos 6:4-20)
• The ark was in the tabernacle at Gilgal for 14 years going out only with Joshua for battles. (Jos 5:10; 10:9-15)
• The ark was in the tabernacle at Shiloh for 369 years. Samuel slept near the ark. (Jos 18:1 1Sam 3:3-21)
• 1119 – 1120 BC the ark was captured by the Philistines for 7 months (1Sam 4:1-6:1). The Philistines RETURN ed the ark and it was brought to Beth-Shemesh (1Sam 6:4-18)
• c 1121 – 1101 BC the ark was taken to Kirjath-Jearim where Eleazar, the priest, cared for it for 20 years. (1Sam 7:1-2)
• 1095 – 1055 BC The ark was ignored during King Saul’s reign. It was brought by David to the house of Abinadab for 3 months. (2Sam 6:1-12 1Chr 13:5-14)
• 1012 BC Solomon built the temple and put the ark in the temple with the other sacred objects. (1Kin 6:19-28 2Chr 5:7-14)
• 971 BC The treasures of Solomon and the treasures of the temple were given to Egypt. (2Chr 12:9)
• 713 BC King Hezekiah gave the riches of the treasures of the temple as tribute to the Assyrians (2Kin 18:15). However, he prayed before the ark. (2Kin 19:14-15 Isa 37:14-16)
• Therefore, the only treasure left in Israel was the ark of the covenant.
• 695-642 BC King Manasseh placed idols inside the temple. It is assumed the ark was removed by faithful Levites. (2Kin 21:4-7 2Chr 33:7-9, 15)
• c623 BC King Josiah restored the temple treasures to the temple. (2Kin 22:8 2Chr 34:14-18; 35:3)
• After the death of Josiah, 609 BC, the Levites RETURN ed the ark to its hiding place because of the prophesy of the coming Babylonian invasion. (2Kin 23:19 2Chr 35:23-24)
• 609 BC – 1995 AD
• According to tradition, the temple treasures have remained hidden under the temple mount during the time of the Babylonian invasion, the exile, and the time of Herod’s temple because of foreign domination of Jerusalem.
• Therefore, the temple where Jesus walked never had the ark of the covenant in it.
• In 169 BC Antiochus Epiphanes IV removed the temple vessels (1Maccabees 1:21). New vessels were made in the restoration under Judah Maccabeus (1Maccabees 4:49-50 2Maccabees 10:3)
• 70 AD The Romans destroyed Herod’s temple and took temple treasures to Rome. The candlestick, the table of showbread, and 2 silver trumpets are depicted in sculptured relief on the arch of Titus in Rome.
• It is thought that these were the duplicates and not the originals.
• The current search for the ark of the covenant:
• Because of the interest in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem by some of the Orthodox Jews, there is a search for the ark of the covenant under the temple mount and in other places in and around Israel. However, the search is severely restricted by politics and the Moslem control of the Temple mount.
• 1910 – 1911 Montagu Parker excavated under the temple mount in search of the original treasures of the temple. However, Muslim authorities interrupted the search.
• The copper scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls was discovered. It describes 64 separate hiding places of temple treasures and predicts the recovery of the ark of the covenant in the last days.
• There have been other inconclusive searches and excavations at various places in and around Israel in the years of 1967, 1968, 1977, 1979, 1981-1982, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, etc.
• The Ethiopian mystery:
• The Ethiopians claim that the ark has been in the chapel of Saint Mary of Zion church in Axum, Ethiopia for centuries.
• They do have an object that looks like the ark. It is brought out of hiding and shown in a parade once a year. (Many people think it is a replica).
• The Ethiopian account says that King Solomon married the Queen of Sheba. They had a son, Menelik I. When the Queen of Sheba and her son left Israel, Solomon wanted to give him a gift. He had an ark made to look like the original ark. However, on the night of departure, the true ark was stolen and replaced by the artificial ark. The true ark was then taken to Ethiopia by Sheba and Menelik I, and it has been there ever since, so they say.
• The Tabernacle summary and overview:
• The tabernacle and the cross.
• We have seen that the pattern of the positions of the furniture forms a cross.
• The order of truth in the books of John:
• Christ our substitute (Joh 1:29) = The bronze altar
• Christ our cleanser (Joh 3:5) = The laver
• Christ our bread (Joh 6:35) = The table of Showbread
• Christ our light and guide (Joh 8:12) = The candlestick.
• Christ our intercessor (Joh 14:13-14) = The altar of incense.
• Christ our propitiation (1Jua 2:2) = The mercy seat on the arc of the covenant.
• The book of John is divided according to the 3 major areas of the tabernacle:
• John 1-12 = the courtyard.
• John 13-16 = The Holy Place. (with the disciples)
• John 17-21 = The Holy of Holies (the High Priest alone).
• There is one more little mystery we need to discuss that occurs in the book of Hebrews.
• Read Heb 9:3-4
• Why does this passage tell us that the altar of incense and the ark of the covenant were together into the Holy of Holies?
• We have seen in Exodus that only the Ark of the Covenant inhabited the Holy of Holies.
• Because the Bible is authored by God, there are no mistakes. Therefore, there must be a reasonable explanation for this apparent problem.
• The meaning and significance:
• There has been a change in location of the ark of incense in the heavenly sanctuary when Jesus died on the cross and the veil was torn, opening the access to the Holy of Holies.
• Remember that the ark of incense represents prayer. After the crucifixion, our prayers are inside the Holy of Holies.in the throne room of God. Because we now have direct access to God, our prayers have been moved from outside the Holy of Holies to inside the Holy of Holies by our great High Priest, Jesus Christ.

HOMEWORK
THE STUDY OF THE TABERNACLE: THE CRAFTSMEN
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of The Study of the Tabernacle: The Furniture (The Ministry of Christ) – continued

• In this lesson we have seen God judge those who violated the holy things that belonged to God. In this New Testament age the holy things that belong to God are believers in Jesus Christ.
• How do you treat other believers? Do you consider them as precious treasures belonging to God?
• How can you improve your treatment of other believers?

• Preparation for The Study of the Tabernacle: The Craftsmen
• Read Exo 36:1-4
• Read Mat 25:14-30
• How does this New Testament passage relate to the construction of the tabernacle?

• Read 1Cor 12 12-31
• How does this New Testament passage relate to the construction of the tabernacle?

• Memory verse: 1Cor 12:4