ARK-a box-tebah in the Hebrew.Coffin-ark ,chest or coffin-aron in the Hebrew in the sense of gathering or to pluck up.I suppose you are as lost as last weeks bills,let me explain.The ark that Noah built was used to pluck or gather Noah who found grace not to say that he was perfect because the first thing he did after landing and building a altar was to get drunk and get naked.Noah walked with God which means he seeked after him something I am proud to say that I try to do evryday .The ark was for the salvation of Noah and his family ,God always provides a way out.After landing God made a covenant that has remained in effect till this very day.Moses was saved by a ark that transported him down the river, again God provides a way [EX.2V3]Now to the real meat of the story, 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 25:9 According to all that I show thee, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the furniture thereof, even so shall ye make it. 25:10 And they shall make an ark of acacia wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 25:11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. 25:12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four feet thereof; and two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 25:13 And thou shalt make staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 25:14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, wherewith to bear the ark. 25:15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. 25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half `shall be' the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat. 25:19 And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof. 25:20 And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. 25:23 And thou shalt make a table of acacia wood: two cubits `shall be' the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. Pay special attention to the mercy seat two cheribums facing each other at each end and blood had to be sprinkled once a year for the attonment of sins.The three things put in the ark was the laws,the manna ,and the rod of Aaron. 4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 4:2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. 4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of hosts, who sitteth `above' the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of Jehovah was come into the camp. 4:7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. 4:8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness. 4:9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. 4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. trusting in the "magic power" of the ark instead of God himself caused disaster the same as it will in your life today ,trust in the one that provides life, not in the life he provides.The ark vanished into history ,but I believe it came back in the form of Jesus Christ. 5:17 Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 5:20 For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed `the righteousness' of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. since the law could not be kept, Jesus fullfilled it ,we should want to do the things of God ,not feel that we have to.Aaron's rod showed the power of God I need not show all the miracles of Jesus to show the power was bestowed upon him,you can find those listed in all four gospels and in Revelation.The Manna was "bread from heaven"it fed the Israelites in the wilderness ,Christ said 4:4 And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone. Jesus bacame our bread of life our life-giver, our provider our substance. 20:12 and she beholdeth two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. The Mercy seat of our salvation just as blood was sprinkled on the Mercy seat of the ark of the covenant the blood of Jesus was poured out upon us to accept it and to be washed clean of all sins and all transgressions .When I get to heaven for the day of judgement all I can say "I plead the blood" ,because I know I am guilty as sin ,but my sins will be washed white as snow 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. In closing I want to leave you with a question Why do we treat our God as a Jack in the box ? What I mean by this is we don't pull him out till we need him ,a jack in the box is useless till you pull jack out.The Israelites loved the power of God more than God himself ,they only wanted to come in contact with him when they needed him Iwill be the first to admit I am the world's worst at doing this, but I am getting better as God moves more in my life.Fellowship with God evryday whether good times or bad ,he is always there waiting ,maybe he pulls the hedge down that he protects us with to bring us into his presence and then he says "I haven't heard from you in a while so I sent you a message",something for you to think about.God Bless! |