There are some who claim that the Ark of the Covenant in on earth. There are others who claim that it has been lost, and needs to be found. But the New Testament tells us that the Ark of the Covenant (or Testimony or Testament) is presently in Heaven: And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. (Rev 11;19).
What was the “testament” or “testimony” which was placed within the Ark? It was none other than the Ten Commandments, written with the finger of God on two tablets of stone, called “the tables of the covenant” (Heb 9:4,5): 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; of which we cannot now speak particularly. They testified to two things (1) God’s absolute righteousness and holiness and (2) man’s sinful condition before God.
God provided Israel with a tabernacle, and later on with the temple built by Solomon. The Ark of the Covenant was the focal point of each place of worship. But what was the purpose of this very special container? The answer is found in Exodus 25:22: And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
So God (who is infinite and cannot be contained by any tabernacle or temple) condescended to meet with man – in this case His servant Moses – in order to commune with him. Communion means fellowship, but as long as the Old Covenant was in force, God’s fellowship with men was limited, and the Ark was designated to be God’s meeting place.
Later, Solomon built the magnificent temple at Jerusalem, and created an inner sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant (1 Kings 6:19): And the oracle [Heb debir = inner sanctuary] he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. However, in order to place the ark in the temple, there was a meticulous ceremony, and after it was placed there, the glory of God filled the temple (2 Chron 5:2-14): 7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims... 10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt... 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
As we know from the history of Israel, their disobedience and idolatry brought judgment upon them, and Solomon’s temple was destroyed with fire by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (2 Kings 25:8,9). It would have been just before the destruction of this temple, that the Ark of the Covenant was taken up to Heaven. There is no mention of it in the Old Testament, but the fact that it is presently in Heaven is sufficient.
What Christians need to see is that the tabernacle, the temple, and all the furnishing therein were types and shadows of the real temple in Heaven – the Heavenly Sanctuary (called the Temple of God). And even though Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, and even though Herod’s temple was destroyed by the Romans, God had made perfect provision in Heaven for His High Priest – the Man Christ Jesus – to be in the Heavenly Sanctuary as our Mediator and Advocate. Since the curtain in the second temple was supernaturally torn by God on the day that Christ said “It is finished” from His Cross, God has made a way for every child of God to enter into the heavenly Sanctuary through the body and blood of Christ.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us... And having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water... Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 9:24; 10:21,22; 4:14-16)
What was the “testament” or “testimony” which was placed within the Ark? It was none other than the Ten Commandments, written with the finger of God on two tablets of stone, called “the tables of the covenant” (Heb 9:4,5): 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; of which we cannot now speak particularly. They testified to two things (1) God’s absolute righteousness and holiness and (2) man’s sinful condition before God.
God provided Israel with a tabernacle, and later on with the temple built by Solomon. The Ark of the Covenant was the focal point of each place of worship. But what was the purpose of this very special container? The answer is found in Exodus 25:22: And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
So God (who is infinite and cannot be contained by any tabernacle or temple) condescended to meet with man – in this case His servant Moses – in order to commune with him. Communion means fellowship, but as long as the Old Covenant was in force, God’s fellowship with men was limited, and the Ark was designated to be God’s meeting place.
Later, Solomon built the magnificent temple at Jerusalem, and created an inner sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant (1 Kings 6:19): And the oracle [Heb debir = inner sanctuary] he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. However, in order to place the ark in the temple, there was a meticulous ceremony, and after it was placed there, the glory of God filled the temple (2 Chron 5:2-14): 7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims... 10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt... 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
As we know from the history of Israel, their disobedience and idolatry brought judgment upon them, and Solomon’s temple was destroyed with fire by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (2 Kings 25:8,9). It would have been just before the destruction of this temple, that the Ark of the Covenant was taken up to Heaven. There is no mention of it in the Old Testament, but the fact that it is presently in Heaven is sufficient.
What Christians need to see is that the tabernacle, the temple, and all the furnishing therein were types and shadows of the real temple in Heaven – the Heavenly Sanctuary (called the Temple of God). And even though Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, and even though Herod’s temple was destroyed by the Romans, God had made perfect provision in Heaven for His High Priest – the Man Christ Jesus – to be in the Heavenly Sanctuary as our Mediator and Advocate. Since the curtain in the second temple was supernaturally torn by God on the day that Christ said “It is finished” from His Cross, God has made a way for every child of God to enter into the heavenly Sanctuary through the body and blood of Christ.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us... And having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water... Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 9:24; 10:21,22; 4:14-16)
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