And
Jesus said, "the Scriptures point to me!" (John 5:39), and God's instructions for the design and use of the Ark of the Covenant are no exception. Just study the Gospel accounts, and you'll realize how true it is to say all the Scriptures point to Jesus.
Let's start with the contents of the Ark. One of the items found inside was a jar of manna (Hebrews 9:4). Manna was the bread from heaven God supplied to the Hebrews as they wandered in the desert (Exodus 16). This is symbolic of Jesus, who is the true bread of life. Jesus Himself said, "Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now He offers you the true bread of heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" John 6:32-33 (NLT).
The Ark also contained Aaron's staff that sprouted leaves (Hebrews 9:4). Do you remember the story of Aaron's staff? God had Moses place twelve wooden staffs (representing the twelve tribes of Israel) in front of the Ark. Each staff featured the inscribed name of its tribe's leader, and God promised buds would sprout from the staff of the man He selected to serve as High Priest (Numbers 17:1-8).
The presence of Aaron's staff in the Ark is fitting, since Jesus serves as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15). As High Priest, Jesus approached God on our behalf and offered a blood sacrifice to atone for our sins.
But those weren't the only items in the Ark. It also contained the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments (Hebrews 9:4). This is symbolic of the dedication Jesus had to the law. Contrary to what some believe, Jesus didn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). Isaiah said the Messiah would exalt and honor the law (Isaiah 42:21), and Paul described how Jesus rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law because, when he was crucified, he took the curse for our wrongdoing upon Himself (Galatians 3:13).
However, it's not just the contents of the Ark that point to Jesus and glorify His name. The design of the Ark itself points to Him.
Weeping outside of the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene looked inside and saw two angels - one sitting where Jesus's head had been and the other sitting where Jesus's feet had been (John 20:12). Does that sound like a familiar image? It should.
Remember, on the cover of the ark, God commanded the Hebrews to place two angels on opposite ends. These two angels were commanded to look down upon the mercy seat, also known as "the place of atonement" (Exodus 25:18-20). This is precisely what Mary saw in the empty tomb, angels at opposite ends of the place where Jesus was laid to rest - the true mercy seat and place of atonement.
The Ark foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and the events surrounding his resurrection. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. As our High Priest, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place and secured our redemption forever with His own blood rather than the blood of animals (Hebrews 9:12).
When Jesus did this, the curtain in the Temple which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn in two, from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51). Sin no longer separated men from God, because once for all time, Jesus appeared and removed our sin by giving His own life as a holy sacrifice" (Hebrew 9:26).
Jesus said, "the Scriptures point to me!" (John 5:39), and God's instructions for the design and use of the Ark of the Covenant are no exception. Just study the Gospel accounts, and you'll realize how true it is to say all the Scriptures point to Jesus.
Let's start with the contents of the Ark. One of the items found inside was a jar of manna (Hebrews 9:4). Manna was the bread from heaven God supplied to the Hebrews as they wandered in the desert (Exodus 16). This is symbolic of Jesus, who is the true bread of life. Jesus Himself said, "Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now He offers you the true bread of heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" John 6:32-33 (NLT).
The Ark also contained Aaron's staff that sprouted leaves (Hebrews 9:4). Do you remember the story of Aaron's staff? God had Moses place twelve wooden staffs (representing the twelve tribes of Israel) in front of the Ark. Each staff featured the inscribed name of its tribe's leader, and God promised buds would sprout from the staff of the man He selected to serve as High Priest (Numbers 17:1-8).
The presence of Aaron's staff in the Ark is fitting, since Jesus serves as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15). As High Priest, Jesus approached God on our behalf and offered a blood sacrifice to atone for our sins.
But those weren't the only items in the Ark. It also contained the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments (Hebrews 9:4). This is symbolic of the dedication Jesus had to the law. Contrary to what some believe, Jesus didn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). Isaiah said the Messiah would exalt and honor the law (Isaiah 42:21), and Paul described how Jesus rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law because, when he was crucified, he took the curse for our wrongdoing upon Himself (Galatians 3:13).
However, it's not just the contents of the Ark that point to Jesus and glorify His name. The design of the Ark itself points to Him.
Weeping outside of the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene looked inside and saw two angels - one sitting where Jesus's head had been and the other sitting where Jesus's feet had been (John 20:12). Does that sound like a familiar image? It should.
Remember, on the cover of the ark, God commanded the Hebrews to place two angels on opposite ends. These two angels were commanded to look down upon the mercy seat, also known as "the place of atonement" (Exodus 25:18-20). This is precisely what Mary saw in the empty tomb, angels at opposite ends of the place where Jesus was laid to rest - the true mercy seat and place of atonement.
The Ark foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and the events surrounding his resurrection. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. As our High Priest, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place and secured our redemption forever with His own blood rather than the blood of animals (Hebrews 9:12).
When Jesus did this, the curtain in the Temple which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn in two, from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51). Sin no longer separated men from God, because once for all time, Jesus appeared and removed our sin by giving His own life as a holy sacrifice" (Hebrew 9:26).
