There are many Christians today who do not believe in the eternal security of the believer. And that is only because they do not understand the perfection of the finished work of Christ and His present ministry in Heaven. When we study the meaning of the shed blood of Christ in Scripture, we see a connection between the Ark of the Covenant, with its Mercy Seat, and the true Mercy Seat in Heaven -- the throne of God called *the Throne of Grace* -- within the Heavenly Sanctuary.
There are some who claim that the Ark of the Covenant is 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 (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).
The Ark of the Covenant was a box of shittim (acacia) wood overlaid with gold, having the following dimensions: length 2.5 cubits (3.75 ft); width 1.5 cubits (2.25 ft); height 1.5 cubits (2.25 ft). Above the Ark was the Mercy Seat, 2.5 cubits (3.75 ft) long and 0.5 cubits (0.75 ft) wide. There were two cherubims made of gold and placed at each end of the Mercy Seat, with their wings extending upward and their faces looking downward. The Ark had rings and poles so that it could be carried about. Exodus 25 gives us the details.
The two tablets (tables) of stone with the Ten Commandments were within the Ark, as well as the golden pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded. God would meet and commune with Moses from above the Mercy Seat and between the two cherubims. Moses would only see the glory of the LORD, having the appearance of fire (called “Shekinah” -- meaning “dwelling” or “presence of God” -- by the rabbis, but not by the Holy Spirit). For further details see Exodus 25.
What was the “testament” or “testimony” (הָעֵדֻ֔ת, ha eduth) 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. The testimony testified to two things (1) God’s absolute righteousness and holiness and (2) man’s sinful condition before God.
The Mercy Seat (to show that God would have mercy on sinners through the blood of Christ) was within the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies), and the High Priest could enter into this place just once a year – on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), which was in the 7th month, on the 10th day of the month. He would enter with the blood of a young bullock for a sin offering, to be sprinkled on the Mercy Seat seven times. And there were also several other sacrifices and ceremonies on this day as noted in Leviticus 16: 1-34 and 23:26-32. It was a very solemn and special day for Israel.
God provided Israel with a tabernacle (tent), 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.
Joshua settled the children of Israel in the land of Canaan, but the Ark did not have a proper resting place until the time of David, when it was placed in the city of David (Zion or Jerusalem). The Ark had been captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4-7) at one point (for which they paid a high price), but was recovered by king David (2 Samuel 5-6), who was not allowed to build the temple because he had engaged in bloodshed. Therefore it was his son Solomon who built the magnificent temple at Jerusalem (from 956 to 949 BC), and created an inner sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant (1 Kings 6:19), from which the pot of manna and Aaron’s rod were now missing: 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): 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... 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... 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. (verses 7,10,14)
Solomon’s temple and Herod’s temple (rebuilt first by Ezra and Nehemiah) were destroyed because of the rebellion and disobedience of Israel and the Jews. However, they only represented the Temple in Heaven. Therefore there in no temple of God on earth at present. And the Ark of the Covenant was probably taken up to Heaven before the destruction of Solomon s temple.
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 described in the epistle to the Hebrews, and most importantly, the Mercy Seat which is in Heaven.
So here is what we find in the epistle to the Hebrews:
1. Christ is our High Priest in Heaven, according to the unique and unchangeable *order of Melchizedek*.
2. Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever on the Cross, corresponding to the Day of Atonement.
3. Christ has entered into the true Most Holy Place (the true Tabernacle), which is in Heaven itself.
4. Christ has entered the Most Holy Place and sprinkled His blood on the heavenly Mercy Seat.
5. Because of the blood of Christ, we can now enter boldly into the very presence of God through Christ.
6. The Heavenly Sanctuary and the blood of Christ are the guarantee of the eternal security of the believer.
There are some who claim that the Ark of the Covenant is 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 (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).
The Ark of the Covenant was a box of shittim (acacia) wood overlaid with gold, having the following dimensions: length 2.5 cubits (3.75 ft); width 1.5 cubits (2.25 ft); height 1.5 cubits (2.25 ft). Above the Ark was the Mercy Seat, 2.5 cubits (3.75 ft) long and 0.5 cubits (0.75 ft) wide. There were two cherubims made of gold and placed at each end of the Mercy Seat, with their wings extending upward and their faces looking downward. The Ark had rings and poles so that it could be carried about. Exodus 25 gives us the details.
The two tablets (tables) of stone with the Ten Commandments were within the Ark, as well as the golden pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded. God would meet and commune with Moses from above the Mercy Seat and between the two cherubims. Moses would only see the glory of the LORD, having the appearance of fire (called “Shekinah” -- meaning “dwelling” or “presence of God” -- by the rabbis, but not by the Holy Spirit). For further details see Exodus 25.
What was the “testament” or “testimony” (הָעֵדֻ֔ת, ha eduth) 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. The testimony testified to two things (1) God’s absolute righteousness and holiness and (2) man’s sinful condition before God.
The Mercy Seat (to show that God would have mercy on sinners through the blood of Christ) was within the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies), and the High Priest could enter into this place just once a year – on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), which was in the 7th month, on the 10th day of the month. He would enter with the blood of a young bullock for a sin offering, to be sprinkled on the Mercy Seat seven times. And there were also several other sacrifices and ceremonies on this day as noted in Leviticus 16: 1-34 and 23:26-32. It was a very solemn and special day for Israel.
God provided Israel with a tabernacle (tent), 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.
Joshua settled the children of Israel in the land of Canaan, but the Ark did not have a proper resting place until the time of David, when it was placed in the city of David (Zion or Jerusalem). The Ark had been captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4-7) at one point (for which they paid a high price), but was recovered by king David (2 Samuel 5-6), who was not allowed to build the temple because he had engaged in bloodshed. Therefore it was his son Solomon who built the magnificent temple at Jerusalem (from 956 to 949 BC), and created an inner sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant (1 Kings 6:19), from which the pot of manna and Aaron’s rod were now missing: 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): 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... 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... 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. (verses 7,10,14)
Solomon’s temple and Herod’s temple (rebuilt first by Ezra and Nehemiah) were destroyed because of the rebellion and disobedience of Israel and the Jews. However, they only represented the Temple in Heaven. Therefore there in no temple of God on earth at present. And the Ark of the Covenant was probably taken up to Heaven before the destruction of Solomon s temple.
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 described in the epistle to the Hebrews, and most importantly, the Mercy Seat which is in Heaven.
So here is what we find in the epistle to the Hebrews:
1. Christ is our High Priest in Heaven, according to the unique and unchangeable *order of Melchizedek*.
2. Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever on the Cross, corresponding to the Day of Atonement.
3. Christ has entered into the true Most Holy Place (the true Tabernacle), which is in Heaven itself.
4. Christ has entered the Most Holy Place and sprinkled His blood on the heavenly Mercy Seat.
5. Because of the blood of Christ, we can now enter boldly into the very presence of God through Christ.
6. The Heavenly Sanctuary and the blood of Christ are the guarantee of the eternal security of the believer.
