Preservation of the articles in the Ark: What's inside

         Look now at the preservation within the Ark. "And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee" (Ex. 25:16) Inside the Ark three things were kept as Israel traveled through the wilderness: "the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant: (Heb. 9:4). It is time to see what these things meant to Israel and what they should mean to us today.

 

The Law

          First, there were the tables of the Law which God gave to Moses in the mountain. The first tables were broken by Moses when he came down from the mountain and saw that Israel was breaking the Law in worshiping the golden calf (Ex. 32:19). God told Moses to "hew...two tables...like unto the first; and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou breakest" (34:1). These tables were deposited within the Ark and kept there for years. Deuteronomy 31:24 says that after Moses finished writing the book of the Law, he instructed he Levites to put it in the Ark of the Covenant, "that it may be there for a witness against thee" (v.26).

 

          Two things are to be learned from all this. First, the Law was ever present to remind Israel that they had sinned and needed the blood-sprinkled Mercy Seat or they would be condemned. Years later when Josiah was king, the Law was found in the house of God and read. The king was convicted, as were all the people, and they repented, turned to the Lord, kept the Passover again, and saw revival.

 

          Second, the Law within the Ark speaks of Christ, who could say, "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart" (Ps. 40:8). Again, "I do always those things which please him [my Father]" (Jn. 8:29). How wonderful it is to realize that "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Rom. 10:4). He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it for you and me. Now God looks at us as though we ourselves had kept the Law, for we are in Christ, and all that He accomplished is credited to us.

"For Christ in the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes" 1Cor 10:4

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The carrying of the Ark- a strong warning

          Carrying the Ark is mentioned next: "And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them"(Ex. 25:14). The Ark, to be carried by Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness assured them of God's presence. Today we journey as pilgrims and strangers through the wilderness of this world; we also are assured of God's presence with us, for our bodies are "the temple of the Holy Spirit". The staves (v. 15) were never to be taken out as long as they were still traveling in the wilderness. So, as long as we are in the world we have the assurance that the Holy Spirit will abide with us (see Jn 14:16).

 

          When the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines (1 Sam. 4), Eli's daughter-in-law gave birth to a son and named him Ichabod, meaning "the glory is departed" (vv. 19-22). Because God plagued the Philistines so severely, they sent the Ark back to Israel, where it remained in the home of Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim. Many years later when David had established his throne in Jerusalem, he placed the Ark on an ox-drawn cart contrary to the instructions in Numbers 4, to take it up to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6). During the journey, one of David's men was killed by the Lord when he touched the Ark to steady it. David, fearing the Lord's wrath would not take the Ark into Jerusalem; therefore, he put it in the house of Obed-edom. It remained there three months and Obed-edom and his household were blessed by God. Reassured, David had the ark carried up to Jerusalem by bearers, with sacrifices and great rejoicing

 

          David was so overjoyed that he girded himself with a simple loincloth and danced in front of the procession.  His first wife, Michal, was disgusted with him and berated him for his unkingly behavior. He told her that he was willing to humble himself even more in order to celebrate before the Lord, to whom he owed his position as king. It was the custom that at the head of any parade, usually a slave "danced" in honor of the one the procession was made. David humbled himself and danced before the Lord in honor of the God of Israel. As punishment for her scorn, Michal remained childless to the day of her death..

 

          Today we need to yield to the Holy Spirit to do all that He urges us to do "before the Lord," and not be stopped by criticism or scoffing we receive. This is not at all to endorse wild fanaticism or disorderly behavior; but, as Vance Havner said, "Too many go to the ball games and act like a bunch of wild men and then come to church and sit like a bunch of wooden men." With a heart of love and devotion to the Lord Jesus, controlled and motivated by the Holy Spirit, we should so walk in the Spirit as to do even the unusual to the glory of God.

 

"Whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God" 1 Cor. 10:31.

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