THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

8 Then have them make a Sanctuary for Me,

And I will Dwell among them.

9 Make this Tabernacle and all its furnishings

Exactly like the Pattern I will show you.

10 Have them make a Chest of acacia wood--

Two and a half cubits (3 3/4 feet) long,

A cubit and half wide,

And a cubit and a half high.

11 Overlay it with Pure Gold,

Both inside and out,

And make a gold molding around it.

12 Cast four gold rings for it

And fasten them to its four feet,

With two rings on one side and two rings on the other.

13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with told.

14 Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the Chest

To carry it.

15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this Ark;

They are not to be removed.

16 THEN PUT THE IN THE ARK THE TESTIMONY,

WHICH I WILL GIVE YOU.

17 Make an Atonement Cover of Pure Gold--

Two and a half cubits long

And a cubit and half wide.

18 And make two Cherubim out of Hammered Gold

At the ends of the Cover.

19 Make one Cherub on one end

and a second Cherub on the other;

Make the Cherubim of one piece with the Cover,

At the two ends.

20 THE CHERUBIM ARE TO HAVE THEIR WINGS SPREAD UPWARD,

OVER SHADOWING THE COVER WITH THEM.

THE CHERUBIM ARE TO FACE EACH OTHER,

LOOKING TOWARD THE COVER.

21 PLACE THE COVER ON TOP OF THE ARK

AND PUT IN THE ARK THE TESTIMONY,

WHICH I WILL GIVE YOU.

22 THERE, ABOVE THE COVER BETWEEN THE TWO CHERUBIM

THAT ARE OVER THE ARK OF THE TESTIMONY,

I WILL MEET WITH YOU

AND GIVE YOU MY COMMANDS FOR THE ISRAELITES.

(Exodus 25:8-22)

The Purpose of the Ark was to hold the Testimony.

And today, who who belong to Christ Jesus

Contain His Testimony.

We are the Testimony to this Lost and Dying World

Of the Reality of Christ Jesus and His Testimony.

Inside the Ark was the Tablets of Stone

Upon which were written the Ten Commandments;

There was Aaron's Rod that Budded

And a Jar of Manna.

These things together,

Constituted God's Testimony to Mankind.

These things were a Shadow of what was to come

At the coming of Christ Jesus.

The First and Greatest Commandment

Encompasses all Ten original Commands;

Christ Jesus said this is the Greatest Commandment:

'Love the Lord your God

With all your heart and with all your soul

And with all your mind.

This is the First and Greatest Commandment.

And the Second is like it:

'Love your Neighbor as yourself.

All the Law and the Prophets

Hang on these two Commandments.'

(Matthew 22:37-40)

The second item in the Ark

Was Aaron's Rob that Budded.

God caused a stick of wood to Bud--

A Miracle.

Today, Christ Jesus said

That anyone who believes in Him

Will do the things that He did

And even greater things than these.

The last item in the ark

Was the Jar of Manna;

God's 40 year Provision for the Children of Israel.

Today, God has Promised,

That if we seek First the Kingdom of God

He will Provide all that we need.

The Cover of the Ark

Was One Piece of Gold with the Cherubim over it.

This was the Mercy Seat;

We belong to God because of His Great Mercy toward us.

So today, we who belong to Christ Jesus

Are the Fulfillment

Of what the Ark of the Covenant represented;

The Shadow of what was to come.

The Ark was sprinkled with blood,

And today it is the Blood of Jesus

That allows God to Forgive our Sins.

Our Covenant with God, is Purchase by His Blood.

Without the shedding of blood

There is No Forgiveness of Sin.

The Altar of Incense was in Front of the Ark

That was behind the Veil.

Today we who belong to Christ Jesus

Offer up to Him Continuous Worship;

Continuous Incense before the Living God.

It is then that God meets with us.

The Ark was called, the Ark of His Presence.

Today, we are the Ark of His Presence;

It is with us that He meets

And gives His Commands.

HALLELUJAH!