THE first article in the tabernacle that God describes is the ark, beginning with verse 10. It was to be placed in the innermost room called the holy of holies or holiest of all.
An ark is a vessel that is for the purpose of keeping safely what is put in it. This ark was a box, and only 2 ½ cubits long, 1 ½ cubits wide and 1 ½ cubits high. A cubit was either 18 or 20 inches, so you see it was not very large, but large enough to contain two tables of stone, with God’s law written upon them. (See verse 16. also chap. 31:18.) There were also to be put into it a golden pot of manna, (chap. 16:33), and Aaron’s rod that budded, (Numbers 17:1010And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. (Numbers 17:10).) These were the things this ark was to have in it, but the testimony (or law) is all that is mentioned in our chapter, and from this alone we can see that this ark is a type of Christ, for He was the only One who could say, “Thy law is within My heart.” Psa. 40:88I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8). He was the only One who ever fulfilled God’s law, and it was His delight to do God’s will.
With this thought before us, we may see how the materials that the ark was made of, are also typical of the Lord Jesus Christ. There were just two—wood and gold—these two points to Christ’s divinity and humanity. He was truly God and truly man. Who but God could have thought of how to get types of these two characters of His Son after He had become man? We can surely say, It is all of God.
The next point we would notice, is, that the ark had a crown of gold around the top of it, thus giving us another picture of the Lord Jesus, and that as the One now in the presence of God, “crowned with glory and honor.” Heb. 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9).
There were two rings of gold put on each side for staves or poles to be put through, so that it could be carried from place to place wherever God led them. So Christ is the One who goes with us all through our path in this world, that is, if we know Him as our Saviour, and He wants us to tell Him everything, and ask His guidance, and help at every turn.
ML 04/23/1922