Introduction
‘Have them make an ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold moulding around it. 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. Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you.’ Exodus 25:10-16
The ark was made by Bezalel, Exodus 37:1, and the ark itself was a small box made of acacia wood, and it measured about three and three quarters feet long and two and one quarter feet wide and high, Exodus 25:10 / Exodus 37:1. The acacia wood was to be overlaid with gold, Exodus 25:11 / Exodus 37:2.
Four gold rings were fastened to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other, Exodus 25:12 / Exodus 37:3. Poles of acacia wood were to be made and overlayed with gold, Exodus 25:13 / Exodus 27:4. The poles were made in order to carry the ark of the covenant, Exodus 25:14 / Exodus 37:5. Notice the warning concerning the poles, they were to remain in the rings of this ark at all times, Exodus 25:15.
The ark was God’s throne in His dwelling place in the Tabernacle. Most people associate the Ark of the Covenant with judgement and wrath, rightly so. The day is soon coming when God will judge the secrets of people’s hearts, Romans 2:16, and God’s wrath will be revealed, Romans 1:18 / Psalm 94:9.
The Ark of the Covenant is the best-known item in the Tabernacle, renowned for its mysterious powers against the enemies of Israel, 1 Samuel 5-6. The Ark of the Covenant resided in the Holy of Holies, the innermost room of the Tabernacle.
Access was only permitted once per year, on the Day of Atonement. Access was restricted to one person only, the high priest. He had to come into the Holy of Holies with the blood of a goat, on behalf of his own and the people of Israel’s sins, Hebrews 9:7.
Notice they are to put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which God will give them, Exodus 25:16.
INSIDE THE ARK
1. The two stone tablets of the Law, Exodus 25:16 / Exodus 25:21 / Hebrews 9:4.
2. Aaron’s rod that budded, Numbers 17:10 / Hebrews 9:4.
3. The golden pot of ‘hidden’ manna, Exodus 16:33 / Hebrews 9:4.
Together these three items form the Testimony, hence the Ark is called the Ark of the Testimony.
THE MERCY SEAT
‘Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.’ Exodus 25:17-22
An atonement cover or ‘mercy seat’ KJV, of pure gold was to be made to cover the ark and it measured about three and three quarters feet long and two and a quarter feet wide, Exodus 25:17 / Exodus 37:6.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Greek word used to translate ‘mercy seat’ here in the Septuagint, (hilasterion), is another form of the word used to describe Jesus Christ as our propitiation in 1 John 2:2, (hilasmos). The mercy seat was for the Israelites temporarily what Jesus Christ is for all people permanently: the place where God found satisfaction.’
Two cherubim made out of hammered gold would be placed at each end of the cover, Exodus 25:18 / Exodus 37:7-8, and they were to be made of one piece with the cover, Exodus 25:19. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them and they are to face each other, looking toward the cover, Exodus 25:20 / Exodus 37:9. The wings of the two Cherubim possibly touched one another to form a complete covering. The uncertainty should not unduly trouble us, 1 Corinthians 13:12.
The cover was to be placed on top of the ark and the tablets of the covenant law were to be placed within it, Exodus 25:21. Above the cover between the two cherubim is where God will meet with Moses and give him all His commands for the Israelites, Exodus 25:22.
God’s presence did not dwell inside the box, but remained over the Ark, in between the two Cherubim. God dwelt ‘in unapproachable light’, 1 Timothy 6:16 / Psalm 104:2. The high priest had to shield his eyes, because ‘no man shall see Me and live’, Exodus 33:20. This was where God met with Moses, Exodus 25:21-22 / Leviticus 16:14-15.
There was a cover on the Ark, known as the Mercy Seat, or Propitiation Cover. It was here that the blood of a goat was sprinkled by the high priest on the Day of Atonement, to appease God’s righteous anger, ‘propitiate’ for the sins of the people of Israel, Exodus 37:1-9.
Romans 3:24-25, tells us that there is redemption in Christ Jesus because God has set Him forth as propitiation, through faith in His blood. Christ has died and the price is paid. To those who believe in Jesus Christ’s death for their sins, there is now mercy, not wrath, Romans 5:8-9.
The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle on the day it was reared up and anointed, Exodus 40:9 / Exodus 40:18 / Exodus 40:34-35, exactly fourteen days short of one year since the Exodus from Egypt, Exodus 40:2 / Exodus 12:6 / Exodus 12:31. The two cherubim on the Mercy Seat represented God’s glory, Hebrews 9:5. We are not told in great detail exactly what the Ark of the Covenant looked like. Some models, show the cherubim kneeling. Other models show the cherubim standing.