Are you ready for more? We are going to get started with the Tabernacle. We established the meaning of the curtained wall around the outer courtyard, the Gate into the courtyard, the Brazen Altar, and the Laver. But when Yahweh gave His instructions to Moses, the first thing He listed after the materials needed for donation, was the Ark of the Covenant. 

It seems an odd place for Him to begin. Yet, to Yahweh, it is the most important piece of all. More than any other single subject in the Bible, fifty chapters are used to talk about the Tabernacle. And much is written about the Ark. 

If we are to understand why He speaks of it first we need to know what the Ark represents. 

1. The Ark represents the Throne of God on earth.

2. It represents the presence of God among His people.

3. It represents the glory of God revealed in divine order and worship.

4. It represents the fullness of the Godhead, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all seen in the Ark. 

Tabernacle means dwelling place or tent. The Ark of the Covenant was to be placed in the tent. When the Bible mentions Tabernacle it refers not only to the tent but the entire complex as well. Yahweh’s wanted to have a place to meet with His people and have a home for He and His bride. 

We started with the courtyard and its stations of worship. To start in this way acquainted us with the importance of coming before God’s presence with our hearts prepared. God has specific instructions about how we are to meet with Him. 

While Yeshua met all the requirements for us, I and many others, at times, treat God with far less awe and respect than He deserves.

I recently heard the minister, Bobby Conner, say “We’ve become too familiar with the God we hardly know.” Jewish people have a saying about going before God. “Know before whom you stand.” To them, it means to conduct yourselves properly in the synagogue. It was not a time to chat, laugh, and treat as common the very place where the presence of God was. God is not our good buddy. 

Some would say, “The Word says we must come boldly before His throne.” Yes, this is true. But take a look at the scripture in context. 

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19, 22).” This sounds a lot like a visit to the brazen altar and the laver. 

The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t primarily that we get our sins forgiven. Rather, the good news is we get our sins forgiven so that we can draw near to God.

Okay, here we go. The first part of the instructions for the Ark is found in Exodus 25:10-16. 

“And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of gold all around. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings on the other side. 13 And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them. 15 The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.” 

Again we see the use of acacia or shittim (sheh team) wood. It represents the incorruptible, unchangeable life of Christ at the very core of this vessel.

The measurements, converting from cubits to feet, using 18″ per cubit, the chest portion of the Ark was: Length- 3.75′ (45″) by Width- 2.25′ (27″) by Height- 2.25′ (27″). 

And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it…Exodus 25:11a

Inside and out—So, with Yeshua at the center we see Abba represented in gold on the outside and Holy Spirit represented in gold on the inside. The fulness of the Godhead is seen in the Ark. 

and shall make on it a molding of gold all around. Exodus 25: 11b

In the King James it says, “and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.”

The crown of gold speaks of Kingship. The Holy of Holies was God’s throne room on earth, for the King of kings, and Lord of lords. 

· Yeshua was born king of the Jews in Matthew 2:2

· He was crucified as King in John 19:14.

· He is King-Priest forever sitting at the right hand of God in Psalm 110:1

· He is King in Zion in Psalms 2:6. 

· And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:16

Next were the rings of gold.

12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings on the other side. Exodus 25:12

Four usually represents the world or all creation. In Matthew 28:18,  Yeshua tells His disciples, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

The Ark weighed close to 275 pounds. It needed the four rings and two poles to keep it balanced when they carried it from one location to the next. The poles made its transport easier. 

The four gospels also present a balanced picture of Yeshua and His ministry.

The gospel of Matthew – Messiah as King 

The gospel of Mark – Messiah as the Servant/Priest 

The gospel of Luke – Messiah as the Perfect Man 

The gospel of John – Messiah as God the Son/Prophet 

There are other fours we could include but this is enough for now.

Now the poles or staves.

And you shall make poles of acacia (shittim wood), and overlay them with gold. You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them. The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.  Exodus 25:13-15

Again, as in the Ark, we have the combination of wood and gold/humanly or earthly and divine or heavenly. The Ark was carried on the shoulders of the priests. (1 Chronicles 15:15)  The poles or staves remained in the rings until it came to rest years later in Solomon’s Temple—the end of Israel’s wilderness wandering.

We too are God’s arks, forever mobile. “This world is not our eternal home. We are just passing through.”

Billy Graham is quoted in USA TODAY, February 21, 2018 edition, as saying: “The most thrilling thing about heaven is that Jesus Christ will be there. I will see Him face to face. Jesus Christ will meet us at the end of life’s journey.”

“The Bible says that as long as we are here on Earth, we are strangers in a foreign land. This world is not our home; our citizenship is in heaven.”

“The moment we take our last breath on earth, we take our first in heaven.”

We will end here for now and pick up next time with the Mercy Seat and the contents of the Ark. 

Shalom ♥

Note: Finding a proper picture of the Ark was difficult. This one from Pinterest is the closest I could come. The Ark did not have any feet on the bottom of it.