Exodus 25:10-22 ESV [10] “They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. [11] You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. [12] You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. [13] You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. [14] And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. [15] The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. [16] And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you. [17] “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. [18] And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. [19] Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. [20] The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. [21] And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. [22] There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel
The Ark was the most significant object in Old Testament worship. It was a box—overlaid with gold—in the Most Holy place. It was the most prominent piece of furniture in the Tabernacle. “A golden urn holding the manna, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant” were placed within the Ark. The mercy seat covered the box. Two cherubim, facing one another, overshadowed the mercy seat. When God came down, His glory rested above the mercy seat—between the cherubim. What did this elaborate picture portray? The Ark was a picture of the Person and saving work of Christ.
Jesus, in a box.
The manna in the golden bowl inside was placed there as a perpetual reminder of how Israel was sustained in the wilderness. Not knowing what it was they called it “Manna” (lit. ‘What is it?’). When Jesus fed the five thousand,
John 6:32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
The significance of Aaron’s rod is found in Numbers 16-17. Certain jealous men had called Aaron’s Priesthood into question. God commanded that the rebels take their rods and lay them out next to Aaron’s. The Lord made the rod of the man He had chosen to bud. Jesus is the great High Priest, chosen by His Father from all eternity. The rod was placed in the ark to show that Christ was the LORD’s chosen and anointed Priest (Isaiah 42:1; Heb. 5:4). Jesus is our only high priest who ever lives to make intercession for us! Certainly, he was dead like Aaron’s rod, but he is alive forevermore!
The Ten Commandments were also placed inside the ark. This showed that the moral Law of God would forever stand before the presence of God. It also represented that the Law would be kept in Christ. He would fully obey all the commands of God for His people. Only Jesus wholly kept the law. The law was inside Jesus. It was in his heart to obey God at every point.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
The mercy seat was set on top of the Ark. When the Priest went into the Holy of Holies, he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat. This represented the atoning blood of Jesus. Israel’s sin formed a barrier between God and them. Our sins have also separated us from God. God must look at man through the lens of the law on account of His holiness. How can an unrighteous man stand before the presence of the righteous God? The dilemma is resolved through the blood of Jesus. Just as the blood on the mercy seat, the blood of Christ stands between the Law of God and the Presence of God. When the Lord saw the blood His wrath was satisfied. Through the blood of Jesus, the transgressions of God’s people have been forgiven. Now, the Lord sees believers–not through the lens of the law, but through the lens of the Gospel. Thank God for his mercy.
Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
The symbolism of the Ark reached its grand climax on the Day of Atonement. When the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the mercy seat the glory of God appeared. Angels are standing before His throne praising Him day and night. It was also a picture of the restored presence of God through the resurrection of Christ. When Mary Magdalene came to the tomb seeking the body of Jesus, she found two angels–one at the head, and the other at the feet—where the body of Jesus had been. The presence of God has been restored to the believer in the resurrection of Christ. The things of redemption are the “things which angels long to look into.” The angels adore Jesus day and night.
God has given us the most intricate pictures of the Gospel in His Word. The furniture in the tabernacle are some of the most beautiful pictures of Jesus in the Old Testament. As we study each piece, let us internalize the significance. The more we discern the work of Christ in the pictures, the more we will grow in our gratitude for Him and love for Him.
So, from now on you can say, “Yes, I CAN, put God in a box!” I can show you Jesus in a box. Flesh overlaid with deity. Wood overlaid with gold. Mercy and restoring love dwells inside him. Grace and truth inside him. Jesus in a box!
