The Exodus. Day 92, The Ark Of The Covenant, Part One

The Lord tells Moses that the Israelites are to construct an object known as the Ark of the Covenant. We will be looking at this object in far more detail as we go through the Old Testament but today the Lord provides Moses with a basic outline of how it is to be made and what it is to look like.

"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." (Exodus 25:10) An ark is a container for something precious, like Noah's ark for example, which contained Noah and his family and the animals and saved all their lives. The Ark of the Covenant is going to contain something precious too: the tablets upon which the Lord is writing the ten commandments. At various times it will hold other objects but right now, while Moses is on Mount Sinai with the Lord, the Lord reveals His plan for the ark to hold the tablets of the commandments from which all the laws of Israel will evolve.

In yesterday's study the Lord told Moses to ask the people for offerings. One of the requested offerings was acacia wood and now we see why: the ark will be constructed from this type of wood. Acacia is a type of hardwood that's extremely resistant to all sorts of perils. It's very durable and is both water resistant and resistant. It does not tend to mold or rot. It's not favorable to vermin infestation. The Lord obviously considers acacia wood the best choice for the container that will hold the ten commandments. This container will serve other purposes---very holy purposes---besides preserving the tablets and we will get into these other uses in great detail as time goes on.

Its dimensions in feet and inches are arguable since the actual length of the cubit of the Israelites is unknown. Many ancient cultures used a form of measurement known as the cubit but each of these cultures decided on their own how long the cubit was and this means there were variations. The ark is generally believed to have been anywhere from 3 feet 9 inches long by 2 feet 3 inches wide by 2 feet 3 inches high, and 4 feet 5 inches long by 2 feet 6 inches wide by 2 feet 6 inches tall. It was probably similar in size to a household storage chest or trunk. For example, I own a vintage steamer trunk and its length and width are comparable to the ark's length and width. My trunk is what's known as a "barrel trunk", meaning it has a domed top rather than a flat top, so it's taller than it is wide. In comparison, the ark's length and height are identical to each other.

The ark is going to need to be portable, just like the tabernacle that will house it, and to be easy to carry it will have to have some type of handles. "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." (Exodus 25:12-15) The priests of Israel are going to be in charge of transporting the ark from place to place. The ark itself will be too holy to be touched by human hands and the poles are to be kept in place so that no one ever has to lay hands on the surface of the ark. Taking the poles out of the rings while the people are camped is going to create the risk of someone inadvertently touching the ark while either removing or reinserting the poles. Also the people are to be ready to break camp and move out anytime the Lord tells them. Keeping the poles inserted in the rings will facilitate a quick move from place to place, plus keeping the poles inserted signifies the readiness of the Israelites to go whenever and wherever the Lord says to go.

I'm inserting a photo below of what the ark may have looked like.

Note that the rings are attached close to the bottom of the ark. If you do a Google search for images of the Ark of the Covenant you'll note that the position of the rings are all over the place in the pictures you'll find, but in our passage today the Lord clearly says they were to be fastened "to its four feet". In some photos you'll see them at the top, right under the decorative rim. In others you'll see them in the middle, or between the middle and the top, or between the middle and the bottom. But the Lord says in Exodus 25:12 that the rings are to be attached to the feet and I believe that's exactly where they were. Having them near the bottom would create the need for the priests to do more of a balancing act while transporting the ark (and it was always to be carried by its poles; it was never to be placed on an animal or in a cart) but the carefulness needed in order to hold the ark steady would have called for the priests to move slowly and ceremonially, as befitting an object that will be the holiest and most treasured possession of ancient Israel. Putting the rings and poles near the middle or top of the ark would have created a situation in which the bottom surface of the ark was closer to the ground and then it might have come in contact with the ground. This was not to be allowed to happen at any time. We might compare the carrying of the ark to the carrying of the flag of the United States of America. In our military ceremonies and processions a great deal of care is taken while carrying the flag. It's to be kept high and is never to be allowed to touch the ground or to be left out in the weather unless it's made of all-weather material. It's to be held with a sense of respect and reverence, for it represents all the men and women who have given their time or their lives defending this nation. While carrying the ark, the priests are to be in an attitude of holy reverence, for the ark represents the presence of the great God who protects and defends and fights for Israel.

Join us tomorrow for part two of our study of this portion of Scripture that discusses this holy object of Israel.