The Tabernacle
Part 2 – The Ark of the Covenant
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
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SERMON TIMELINE
· The Book of Genesis
· The Exodus
· The Tabernacle
· Introduction
· The Ark of the Covenant
INTRODUCTION
Over the last few chapters of Exodus, the Lord has instructed Moses about the ten commands, God’s Law, the civil or moral law, and the ceremonial law.
Each of these serves a different purpose.
God’s Law defines Him as perfect and everyone else as sinful. Therefore He alone is the perfect and righteous judge of all and the only one qualified to determine laws, rewards, and punishments.
The civil, or moral law, instructs us on justice among our neighbors, defining right and wrong, and fair punishment for breaking the laws.
The ceremonial laws instruct on how God is to be worshiped.
The Lord will instruct Moses on constructing the Tabernacle and its contents, representing the Lord and the coming Salvation through the blood of Christ the Messiah.
Today we examine the Instructions for the Ark of the Covenant
SCRIPTURE READING
Exodus 25:10-22 – The Ark of the Covenant
“10 They shall make an ark of acacia wood; it shall be two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside you shall overlay it, and you shall make a moulding of gold upon it all round. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side. 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, by which to carry the Ark. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the Ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 You shall put into the Ark the covenant that I shall give you.
17 Then 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 width. 18 You shall make two cherubim of gold; you shall make them of hammered work, at the two ends of the mercy-seat. 19 Make one cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other; of one piece with the mercy-seat you shall make the cherubim at its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy-seat with their wings. They shall face each other; the faces of the cherubim shall be turned towards the mercy-seat. 21 You shall put the mercy-seat on the top of the Ark; and in the Ark you shall put the covenant that I shall give you. 22 There I will meet you, and from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the Ark of the covenant, I will deliver to you all my commands for the Israelites.”
TODAY'S MESSAGE
I. BUILD THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
a. The instructions
i. Acacia wood
1. Grow up to 82 feet tall
2. Unique beautiful grain pattern
3. Used to make some medicines, perfumes, and skincare products
4. More durable and harder than most wood
a. 55% harder than European oak
b. 23% harder than hickory
5. One of the best woods for making furniture
ii. The Dimensions
1. The cubit is approximately 18”
a. Or, the standard distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger of an adult man
2. 2.5 Cubits long = 3 foot 9 inches
3. 1.5 Cubits wide = 2 foot 3 inches
4. 1.5 Cubits tall = 2 foot 3 inches
iii. Overlay in pure gold inside and out
1. Hiding its beautifully unique grain pattern
iv. Gold molding all around
v. Four cast rings of gold for feet
vi. Two cast rings on each side for poles
1. Two acacia wood poles overlay with gold to carry the Ark
2. Never to be removed
b. What they mean
i. These were the instructions for the “base” of the Ark
ii. The part that would actually hold the items
1. The Law
2. A pot of manna
3. The rod of Aaron
c. What they represent
i. It holds inside of it the perfect Law, keeping it?
ii. Who IS the bread (manna) from heaven that sustains us and is sent by God?
iii. Who is approved by God to bring new life?
iv. These are all pointing to Christ Jesus
II. BUILD THE MERCY-SEAT TO SIT ON TOP
a. The instructions
i. Make the mercy-seat of pure gold
1. 2.5 Cubits long = 3 foot 9 inches
2. 1.5 Cubits wide = 2 foot 3 inches
ii. Two Cherubim of hammered gold work
1. One at each end of the mercy-seat
2. One piece with the mercy-seat
iii. Cherubim spreading their wings above, overshadowing the mercy-seat
1. Facing each other
2. Their faces turned toward the mercy-seat
b. What they mean
i. God said in Exodus 25:22, “There I will meet you, and from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the covenant, I will deliver to you all my commands for the Israelites.”
ii. Cherubim
1. They are the angels involved in the worship and praise of God
2. First mentioned in Genesis 3:24
a. “After He drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life”
3. Prior to his rebellion, Satan was a Cherubim Ezekiel 28:14
a. “You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.”
4. Ezekiel 1:5 describes the four living creatures as the same beings as Cherubim in Ezekiel 10.
5. Each had four faces—that of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle
a. Man – Jesus (Philippians 2:5-8)
b. Lion – King, Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5)
c. Ox – Symbolizing hard labor and service (1 Timothy 5:18)
d. Eagle – God and His love and care (Exodus 19:4 & Deuteronomy 21:11)
6. Each has four wings
a. Two used for flying
b. Two for covering their bodies
i. Ezekiel 1:6, 11, 23
7. Under their wings covering, their form or likeness is that of a man’s hand
a. Ezekiel 1:8, 10:7-8, 21
8. The imagery of Revelation 4:6-9 also seems to be describing cherubim. The cherubim serve the purpose of magnifying the holiness and power of God. This is one of their main responsibilities throughout the Bible. In addition to praising God, they also serve as a visible reminder of the majesty and glory of God and His abiding presence with His people.
c. What they represent
i. The Cherubim
1. look at the mercy-seat in anticipation
2. They cover the mercy-seat with their wings, God’s protection
ii. The mercy-seat
1. Is where God shows Himself
2. Where did God show Himself in the New Testament?
3. At Jesus’ resurrection
4. The bed where His body was laid was the mercy-seat
iii. How do we know this?
iv. John 20:11-18
1. Mary Magdalene looked into Jesus’ tomb and saw what?
a. Two angels sitting where the body of Jesus had been
b. One at the head and one at the foot
i. Alpha, omega
ii. Beginning, end
2. They were SITTING (symbolizing it was finished!)
3. They no longer protected the mercy-seat with their wings
a. Jesus was no longer there
4. They no longer looked at the mercy-seat (waiting in anticipation for Jesus to be placed there)
III. PUT THIS THAT I GIVE YOU INTO THE ARK
a. The instructions
i. You shall place the mercy-seat on top of the Ark
ii. And in the Ark, you shall put the covenant I give you
b. What they mean
i. Inside the Ark
1. The Law – Placed inside in Exodus 25
2. A pot of manna – Exodus 16:34
3. The rod of Aaron – Numbers 17:10
ii. Hebrews 9:4 confirms these three items were inside the Ark of the Covenant: “Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered Ark of the covenant. This Ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.”
c. What they represent
i. The Manna
1. The jar of manna symbolized God’s constant provision for His people.
2. ALSO, represented Jesus as Manna from heaven, the bread of life
a. John 6:30-35
ii. Aaron’s Rod
1. Wood which was dead, yet grew buds
2. Symbolized God’s approval
3. ALSO, represented Christ having God’s approval to bring new life, making us a new creation
iii. The Law
1. God’s perfection, righteous judge, holy rule, just, represented the Word of God
2. ALSO, symbolized Jesus, who IS the Word
CONCLUSION
So, the Ark of the Covenant represents and symbolizes
God’s covenant with man to bring the bread of life from heaven, who will give new life to the dead, making them a new creation, because He alone is worthy, righteous, holy, just and perfect, because He alone IS the Word of God.
The Ark of the Covenant Symbolizes Christ Jesus and His Saving Works
NEXT WEEK
We will look at The Table for the Bread of Presence and the Lamp stand of the Tabernacle
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