What Was In The Ark

What Was In The Ark? Exodus 37.1-9 The Ark of the Covenant is described here for us in these verses. The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred, gold-plated wooden chest, inside and out, described in the Old Testament as the ultimate symbol of God's presence and power among the people of God. On the Day of Atonement, once a year, the High Priest would sprinkle blood on it. What was in it? Before we answer that we need to ask, “What was it?” Lit. A Chest. Like a Hope Chest or a Cedar Chest. A piece o furniture to fill up things to protect them and preserve them. Keepsakes go in it. Photo What was in it? I Kings 8.9 The two stone tablets on which were written The Ten Commandments Numbers 17.10 Aaron’s Rod Exodus 16.31-36 Manna * The Two Stone Tablets On Which Were Engraved The Ten Commandments They were written in stone to show their permanence. All civilized societies adhere to them. Stay within these bounds and you will live. Your life will be held together. Break them and your life will be broken into pieces. Take stealing. It brings guilt. You will wonder if you will get caught. If you are caught you must pay the penalty. Bank Robber is going to go to jail. Have a record that will follow him. It will eliminate him from certain jobs. A person I know had a license to sell stocks, etc. They went personal and cooperate bankrupt to avoid going to jail. In doing this they will never be able to work in any financial institution again, not even be a teller in a bank! Stealing has consequences. Take adultery. I heard an interview of a well known person this week, who got involved with a married man say that it was a bad decision and that it hurts your self esteem and does damage to a larger circle of people. It ended in pain and regret. Sin always does. I say this not to heap guilt on you. But to lovingly warn you of the consequences of sinful behavior… and to say that God forgives these sins if you ask Him and turn from them. These guidelines are for a good life. Proverbs 2.1 My son, if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
    and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
    from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds success in store for the upright,
    He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for He guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of His faithful ones. 9 Then you will understand what is right and just
    and fair—every good path. Obey the law and you will not have fear like those who are lawbreakers. Romans 13.1 The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. Police on Wantagh Parkway. We were in the median, crossing to another fishing hole. Pulled that large sedan right up to us and said, “What are you kids doing meandering out here?” We told him. He told us not to do it. Then he made sure we got safely across before pulling out. We were scared to death. Hearts beating. What about the nations that go against God’s Word and Law? "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" Proverbs 14.34 Here is a plain warning. If a nation makes laws against God’s law it does so at its own peril. It will bring judgment on itself. Next… * The Ark also contained Aron’s Rod. Numbers 17.10 Numbers 17.10 The LORD said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against Me, so that they will not die.” 11 Moses did just as the LORD commanded. Moses’ Rod Exodus 7. 8 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.” 10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: 12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said. The power of God was being displayed here. He is showing His might over the gods of the Egyptians and any other god. Interesting that Aaron’s Rod was to end their grumbling against God. It was for the rebellious. Rebellious people grumble against the LORD. God was taking care of them and they were rebelling. They complained about the Manna, Moses and God. When I was a kid I hated Lima Beans. My Mom used to say, “Eat what is set before you. There are starving children in China. They would be happy to eat what you are eating. If you do not clean your plate then you will not get any dessert!” I would shiver as I ate the Lima Beans. I also knew chocolate pudding was coming, with whipped cream. Mom was teaching me to be thankful. She was enlarging my tastes. She was showing me it is not right to grumble. I could have rebelled but I submitted. By the way I love them today! So the budding rod of Aaron shows life and power, God’s power. It was used in leading the nation of Israel out of Egypt and in the Wilderness. Aaron's staff was placed in the Ark of the Covenant instead of Moses's staff to permanently validate Aaron's divine appointment as High Priest and to stop the Israelites from rebelling against his priestly authority. Under the New Covenant we are to be clothed with power from on High. “I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on High.” Luke 24.49 The same power that caused Aaron’s Rod to bud is available to us today. Rick Taylor was the son of a Baptist pastor in the small town I pastored in for 5 years. That town had more bars than churches. He was a rebel and came back to Jesus. He felt a call to take the Gospel to his former drinking buddies. God was working. He managed to rent a closed bar on one of the streets he hung out on. He began a church. It was made up of former drug addicts and drunks. I watched God begin to transform lives. It was amazing! I became friends with him and helped him out as best as I could. May we see such transformations today! Photos of Nepal yesterday, Liton from Bangladesh in Nepal We need to see a demonstration of the Spirit’s power today! Paul, the Apostle, wrote to the Corinthian Church I Corinthians 2.1 When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. How did God’s power show up? Perhaps in a Word of Knowledge or a Word of Wisdom “You were talking about me this morning.” Perhaps in miracles. There are some places where I have shared the Word in Africa or in south east Asia and miracles happen. People are healed. It has nothing to do with me. God is simply confirming His Word. Then invitations come flooding in because they tell one another, “When this guy gives out the Word, miracles happen, people are healed. It is simply God confirming His Word. It is a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. It is amazing the things we come up with when it isn’t there. When it is there everyone is in awe, including me! So we have the tablets, Aaron’s Rod.. and finally the loving touch of God… * The Manna was placed in the Ark. Exodus 16.31-36 This was to remind the people of God’s provision. For forty years this bread from Heaven sustained them. They were traveling across the Sinai. As I shared before I have traveled across it. It is a whole lot of nothing. You wonder how the shepherds and sheep survive today, no less 5 million souls back then! God rained down Bread, Manna, every day! Twice as much the day before the Sabbath so they didn’t have to collect it on the Sabbath. God provides for His people today! He gives us strength to work and make money. He gives us wisdom to invest. We give to those in need and tell them this is from God. Whether Monday night in the parking lot or in Bangladesh, all the gifts are from God. The Manna tells us God will take care of you! The Manna tells us that He can provide when there seems to be no way. The Manna tells us that we will not have to beg for bread. The Manna tells us we will be satisfied even in a wilderness or desert. What happened to it? Dr. Williamson “It probably was destroyed in the Destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (Not likely. He was careful to preserve the golden articles of the Temple, carried them back to Babylon. No record of the Ark.) Some say it was carried to Ethiopia and is in a church there (Probably a replica) One person said it was placed under Golgotha (When Jesus died some of His blood seeped through the ground and drops fell upon the Mercy Seat) Several Rabbis, including the Rabbi of the Wall, have said that they have seen it under the city of Jerusalem, off the Rabbi’s Tunnel, in a room that is walled in. Like the nuclear code it is passed from Rabbi to Rabbi, President to President So in the Ark were things we need today. *Spiritual and Moral Guard rails in the Ten Commandments, the Tablets. *The Power of God in the Rod of Aaron *Daily Food For Spiritual Strength in the Manna