The Ark of the Covenant was
the most sacred piece of furniture
in the tabernacle and later the temple.
It was a gold-covered wooden chest
that represented the throne and presence of God
among His people.
The ark was kept in the Most Holy Place
and was approached only by the high priest
once a year on the Day of Atonement.
God gave Moses detailed instructions for building the ark while on Mount Sinai (Exodus 25:10-22). It was made of acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold inside and out, and measured approximately 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. It had a gold molding around it and four gold rings for the poles used to carry it.
The lid of the ark was called the mercy seat (or atonement cover), made of pure gold with two cherubim of gold facing each other and looking down toward the cover. God said He would meet with Moses and speak to him from above the mercy seat (Exodus 25:22).
According to Scripture, the ark contained:
These items testified to God’s covenant, His provision, and His chosen priesthood.
The ark served several important purposes:
The ark was never to be treated casually. When the Philistines captured it, they experienced God’s judgment (1 Samuel 5). When Uzzah touched it improperly, he was struck dead (2 Samuel 6:6-7).
The ark and the mercy seat point forward to Jesus Christ:
In the New Covenant, the focus is no longer on a golden chest but on the finished work of Christ and the presence of God through the Holy Spirit.
The Ark of the Covenant was the most powerful symbol of God’s presence and throne among His people in the Old Testament. Its careful design, restricted access, and the blood applied to the mercy seat all taught the holiness of God and the necessity of atonement. In Christ, the realities to which the ark pointed have been fulfilled. Believers now have confidence to approach God’s presence through the blood of Jesus, the true and better mercy seat.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.