And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
The verse directs that carrying poles for the ark be made of acacia wood and covered with gold, to be put through rings on the ark's sides for bearing it and to be left in the rings. The ark itself was a wooden chest covered with gold inside and out with a golden crown around the top, and its lid was the mercy seat with a solid-gold cherub standing at each end. It stood in the most holy place beyond the inner veil of the movable wilderness tabernacle built at God's command as His earthly dwelling, where the symbolic service of atonement and intercession centered. These directions were among the specifications for the tabernacle given by Christ and God to Moses on the mount during the forty days and nights he was with God, after the law was given at Sinai. The ark was made as the sacred depository to hold the two stone tables on which God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments, and it was therefore called the ark of the testament or covenant because those commandments were the basis of the covenant between God and Israel. The law within represented God Himself and was the foundation of His government, so the ark was the symbol of God's presence with His people and their glory and strength, with the cloud and glory manifested upon it and between the cherubim, as the earthly pattern of the true gold-covered ark in heaven beside which Jesus ministers before the mercy seat.
Construction and Historical Setting
The carrying poles for the ark were to be made of shittim, or acacia, wood and overlaid with gold. They were to be placed through rings on the ark's sides so that the ark could be carried, and they were to remain in the rings. The ark itself was a chest of acacia or precious wood overlaid with gold inside and out. It had a crown of gold about the top. Its cover was the gold-covered mercy seat, with a cherub at each end wrought of solid gold.
It stood in the most holy place, beyond the inner veil of the movable wilderness tabernacle built in the time of Moses at God's command as God's earthly dwelling-place, where centered the symbolic service of atonement and intercession. The direction is one of the specifications for the tabernacle and Israel's service that Christ and God gave to Moses on the mount after the law had been given at Sinai. He received them during the forty days and nights he was with God, including the pattern of the ark and the directions in Exodus 24-27.
The earthly sanctuary and its ark were a divinely specified pattern of the true ark in heaven. That heavenly ark is seen as a gold-covered chest with cherubim above it and the glory of God over it like a throne.
Covenant Meaning and Application
The poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold belonged to the ark made as a sacred depository to hold the two tables of stone upon which God Himself inscribed the Ten Commandments, with the mercy seat set before it. That chest held the law that represented God Himself, and it was regarded as Israel's glory and strength, with the sign of His presence remaining upon it day and night. In the heavenly sanctuary the same ark appears as a gold-covered chest containing the stone tables, with cherubim above it and Jesus ministering before the mercy seat. It was a chest of acacia or precious wood overlaid within and without with gold, having a crown of gold about the top, and its gold-covered mercy seat with a cherub at each end wrought of solid gold formed its cover.
Hence it was called the ark of God's testament, or the ark of the covenant, since the Ten Commandments were the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel. The law within was the foundation of God's government, and the ark symbolized God's presence with His people. That presence was manifested in a cloud of glory between the cherubim above the mercy seat, and the divine glory rested there day and night.
In the heavenly sanctuary Jesus stands beside the ark, covered with pure gold with cherubim above it and the glory of God over it like a throne, and presents the saints' prayers to the Father with incense. The ark with the mercy seat and the angels at its ends is thus connected with the heavenly sanctuary and the great day of atonement. The specification for the poles is one of those Christ gave to Moses for building the tabernacle, and Paul repeated these directions in Exodus 24-27 chapter after chapter while working skillfully with his hands at tentmaking for his own benefit and that of his fellow workers.
The verse teaches that supreme honor is to be given to God and that the skill, genius, and wisdom brought into the tabernacle work were given by God to be used for His glory. It gives an example of diligence and thoroughness in joining mechanical labor with preaching the gospel. The ark of God was to be guarded from intrusion, and its sacredness is a model for protecting the publishing institution from intrusion and curious investigation.
The verse directs that carrying poles for the ark be made of acacia wood and covered with gold, to be put through rings on the ark's sides for bearing it and to be left in the rings.
The ark itself was a wooden chest covered with gold inside and out with a golden crown around the top, and its lid was the mercy seat with a solid-gold cherub standing at each end.
It stood in the most holy place beyond the inner veil of the movable wilderness tabernacle built at God's command as His earthly dwelling, where the symbolic service of atonement and intercession centered.
These directions were among the specifications for the tabernacle given by Christ and God to Moses on the mount during the forty days and nights he was with God, after the law was given at Sinai.
The ark was made as the sacred depository to hold the two stone tables on which God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments, and it was therefore called the ark of the testament or covenant because those commandments were the basis of the covenant between God and Israel.
The law within represented God Himself and was the foundation of His government, so the ark was the symbol of God's presence with His people and their glory and strength, with the cloud and glory manifested upon it and between the cherubim, as the earthly pattern of the true gold-covered ark in heaven beside which Jesus ministers before the mercy seat.
Construction and Historical Setting
The carrying poles for the ark were to be made of shittim, or acacia, wood and overlaid with gold. They were to be placed through rings on the ark's sides so that the ark could be carried, and they were to remain in the rings. The ark itself was a chest of acacia or precious wood overlaid with gold inside and out. It had a crown of gold about the top. Its cover was the gold-covered mercy seat, with a cherub at each end wrought of solid gold.
It stood in the most holy place, beyond the inner veil of the movable wilderness tabernacle built in the time of Moses at God's command as God's earthly dwelling-place, where centered the symbolic service of atonement and intercession. The direction is one of the specifications for the tabernacle and Israel's service that Christ and God gave to Moses on the mount after the law had been given at Sinai. He received them during the forty days and nights he was with God, including the pattern of the ark and the directions in Exodus 24-27.
The earthly sanctuary and its ark were a divinely specified pattern of the true ark in heaven. That heavenly ark is seen as a gold-covered chest with cherubim above it and the glory of God over it like a throne.
Covenant Meaning and Application
The poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold belonged to the ark made as a sacred depository to hold the two tables of stone upon which God Himself inscribed the Ten Commandments, with the mercy seat set before it. That chest held the law that represented God Himself, and it was regarded as Israel's glory and strength, with the sign of His presence remaining upon it day and night. In the heavenly sanctuary the same ark appears as a gold-covered chest containing the stone tables, with cherubim above it and Jesus ministering before the mercy seat. It was a chest of acacia or precious wood overlaid within and without with gold, having a crown of gold about the top, and its gold-covered mercy seat with a cherub at each end wrought of solid gold formed its cover.
Hence it was called the ark of God's testament, or the ark of the covenant, since the Ten Commandments were the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel. The law within was the foundation of God's government, and the ark symbolized God's presence with His people. That presence was manifested in a cloud of glory between the cherubim above the mercy seat, and the divine glory rested there day and night.
In the heavenly sanctuary Jesus stands beside the ark, covered with pure gold with cherubim above it and the glory of God over it like a throne, and presents the saints' prayers to the Father with incense. The ark with the mercy seat and the angels at its ends is thus connected with the heavenly sanctuary and the great day of atonement. The specification for the poles is one of those Christ gave to Moses for building the tabernacle, and Paul repeated these directions in Exodus 24-27 chapter after chapter while working skillfully with his hands at tentmaking for his own benefit and that of his fellow workers.
The verse teaches that supreme honor is to be given to God and that the skill, genius, and wisdom brought into the tabernacle work were given by God to be used for His glory. It gives an example of diligence and thoroughness in joining mechanical labor with preaching the gospel. The ark of God was to be guarded from intrusion, and its sacredness is a model for protecting the publishing institution from intrusion and curious investigation.