And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
God directed Moses to place inside the ark the testimony He would give him, the two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments inscribed by God's own finger. The ark was a chest of acacia wood overlaid within and without with pure gold to receive and hold those tablets, with its cover the mercy-seat of solid gold surmounted by cherubim, standing beyond the inner veil in the most holy place of the wilderness tabernacle built to the pattern shown to Moses on the mount. That earthly ark was made after the pattern of the true ark in heaven, where the same testimony on tables of stone is deposited, the law on earth being a copy of the original above. The divine precepts within gave the ark its value and sacredness, for the law represents God Himself, spoken amid the thunders of Sinai, and is the basis of the covenant and the foundation of His government. That law is perfect, immutable and still binding, the standard of right conduct by which every person will be judged when the judgment sits and the books are opened.
Ark and Testimony Described
The testimony to be put into the ark is the two tables of stone bearing the Ten Commandments, engraved by God's own finger. They are called the tables of the testimony because they contain God's testimony in the Ten Commandments. The ark that holds them is called the ark of the testimony, the ark of the covenant, and the ark of God's testament, because the commandments are the testimony and the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel. The law in the earthly ark represented the law deposited in the heavenly ark, which angels regard with reverence.
The earthly ark was made as a depository to receive and hold the tablets, in form like a chest of acacia wood, or precious wood, overlaid within and without and inlaid with pure gold, with a crown of gold about the top. Its cover, called the mercy-seat, was wrought of one solid piece of gold. It was surmounted by golden cherubim standing on each end, with faces turned toward each other and looking reverentially downward toward the ark. One wing of each cherub was stretched forth on high while the other was folded over the body in reverence and humility.
The ark stood beyond the inner veil in the holy of holies, the most holy place or second apartment of the wilderness tabernacle built in the time of Moses as God's earthly dwelling-place. There the symbolic service of atonement and intercession centered. The ark that held the law was regarded as Israel's glory and strength and as the place where the token of God's presence abode day and night, and the law it held represented God Himself.
The direction belongs to the specifications and pattern for building the tabernacle and sanctuary, with special directions for an ark made to contain the tables of stone. They were given by God and Christ to Moses on the mount during his forty days and nights with God, along with the Ten Commandments and God's judgments and laws. Moses went up with Joshua after the words and judgments of the Lord had been written and read from the book of the covenant, sealed with sprinkled blood and accepted by the people, and after Moses with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy elders had seen the God of Israel, and there received the pattern of the ark to hold the testimony God would give him.
Heavenly Pattern and Presence
The earthly ark was made after the pattern of the true ark in heaven, and the law placed in the earthly ark represented the law deposited in the heavenly ark. What was written by God has its original in the heavenly ark, while its copy is on earth. The ark in the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary holds that same testimony, the tables of stone containing the Ten Commandments.
It has the appearance of finest gold, with a border of beautiful fine gold work representing crowns around its top. On each end is a lovely cherub with wings spread out over it, raised on high and touching each other above, with faces turned toward each other looking downward to the ark. Between the cherubim is a golden censer.
The cherubim represent all the heavenly angels and the angelic host looking with interest at the law of God, and living angels stand at either end of the ark in reverence and humility. They show the reverent regard of the heavenly universe for the law as the foundation of God's government. They also represent the reverence with which the heavenly host regard the law of God and their interest in the plan of redemption, with the law resting beneath the mercy-seat toward which they look down.
Above the mercy-seat between the cherubim is the Shekinah, the manifestation of the divine presence, and from between the cherubim God made known His will. In the heavenly sanctuary it is seen as an exceeding bright glory like a throne where God dwells, whose light and glory overshadow the mercy-seat and fill the temple, and on earth the divine presence was manifested in the cloud of glory between the cherubim above it. The ark that held the law was regarded as Israel's glory and strength and as the place where the token of God's presence abode day and night, for the law represented God Himself and the ark was made to receive the tablets and symbolized His presence among His people. The mercy-seat is above the law, and Jesus stands before the ark to mediate for humanity. The ark is in the heavenly Most Holy Place, whose door Jesus opened in 1844 when He shut the door of the Holy Place.
Law's Authority and Demand
The ark derived all its value and sacredness not from its own materials but from the divine precepts placed within it, for the testimony is the two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments inscribed by God's own finger. That law represented God Himself, spoken by Him amid the thunders of Sinai, and it is the testimony and the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel, which is why the chest is called the ark of the testimony, the ark of the covenant, and the ark of God's testament. Made expressly to receive and hold those tablets, the ark was regarded as Israel's glory and strength and as the place where the token of God's presence abode day and night, while the cherubim above the mercy-seat bowed in reverence to represent the reverent regard of the heavenly host and the heavenly universe for that law as the foundation of God's government and their interest in the plan of redemption. From between those cherubim above the mercy-seat, where the Shekinah manifested the divine presence, God made known His will to His people.
The law thus enshrined is perfect and unchanging, the standard of right conduct and the perfect law of liberty upon which human happiness and God's glory depend. It is immutable and remains binding after the cross, and the Sabbath commandment remains written there exactly as God gave it and has not been changed, so its force and the Sabbath question are to be clearly taught. That same law preserved in the earthly ark is also in the heavenly sanctuary, and it will be brought forth when the judgment sits and the books are opened. It is holy precepts without a flaw emanating from the mind of Jehovah, the law given by the great Ruler of the universe, and it is the standard by which people are judged, while the record of their deeds determines their sentence according to whether their works are good or evil, for in the day of judgment every man's deeds shall be compared with the law in the ark and weighed in unerring scales.
When Israel honored that law, the ark containing it accompanied them as a sacred symbol and sign of God's presence and protection among them. When they transgressed the law they forfeited that protection and were given into their enemies' hands. Because that judgment by the ten holy precepts engraved by Omnipotence still awaits, all business transactions, especially among church members, must be performed in accordance with that law in high, holy, sanctified rectitude. There is to be no unrighteousness in judgment and not one vestige of oppression or selfishness, so before carrying out any transaction a man in responsible position must inquire whether it agrees with the ten precepts and whether he will be unashamed to have it appear when his case is tried by God's standard.
The specifications Christ gave Moses for building the tabernacle, including the ark to hold this testimony, were afterward repeated by Paul to his fellow tentmakers while he worked quickly and skillfully with his hands for his own and their benefit. By that intelligent labor as well as by voice he preached the gospel, kept in touch with the great Teacher, instructed in spiritual things, educated believers in unity, and gave an example of diligence and thoroughness. From those specifications he taught that supreme honor is to be given to God and that the skill, genius, and wisdom brought into the work of building the tabernacle were given by God to be used for His glory.
God directed Moses to place inside the ark the testimony He would give him, the two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments inscribed by God's own finger. The ark was a chest of acacia wood overlaid within and without with pure gold to receive and hold those tablets, with its cover the mercy-seat of solid gold surmounted by cherubim, standing beyond the inner veil in the most holy place of the wilderness tabernacle built to the pattern shown to Moses on the mount. That earthly ark was made after the pattern of the true ark in heaven, where the same testimony on tables of stone is deposited, the law on earth being a copy of the original above. The divine precepts within gave the ark its value and sacredness, for the law represents God Himself, spoken amid the thunders of Sinai, and is the basis of the covenant and the foundation of His government. That law is perfect, immutable and still binding, the standard of right conduct by which every person will be judged when the judgment sits and the books are opened.
Ark and Testimony Described
The testimony to be put into the ark is the two tables of stone bearing the Ten Commandments, engraved by God's own finger. They are called the tables of the testimony because they contain God's testimony in the Ten Commandments. The ark that holds them is called the ark of the testimony, the ark of the covenant, and the ark of God's testament, because the commandments are the testimony and the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel. The law in the earthly ark represented the law deposited in the heavenly ark, which angels regard with reverence.
The earthly ark was made as a depository to receive and hold the tablets, in form like a chest of acacia wood, or precious wood, overlaid within and without and inlaid with pure gold, with a crown of gold about the top. Its cover, called the mercy-seat, was wrought of one solid piece of gold. It was surmounted by golden cherubim standing on each end, with faces turned toward each other and looking reverentially downward toward the ark. One wing of each cherub was stretched forth on high while the other was folded over the body in reverence and humility.
The ark stood beyond the inner veil in the holy of holies, the most holy place or second apartment of the wilderness tabernacle built in the time of Moses as God's earthly dwelling-place. There the symbolic service of atonement and intercession centered. The ark that held the law was regarded as Israel's glory and strength and as the place where the token of God's presence abode day and night, and the law it held represented God Himself.
The direction belongs to the specifications and pattern for building the tabernacle and sanctuary, with special directions for an ark made to contain the tables of stone. They were given by God and Christ to Moses on the mount during his forty days and nights with God, along with the Ten Commandments and God's judgments and laws. Moses went up with Joshua after the words and judgments of the Lord had been written and read from the book of the covenant, sealed with sprinkled blood and accepted by the people, and after Moses with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy elders had seen the God of Israel, and there received the pattern of the ark to hold the testimony God would give him.
Heavenly Pattern and Presence
The earthly ark was made after the pattern of the true ark in heaven, and the law placed in the earthly ark represented the law deposited in the heavenly ark. What was written by God has its original in the heavenly ark, while its copy is on earth. The ark in the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary holds that same testimony, the tables of stone containing the Ten Commandments.
It has the appearance of finest gold, with a border of beautiful fine gold work representing crowns around its top. On each end is a lovely cherub with wings spread out over it, raised on high and touching each other above, with faces turned toward each other looking downward to the ark. Between the cherubim is a golden censer.
The cherubim represent all the heavenly angels and the angelic host looking with interest at the law of God, and living angels stand at either end of the ark in reverence and humility. They show the reverent regard of the heavenly universe for the law as the foundation of God's government. They also represent the reverence with which the heavenly host regard the law of God and their interest in the plan of redemption, with the law resting beneath the mercy-seat toward which they look down.
Above the mercy-seat between the cherubim is the Shekinah, the manifestation of the divine presence, and from between the cherubim God made known His will. In the heavenly sanctuary it is seen as an exceeding bright glory like a throne where God dwells, whose light and glory overshadow the mercy-seat and fill the temple, and on earth the divine presence was manifested in the cloud of glory between the cherubim above it. The ark that held the law was regarded as Israel's glory and strength and as the place where the token of God's presence abode day and night, for the law represented God Himself and the ark was made to receive the tablets and symbolized His presence among His people. The mercy-seat is above the law, and Jesus stands before the ark to mediate for humanity. The ark is in the heavenly Most Holy Place, whose door Jesus opened in 1844 when He shut the door of the Holy Place.
Law's Authority and Demand
The ark derived all its value and sacredness not from its own materials but from the divine precepts placed within it, for the testimony is the two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments inscribed by God's own finger. That law represented God Himself, spoken by Him amid the thunders of Sinai, and it is the testimony and the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel, which is why the chest is called the ark of the testimony, the ark of the covenant, and the ark of God's testament. Made expressly to receive and hold those tablets, the ark was regarded as Israel's glory and strength and as the place where the token of God's presence abode day and night, while the cherubim above the mercy-seat bowed in reverence to represent the reverent regard of the heavenly host and the heavenly universe for that law as the foundation of God's government and their interest in the plan of redemption. From between those cherubim above the mercy-seat, where the Shekinah manifested the divine presence, God made known His will to His people.
The law thus enshrined is perfect and unchanging, the standard of right conduct and the perfect law of liberty upon which human happiness and God's glory depend. It is immutable and remains binding after the cross, and the Sabbath commandment remains written there exactly as God gave it and has not been changed, so its force and the Sabbath question are to be clearly taught. That same law preserved in the earthly ark is also in the heavenly sanctuary, and it will be brought forth when the judgment sits and the books are opened. It is holy precepts without a flaw emanating from the mind of Jehovah, the law given by the great Ruler of the universe, and it is the standard by which people are judged, while the record of their deeds determines their sentence according to whether their works are good or evil, for in the day of judgment every man's deeds shall be compared with the law in the ark and weighed in unerring scales.
When Israel honored that law, the ark containing it accompanied them as a sacred symbol and sign of God's presence and protection among them. When they transgressed the law they forfeited that protection and were given into their enemies' hands. Because that judgment by the ten holy precepts engraved by Omnipotence still awaits, all business transactions, especially among church members, must be performed in accordance with that law in high, holy, sanctified rectitude. There is to be no unrighteousness in judgment and not one vestige of oppression or selfishness, so before carrying out any transaction a man in responsible position must inquire whether it agrees with the ten precepts and whether he will be unashamed to have it appear when his case is tried by God's standard.
The specifications Christ gave Moses for building the tabernacle, including the ark to hold this testimony, were afterward repeated by Paul to his fellow tentmakers while he worked quickly and skillfully with his hands for his own and their benefit. By that intelligent labor as well as by voice he preached the gospel, kept in touch with the great Teacher, instructed in spiritual things, educated believers in unity, and gave an example of diligence and thoroughness. From those specifications he taught that supreme honor is to be given to God and that the skill, genius, and wisdom brought into the work of building the tabernacle were given by God to be used for His glory.