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Text File | 1992-10-28 | 8KB | 173 lines

                              ARK OF THE COVENANT

SERIES: TABERNACLE OF MOSES.                         LESSON NO.7.

1.    ITS POSITION.

      Ark of the Covenant found in the Holiest of All.  Jesus
      said, "I am the  WAY   - Outer Court.
                       TRUTH -  Holy Place.
                       LIFE  -  Holiest of All.

      The Ark was found behind the veil in the secrecy of the
      Holiest.  Only entered once a year by the High Priest on the
      Day of Atonement.  The Day of Atonement is prophetic of
      maturity of the Body of Christ as it enters into the
      "measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Eph. 4:13.
      We know that Christ as our Great High Priest has entered the
      Holiest to make a way for us into the Presence of God
      (Heb.9:19). There is a time fast approaching when the Church
      is going to enter the veil right through into all that God
      has purposed and destined for her.

      The 3 Arks of the Bible.
      (i)  Noah's Ark - message of preparation. l Pet.3:20;
           Heb.11:7. Protection in the midst of Divine Judgment.
           Ps.91.
      (ii) Moses' Ark - Ex.2:1-6 - Deliverance  from  death  -
           our last enemy.
      (iii) Ark of the Covenant    -  the presence and glory of
                                      God.
                                   -  perfection of the Church
                                   -  deliverance from death.

      Both Noah's Ark and the Ark of Moses were lined with Pitch.
      The Hebrew word for Pitch is "Kaphar" which is the same word
      for atonement, showing that the ones that touch the Day of
      Atonement (maturity) are going to experience Divine protection
      and resurrection life.  Ps.102:18,20, Heb.6:2.

2.    THE DESIGN.  Ex.25:10-22.
      v.10 "Shittim Wood"
      It is our wooden, human frame that is to contain the fullness
      of His presence.
      v-11 "Overlay it with pure gold within and without".
      Our humanity is clothed with His glory and nature.  As we
      come to the culmination of all that God has purposed for the
      Church, He is not only dealing with our outward actions but
      He is doing a deep work "within" - the motives and desires of
      the heart.  Col.1:27; Ps.45:13. "Crown of Gold" Speaks of royalty.
      -    we are a royal priesthood.  Rev.1:6; 1 Pet.2:9.
      -    two other pieces of furniture with a crown
           (i)   Table of Shewbread
           (ii)  Altar of Incense.
      If we minister just at the Brazen Altar (Salvation) we are
      only priests and servants.  But if we come into the Holy
      Place we begin to enter into a position of royalty and
      sonship.

      His Appearing - a crown for those who love His appearing.
      2Tim.4:8; Lev. 16:2.
      v.12  "4 Corners"
      4 corners of the earth.
      Num.14:21 - "As truly as I live, all the earth shall be
      filled with the glory of the Lord." Hab.2:14; Is.40:5. Glory
      of God revealed in all the earth as the Church enters the
      Holy of Holies.

      Measurements.

      -  10xlOxlO cubits - 1000.
      The Holy of Holies is prophetic of the period of time called
      the Millennium (Rev.20:3) when the whole earth will be filled
      with His glory for 1000 years.
      v.13 " and thou shalt make staves"
      The Ark was the only piece of furniture where the staves were
      not to be taken out.
      -  in Church history the glory was the first to go.

3. CONTENTS OF THE ARK.
      Heb.9:4 -  (i) Pot of Manna
                 (ii) Aaron's Rod
                 (iii) Tables of the Law.
      As the vessel of the glory, made of a wooden human frame, we
      are to contain all three of these truths. 2 Cor. 4:7.  Jesus
      contained the "fullness of the Godhead bodily" Col.2:9; 1: 19.

A.   The Manna        - the Son - John 6:48
B.   Tables of Law    - the Father
                      - source of all authority and law.
C.   Aaron's Rod      - the Holy Spirit
                      - cause of all fruitfulness. Gal.5:22.

      The Manna -  the bread of His Word - John 6:48.
      John 6:51,55.......... and the bread that I will give is my
      flesh..... for my flesh is meat indeed."
      We know that Jesus' meat was to do the will of His Father.
      John 4:34.  Therefore the Manna speaks of feeding upon the
      bread of His Word as well as obeying the will of the Father.

      Resurrection Life.
      - John 6:54 - "Whoso eateth my flesh......... I will raise
      him up at the last day."
      If we are to experience the "power of His Resurrection" we
      are also to know "the fellowship of His sufferings", that is
      to eat His flesh by doing the will of the Father.  Phil.3:10;
      Heb.5:8; Rev.2:17 - Hidden Manna promise to the overcomer.

Aaron's Rod

Speaks of the:-   (i)   anointing
                  (ii)  resurrection life, fruitfulness
                  (iii) submission to the Divinely-appointed
                        authority.

      A. THE ANOINTING.
      Num.17:8 - The Rod consisted of: Buds  -  Blossoms  -
      Almonds.
           -  the same as the candlestick.  Ex.25:33.
           Knop  -  Flower -  Bowl (Almond).

      Rod and Candlestick identical showing us that the Rod speaks
      to us of the anointing.

B.    RESURRECTION LIFE AND FRUITFULNESS.
      The Rod or stick was cut off from it's source of Life.
      - it was dead - new life budded forth out of death.
      Fruitfulness and life comes to us through the anointing of
      the Holy Spirit.

C.    SUBMISSION.
      In Num.16 Korah rebels and also "Princes of the assembly,
      famous in the congregation, men of renown." v.2, 2
      Pet.2:1,10. The budding rod is a sign to these rebels of
      God's chosen priesthood.
      - as the sign is seen by Israel, they come into a place of
      submission to God's ordained leadership.

      Tables of the Law.  Ex.20:1-17;Deut.10:1-5.
      Matt.5:17 - "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or
      the Prophets: am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Rom.8:4.
      Christ fulfilled the righteousness of the Law and so are we -
      as the Church comes to "the stature of the fulness of Christ."
      (a)  The Law Exposes Sin.  Rom.3:20; 7:7.
      (b)  Two Tablets of Stone.
           four on one, six on the other.
           First four commandments to do with our relationship with
           God.  Last six commandments to do with our relationship
           with men.  Today we find God emphasising both of these
           aspects.

      c)   Book of the Law.  Deut.31:24-26.
           This contained the ceremonial law - it embraced the
           subjects of the Tabernacle, the Priesthood, the
           offerings and the Feasts.  Restoration of this book in 2
           Kings 22:8 - Restoration of lost truth.  For example
           laying on of hands, resurrection life, Baptism in Holy
           Spirit, Body of Christ, etc.

4.    THE ARK AT THE END OF THE AGE.  Josh.3:1-17.
      As the close of the Church Age comes upon us we are to follow
      the Ark of His Presence across Jordan (death) into the
      Promised Land of our full inheritance.

      v.4 "There shall be a space......about 2000 cubits......
      - 2000 years of the Church Age.  At the end of the 2000
      cubits was the Ark - so, in this day it is only as we follow
      all the truths the Ark speaks of, that the Church will break
      it's appointment with death and enter into the fullness of His
      resurrection life, coming to the "stature of the fullness of
      Christ."