For April-June 2002
Volume 5 Number 2

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This page provides a place for editorials, the opinion of our editors and viewers, answers to short questions from our viewers, and occasional feature articles. You can also access previous editions by using the More Editions of Perspectives link.

Our Feature Article

A television special called Biblical Mysteries: The Ark of the Covenant, which aired on the NBC television network, was disappointing. The program concentrated largely on the speculations of Michael S. Sanders (see www.biblemysteries.com), who believes that the Ark was taken by the Egyptian pharaoh Shoshenq (called Shishak in the Bible) and bought to Egypt. Shishak, who attacked the kingdom of Judah in ca 922 BCE during the reign of Solomon's son Rehoboam, "carried off the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the treasures of the royal palace'' (II Chronicles 12:9). Strangely, the program made no mention of the strong evidence against this theory. In particular, II Chronicles 35:3 indicates that the Ark was still in the possession of the Jews a few hundred years later, during the reign of King Josiah.^F1

People have long been intrigued by the question of where the Ark of the Covenant is hidden. The Biblical Mysteries special, Graham Hancock's book The Sign and the Seal (Hancock 1992), and the Steven Spielberg film Raiders of the Lost Ark, a Lucasfilm Ltd. production, by Paramount Pictures, are all indicators of our continuing fascination with the Ark of the Covenant. The recovery of the gold-covered Ark, which contained the stone tablets of God's covenant with Israel (Exodus 25:21; 40:20; Hebrews 9:4), would truly be a sensational discovery. Of infinitely greater value, however, are the spiritual lessons conveyed to us through the symbolism of the Ark. The scriptures show that the Ark has much to teach us about God's nature, promises and purpose.

The Significance of the Tabernacle and the Ark

The events recorded in the biblical book of Exodus vividly demonstrate God's love and faithfulness to His people. In fulfillment of His promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:13-14), God miraculously delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and began to guide them toward a new home in Canaan. At Mt. Sinai, six weeks into the journey to the Promised Land, God described the dramatic rescue with this poetic phrase: "...I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself"' (Exodus 19:4, NIV).

God had a vitally important purpose in liberating Israel, expressed in Exodus 19:6: "...you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'' To equip the Israelites for this mission, He gave them the Ten Commandments and other instructions at Mt. Sinai. God's commandments reveal much about His nature and character. Israel would need to follow them in order to be proper representatives of God and reflect His character.

Among the instructions God gave to Israel were detailed plans for the tabernacle, a portable place of worship. Nearly a third of the book of Exodus (chapters 25-31 and 35-40) involves these plans and their execution, indicating that the tabernacle would play a key role in Israel's mission. As God explained in Exodus 29:45-46,

Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God. (Exodus 29:45-46.)

The tabernacle would provide a special place for God to be present with His people. This purpose of the tabernacle is reflected in its Hebrew word-mishkan. The noun mishkan comes from the verb shakan, which means "to dwell'' (Kaiser 1998:94). Shekinah, the Hebrew word for God's glorious presence, also comes from shakan.

The plans for the tabernacle begin in Exodus 25 with instructions for its most important component-the Ark of the Covenant (vv. 10-22). The Ark was a gold-covered wooden chest designed to house the tablets of the Ten Commandments (vv. 10-16). On its cover, also made of gold, were two golden cherubim, between which God's presence would appear:

There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites'' (Exodus 25:22).

From his place between the cherubim, God would continue the revelation that He gave to Israel on Mt. Sinai. The tabernacle has often been referred to as a "portable Sinai,'' and in fact, there are a number of parallels between the appearances of God at Mt. Sinai and at the tabernacle (Larsson 1999, 3, Chapter 9]. For example, after the tabernacle and its furnishings had been built, God's presence came to the tabernacle in a cloud (Exodus 40:34), reminiscent of His earlier descents to Mt. Sinai in a cloud (Exodus 19:9; 24:15-16). Then God "called to Moses and spoke to him'' (Leviticus 1:1), as He had earlier called to Moses on the mountain (Exodus 19:20; 24:16). Interestingly, the only other time that the book of Exodus speaks of God "calling'' to Moses was at the burning bush in Exodus 3:4 (Kaiser 1994).

On Mt. Sinai, there was a point beyond which the people could not go in approaching God's presence (Exodus 19:12, 21; 24:1-2). Moses, Aaron with his sons Nadab and Abihu, and some elders could go past that point, but only Moses talked with God (Exodus 24:1-2, 13-18). Similarly, the tabernacle included an area called the Holy Place, access to which was restricted to priests performing their prescribed duties. Within the Holy Place was the Most Holy Place, which contained the Ark of the Covenant and could only be entered by the high priest, and then only on the annual Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:1-2, 29-34; Hebrews 9:1-7).

Both at Mt. Sinai and in the plans for the tabernacle, we see God's transcendence as well as His immanence (see Kaiser 1998 at chapter 9). On one hand, a person who wished to approach God would have to prepare appropriately for the encounter (e.g., Exodus 19:10-11; Leviticus 11-15) and carefully follow God's instructions on how, when, and where he could be contacted. These provisions underlined the great gulf separating an infinite, perfect God from finite, sinful human beings. On the other hand, God in His great love wished to reach across that gulf and dwell among his people, as emphasized by his continuing presence above the Ark.

These qualities of God are important for worshippers in all eras to keep in mind. We who worship God today remember His transcendence when we come before Him with reverence, and we are grateful for His immanence when we confidently approach His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).

A further indication that the tabernacle was designed to continue the experience of Mt. Sinai can be seen in the sacrifices offered at the inauguration of the tabernacle service in Leviticus 9. These sacrifices included a peace offering (NIV, "fellowship offering'') for the nation of Israel as a whole (Leviticus 9:3, 18). A similar offering accompanied the ratification of the covenant at Sinai (Exodus 24:5). Interestingly, a collective peace offering was also part of the annual liturgy for Pentecost (Leviticus 23:19), a festival that is traditionally associated with covenant renewal and God's revelation of Torah at Mt. Sinai.

Symbolism of the Ark

So far we have seen the importance of the Ark of the Covenant as a location for God to dwell among the Israelites and impart further instruction to them. Now let's take a closer look at the description of the Ark in Exodus 25:10-22. Through the centuries, Jews and Christians have carefully examined each facet of these instructions in order to discern the lessons God may have trying to impart through such a detailed plan. Today there is a large body of tradition, rich with spiritual lessons, about the symbolism of the Ark.

Notice first that the directions for building the Ark can be divided into two sections, corresponding to two parts of the Ark: verses 10-16 describe the wooden chest, the repository for the tablets of the covenant; while verses 17-22 discuss the cover atop the chest, where God's presence would reside between the golden cherubim. We might think of these two parts as representing the two parties involved in the covenant. The chest could stand for Israel, which receives Torah and agrees to follow it; and the cover could represent God, who will dwell among a people that gladly accepts His teaching.

Verse 11 instructs the Israelites to "overlay it [i.e., the wooden chest] with pure gold, both inside and out...'' In Jewish tradition, this detail is said to signify that the lives of those who strive to obey God's commandments should exhibit a consistency between outward behavior and inner character. Such a consistency is emphasized throughout the Bible (see e.g. Deuteronomy 10:16; I Samuel 15:22; Psalm 51:6, 16-17; Jeremiah 4:4; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 23:23-28; Romans 2:28-29).

Like other articles of the tabernacle furnishings, the Ark would be transported by means of poles that fit into gold rings at the four corners of its base (Exodus 25:12-14, 26-28; 27:4-7; 30:4-5). The instructions for the Ark also specify that its poles never be removed from the rings (Exodus 25:15), a stipulation not made for the other furnishings. In Jewish tradition, the command to keep the poles in the rings is listed as one of the 613 commandments of Torah, and commentators have pondered its meaning (Samet 1997).

One main reason, of course, for keeping the poles of the Ark in their rings was to ensure that the Ark would be carried with the poles and not by some other method. The Ark, as the dwelling place of God's Shekinah, was the most holy of the tabernacle furnishings and thus deserved to be treated with special care. This principle was later underscored during the time of King David, when the Ark was once transported on a cart, contrary to God's command that it be carried on the shoulders of the Kohathites (Numbers 7:6-9). At one point the oxen pulling the cart stumbled, and Uzzah, who was guiding the cart, was struck dead when he put his hand on the Ark to steady it (I Chronicles 13:6-10). As a result, David made sure that the Ark was handled properly when it was later carried the rest of the way to Jerusalem (I Chronicles 15:11-15).

There may also be spiritual significance in the fact that the Ark was to be carried on men's shoulders. Taking the Ark upon one's shoulders could symbolize submission to God and acceptance of the responsibility to obey his commandments. In the context of this symbolism, the command to keep the poles in the rings of the Ark could represent the fact that one's commitment to walk in obedience to God must never be ignored or abandoned. Jesus Christ later gave instruction on this point when He said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God'' (Luke 9:62).

The command not to take the poles of the Ark out of their rings implies that it was possible to remove the poles. This fact has led commentators to ask the following question: Why didn't God just design the Ark so that the poles were permanently affixed to it? After all, making the poles impossible to separate from the Ark would have been a simple way to guarantee that they were never removed. In keeping with the symbolism of the previous paragraph, one answer offered by Jewish tradition is that the removability of the poles represents God's desire that His people accept His instruction voluntarily (Samet 1997). God wants us to obey Him, but He will not force us to do so. He allows us to choose (see Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

Perhaps the most striking feature of the Ark was the presence of the golden cherubim on its cover (Exodus 25:18-20). Cherubim had previously appeared in the Bible in Genesis 3:24, where we read that in the aftermath of the sin of Adam and Eve, God "placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.'' Some commentators have suggested that the cherubim were placed on the Ark to remind Israel that access to God was limited and required spiritual readiness, as well as to impart the message that the way back to the Garden of Eden lies in faithfulness to God's covenant (Leibtag n.d.).

A Brief Biography of the Ark

After the tabernacle and its furnishings, including the Ark, had been carefully constructed according to the specifications outlined in Exodus 25-30, "the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle'' (Exodus 40:34). Then as He had promised, God accompanied the Israelites on their journey to Canaan. When the children of Israel broke camp at Mt. Sinai and began the next stage of their travels, the bearers of the Ark led the way as God directed them (Numbers 10:33). At the end of the journey, the waters of the Jordan River parted when the priests carrying the Ark reached the water's edge (Joshua 3). God's presence with His people throughout their forty years of wandering in the wilderness is commemorated each fall in the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Later, during a time when the nation had strayed far from God, the Israelites temporarily lost possession of the Ark when they foolishly tried to use it as a sort of magic talisman in a battle against the enemy Philistines (I Samuel 4). They had lost sight of the fact that the Ark had no intrinsic power of its own. What they needed was repentance and a close relationship with God, not a gold-covered good luck charm.

The Ark was brought to Jerusalem amid great rejoicing and celebration during the reign of King David (I Chronicles 15-16). David's dream of building a great temple in which to house the Ark was then realized by his son Solomon. At the time of the temple dedication (held, fittingly, in conjunction with the Feast of Tabernacles-see II Chronicles 5:3; 7:8-10), the Ark was carried to its position of honor in the temple's Most Holy Place (II Chronicles 5:4-10), and the Shekinah subsequently filled the magnificent new edifice (II Chronicles 5:13-14; 7:1-3). God had demonstrated His love and faithfulness by coming to dwell with His people once again.

After the reign of Solomon, Israel divided into two kingdoms. The northern House of Israel quickly fell into idolatry and was eventually conquered by the powerful Assyrians. The southern kingdom of Judah, where Jerusalem and the temple were located, also drifted away from God, but its decline was more gradual because of occasional religious revivals under righteous kings. In particular, the temple was repaired and true worship briefly restored under King Josiah (II Chronicles 34-35). Josiah's revival included the return of the Ark to its proper place in the temple (II Chronicles 35:3), from which it had apparently been removed either on account of the repairs or by the order of a previous idolatrous king.

What Happened to the Ark?

Second Chronicles 35:3 is the last passage in the Hebrew Scriptures in which the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned. Nobody knows for sure what happened to the Ark; presumably it disappeared at around the time of the destruction of the temple (about 586 BCE). According to one tradition, recorded in the second century BCE in the book of Second Maccabees, the prophet Jeremiah hid the Ark in a cave:

...the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the Ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God. Jeremiah came and found a cave-dwelling, and he brought there the tent and the Ark and the altar of incense; then he sealed up the entrance. Some of those who followed him came up intending to mark the way, but could not find it. When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: 'The place shall remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated' (II Maccabees 2:4-8, NRSV.)

Why did God allow the Ark to be lost? The answer indicated by the scriptures is that the Ark came with an "expiration date'' attached. As wonderful as the Ark was, God planned from the beginning to eventually be present with His people in even more marvelous ways.

The first hint of the temporary nature of the Ark appears in the original instructions for the tabernacle in Exodus 25:9, where God commands, "Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you'' (see also Exodus 25:40). These instructions imply, according to both Jewish and Christian tradition, that the Ark was a model of some greater heavenly prototype (see e.g. Hebrews 8:5; Revelation 11:19).

A second clue about the greater things to come appears in Jeremiah's prophecy of a new (i.e., renewed) covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-37. This prophecy states that God's Torah, formerly engraved on tablets of stone and stored in the Ark, would one day be written on the hearts of men (v. 33).

To make possible the close relationship between God and His people described in Jeremiah 31:34, God would send Jesus, the Messiah, to provide a perfect atoning sacrifice for the sins of humanity (Isaiah 53:4-12). The offerings given by the Israelites at the altar in front of the Holy Place pointed toward this ultimate offering (see Hebrews 9-10).

The coming of the Messiah was also foreshadowed by the Ark. We can think of Jesus' mother Mary, the virgin who fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:13-14, as an "Ark'' which held the Word, the personification of Torah (for more information about this symbolism see article on the Virgin Birth by Jared L. Olar in Grace and Knowledge). And today, when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, He comes to dwell in us (John 14:23). God's purpose is to grant us eternal life (Romans 8:10-11) and to be with us forever (Revelation 21:3). He gives each of us the wonderful opportunity to be an ark or a temple (I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20).

Conclusion

The possibility of finding the ancient Ark of the Covenant, lost now for nearly 2600 years, continues to intrigue erstwhile Indiana Joneses as we enter a new millennium. But the Ark, as great as it was, is in itself no more than a beautiful piece of antique furniture. Far more exciting, when we understand and accept them, are the spiritual principles and wonderful promises of which the Ark was a symbol and type. As Jeremiah prophesied, one day the whole world will enjoy fellowship with God and the Ark will no longer be remembered (Jeremiah 3:14-18). In the meantime, we gratefully accept His presence in and among us and strive to walk faithfully in His covenant.

__________

^F1Michael S. Sanders (see www.biblemysteries.com) asserts that the ark mentioned in II Chronicles 35:3 was a copy of the original one, based on the dubious claim that Jeremiah 3:16 suggests the existence of at least one such copy.

Your concept of salvation is regrettable. Salvation is a gift not a work of belief. The Bible clearly says:" Truly, truly, I say unto you, he who believes HAS eternal life." John 6:47.

Now, the last time I checked, "Eternal" means "Non- ending". If salvation is a process that take ones whole life to earn it is neither a gift or by grace. Salvation comes from God alone and He alone furnishes righteousness. It is a one time event that happens when one accepts Christ. (John 3:16)

"Truly, truly, I say unto you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, HAS eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." John 5:24.

I will pray for your group. It is a pity that you have misunderstood the power of the almighty living God and think that He needs your puny efforts to deliver you to himself. God help you.

--Mark Wyatt

Who Brought Sin into the World?

Concerning the comment written by Doug Moody of NC (see Plugging the Holes in the Gap Theory in Perspectives 3.2), I have a couple of observations to make about his argument that the world could possibly be billions of years old because Satan brought sin into the world.

Romans 5 teaches very plainly that "By one MAN sin entered into the world"; not by the acts of Satan or Lucifer. Further, if Satan had brought sin into this world, then how could God pronounce His creation "good" throughout Genesis chapter one with sin being existent in it? If we say that God judged and abolished the sin in the earth purging it for a second creation, then we have a serious problem with the power of God. Satan and his demons still exist throughout Scripture.

I am all for unity among the brethren and reaching out to a sinful world, but it is ignorance to sacrifice Biblical teachings for the sake of common ground and scholarship.

--J. R. Thomas

In your response to YHVH and Allah, one and the Same you write "evangelical Christians have no doubt which is the true god and which are counterfeits". Who are the evangelicals? Are you saying that The Roman Catholic Church is worshipping the true god? Are you referring to Billy Graham as also worshipping the true God? It seems to me that both organizations display the same man/God image on their cross. Do not the Lutherans as well as a host of other "Christian Evangelicals" display the same Roman depiction of the crucified man/God Jesus? Are you saying that this symbolic icon (cross) leads men to a relationship with the true God of all in heaven? I guess I am asking what perception a Christian should carry in his mind about God? It is difficult for me to think of this Christian cross icon and look to heaven when the Bible pictures Jesus with a glorious shining burnished brass/gold type body? Is not the cross a type of idolatry? If so, how can the evangelicals have the true God? Will you comment on the above for me?

--Bob Johanneson

In two books about early Christianity, I have read that the leaders - the bishops, the elders/presbyters, and the deacons - were elected per directions found in the book of Acts. Since many of the early converts were women, it is not surprising that women deacons were recorded in documents - because the women were voting and the men were split with regards to the cultural bias against women. There is even some evidence of women presbyters - very little evidence. This was why I am interested in the dress of women in the early Church.

--wailingdeer

The First Christians

The First Church seems to be a subject most people do not want to study. I study as a chair archaeologist, history, but share with many diverse Christians within an ecumenical movement.

James as authority, within the Temple is of interest to me, that apparently Christian worship was done Solomon Porticle, that the synagogue service was in front of the authoritive sects, especially the Sanhedrin. A question of electing James as Pharisee and Christian to participate in worship and dialogue within the Temple surroundings, the twelve bishops of Jerusalem was under Rome authority or Jerusalem Church? The idea of Minyan within house, church, synagogue was of one, that basic Jewish people and the educated functioned as one in glory of God, and worship of Jesus? Did Eucharist participation, be part of unleavened bread service?

--Richard and Karen Czubachowski

If we understand your question properly, you are asking if Judeo-Christians kept the days of unleavened bread. The majority of scholars who have studied this matter hold that they did. Greco-Roman Orthodox Christians generally did not as they distanced themselves from all things remotely seen as Jewish.

--editor

--Kathleen

It appears your professor is a biblical illiterate. Your bible study teacher is correct. We suggest you take some time and study the material we provide in this regard in The First Christians.

--editor

--twmck

I was wondering if you�ve read the article by Ze�ev Herzog in Ha�Arez magazine where he says that Moses, Abraham and other didn�t even exist and that David was a local tribal ruler at best. You can read it here, if you haven�t: http://www.bib-arch.org/bswbBreakingIllSpecial1.html. The reason I�m pursuing this is because it was given a pretty extensive audience in the New York Times recently. If you have, what do you think about it? Maybe you�ve already responded. Is there somewhere I can read it?

--Mike Lawyer

There is an ongoing scholarly dispute on the historicity of the patriarchs.  You can keep up with the issues by regularly reading the Bible Review and the Biblical Archaeology Review. Its all part of the continuing debate between minimalists and maximalists (see As History).

Wyatt's Mt. Sinai 

Do you have any comments about Ron Wyatt�s claim to the Mt. Sinai being in Saudi Arabia? Here is a quote from one of his web sites: �Hershel Shanks, editor of Biblical Archaeology Review stated in Newsweek that "Jebel el Lawz is the most likely site for Mount Sinai." Dateline NBC has featured Jebel el Lawz in one of its reports.� Newsweek February 23, 1998.

--John Ballou

We have not taken the time to focus on the route of the Exodus with the intensity and thoroughness the topic deserves. Our research to date would not change our opinion from Mt. Sinai lying in the Sinai peninsula.

Bashan and the Giants 

It occurred to me that the area of Jordan which contains the area of Bashan, where the King of Og lived, this entire area in the Bible, was the land of giants. If this is so, it is one thing to try to locate one human skeleton. But since there were a whole race of these giants and we know their precise location, wouldn't it be quite simple to dig in that area and easily find a large number of skeletons that size?

--James Sundquist

There have been numerous excavations in the area. Skeletal evidence of a race of giants in the region remains wanting. Absence of evidence, however, is not evidence of absence.

When did the Dinosaurs Exist?

Recently I have pondering the question of when dinosaurs were in existence. History and Science books say millions of years ago but because I am a Christian I believe that the earth is only 6,000 years old. Anyhow I was interested to see if you could help me figure this out.

--Nicole Dunifon

There are many Christians who believe the earth is much older than 6,000 years. We suggest you read about some of the explanations Christians have for how we find the fossil record. Please see Creation Theory where we show the major creationist schools of thought on this topic.

Rohl's Theory

I am impressed with your website. I read a book recently called 'Pharaohs and Kings' by David Rohl. In it he proposes that the decline in material goods recovered in the Levant for the periods corresponding to the United and Divided Monarchies is the result of a misdating of all finds based on the present Chronology most widely accepted by contemporary Archaeologists, which he claims is based on well the now outdated work of Victorian era Egyptologists. I have been unable to find any review or criticism of this book, and so am unsure what to make of it.

By his view The pharaoh who sacked Yerushalayim during the reign of Rehov'am was not Shoshenq (Heb: Shishak = Egypt: Shoshenq) but Ramses II (based on one of his 'nicknames' 'Sesse'=Heb:Shishak) He also claims to have found evidence for Yosef's Vizierate, etc. I would be interested to know what view you take towards this theory, (put simply that Israeli chronology should be pushed back approximately three centuries and Egyptian chronology brought forward correspondingly) and on what basis you might take exception to it. He did not read like a crank. He seemed to have marshaled his evidence.

--Neal Clarke

Gahanna

I have been teaching an adult Bible class on the life of Jesus and the topic of the Valley of Hinnom and Gahanna arose during our discussions. In my research, I have noticed that many writers consider the Valley of Hinnom as the garbage dump for Jerusalem in the 1st Century and that Jesus used this known landmark in his discussions about Gahanna with his disciples. One writer mentioned that the first mention of this area as a dump was by Rabbi Kimchi that lived around the 12th - 13th Century.

It seems from the OT that King Josiah desecrated this area after he destroyed the worship of Moloch and many documents I've read characterize his desecration of this area as creating a dump. Is there any viable archeological evidence that backs up this view? Is it just oral tradition and the facts have been lost to antiquity?

--Michael Young

Foods and the Bible

I live in Singapore. I am a UK graduate in Food and Nutrition. I want to write a book entitled: Foods from the Bible" about the type of food Jesus and Mary and the Apostles ate. I know the Bible refers to many of these foods like figs, olives, locusts, wine. I am looking for recorded details of what breads they baked, method of cooking. Jesus broiled fish over a small, outdoor fire. Would you know where I could get more references via the Internet? I would be so grateful for your help. By the way, I am an Orthodox Christian.

--Irene-Anne

This is the type of research you would be well to do at a theology library. Viewers who might want to help her out can do so. Her e-mail is [email protected].

--editor