Taking a Closer Look at the Tabernacle in Exodus 25 - The Ark

My friend's model of the
tabernacle

     God wanted His dwelling place to be furnished with just four pieces of furniture. And they weren’t a couch, a recliner, a bed, a table and chairs either! Instead of furnishing God's house the way I would furnish my own, God had another idea.  He wanted Moses to build an ark, a showbread table, a lampstand, and an incense altar. 

     When you read these descriptions you may be going huh, what does this all mean?  I read some of the chapters in the Life-Study of Exodus for the first time when I was in my twenties.  I've read this book three times, and each time I see something more of the spiritual meaning hidden in all the details of the tabernacle. You have got to get on Living Stream Ministry's website and read through these on your own--they are very enlightening and helpful.

  The ark in the Holy of Holies is the first piece of furniture that God describes to Moses.  This ark contained three things--a golden pot of manna, the tablets of the law, and Aaron's budding rod. I learned from my reading that the ark is the focus of the tabernacle and represents God's being incarnated in Christ, and as such, it is God's starting point on His journey to reach us (See John 1:14). What stands out to me here is that God

went through incarnation, a human life, death, and resurrection so that He could not only redeem us but also become the place where God fellowships with us.  This fills my heart with awe and wonder.   And God told Moses that in this verse:

And I will meet with You there, and will speak with you from above the propitiatory cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, all that I shall command you concerning the sons of Israel.  Exodus 25:22

    There are six chapters on the ark, and these excerpts in chapter 84 and on pages 985-986, 988-989 explain some of its important features:

This is the model that some of my friends
 made for their Bible study.

The ark, the incense altar, the showbread table, and the lampstand are all types of Christ....As a type of Christ, the ark typifies Christ as the embodiment of God's testimony....God is in Christ. Apart from Christ we cannot meet God. Not only is God in Christ, but Christ Himself actually is God....In Romans 9:5 Paul says that Christ is God blessed forever....The only way for us to contact God and enjoy Him is through Christ and in Christ....Likewise, because the Holy of Holies is the inmost part of the tabernacle, it is the center of the tabernacle. It is the focus of the tabernacle and signifies the center of God's dwelling place....The cover of the ark is equal to the throne of grace in Hebrews 4:16. It was upon the cover of the ark, the throne of grace, that God dwelt....It was made of acacia wood, which signifies Christ's humanity, strong in character and high in standard....This pure gold signifies Christ's divinity. Other metals may rust or decay, but the substance of gold does not change. Hence, it signifies God who is eternally unchanging. Christ is one Person with two natures, a human nature and a divine nature. Because He is man as well as God, He can rightly be called a God-man (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Exodus. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1981, Print).

     The propitiation cover of the ark was made of solid gold and it had two cherubim facing each other.  Once a year on the day of atonement the high priest would come in and sprinkle blood seven times on the propitiation cover.  I  had a wow moment when I read that only in the redeeming Christ can fallen, sinful people come into God's presence.  This really portrays God's loving heart towards us!!  

You can listen to excerpts of this life training and some outstanding commentary by listening to Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee on Exodus.

Other Posts on the Life-Study of Exodus:

Why Did God Use So Many Women in Exodus 1 & 2?
Taking a Closer Look at the Conflict Between God and Pharaoh in Exodus 5
What Does the Name Jehovah Mean in Exodus 6:2?
Why Did God Really Send the Manna in Exodus 6?
What is the Meaning of the Bitter Waters at Marah in Exodus 15:23?
How are the 10 Commandments Like God's Engagement Covenant in Exodus 20?
How Can You Keep the 10 Commandments?
Why Did the Israelites Build a Tabernacle in Exodus 25:8?
Taking Another Look at the Priesthood of the Believers in Exodus 19:6
Seeing God's Spiritual Building in Exodus 26 - Part 1 of 1
Seeing God's Spiritual Building in Exodus 26 - Part 2 of 2
Taking a Closer Look at the Tabernacle in Exodus 25 - The Ark
Taking a Closer Look at the Tabernacle in Exodus 25 - The Showbread Table & the Lampstand
Taking a Closer Look at the Tabernacle in Exodus 27 & 30 - The Bronze Altar & Laver
Taking a Closer Look at the Tabernacle in Exodus - The Golden Incense Altar