Ark

They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. You shall cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you

Exodus 25:10-16

     In the English Bible there are two different ways the word “ark” is used. 1) The “ark” of Noah that saved he and his family from the great divine, just deluge that wiped out the disgraceful humanity living in Genesis 6-9; and 2) the “ark” of the covenant which is a very specifically designed and created holding vessel for the laws and commandments of the Lord given to the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai in Exodus 25. Ark is a very interesting word to study. Depending on the context it can be translated “box,” “chest,” or even “large boat.”

     What is even more interesting is that the narrative of Moses being placed in a basket on the Nile River during the great Egyptian infanticide also uses a Hebrew word for “ark” when referring to the vessel Moses was placed in. So in this case “ark” is used as a basket made of bulrushes (Exo. 2:3).

The text is very straight forward in that the term “ark” is a box. We typically associate the ark of Noah with some kind of boat-shaped object with curved bow and stern, perfect for navigating the swells of the flood. However, if we take a very literal approach to the text it was not such in the least. The ark of Noah would have looked very similar in geometry to that of the Ark of the Covenant; more or less a very rigid, 90 degree cornered rectangular box.

     What is placed in an ark? Hebrews 9:4 tell us that the ark of the covenant contained “a golden urn holding the manna, and Arron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.” Genesis 7:13-14 tell us exactly what entered the ark the Noah built. The eight persons God wanted to save, a pair of every unclean animal and seven of every clean animal. And finally, in the case of the ark of bulrushes Moses himself was placed inside. These are all things that reflect the faithfulness of God to his people. Noah and his family was faithfulness to establish a people on this earth. Moses was an answer to take the Hebrews out of Egypt and into the promise land (although Moses was never told he would enter). The tablets of the law, the urn of manna and the rod of Aaron all refer back to the time in the wilderness as the Israelites were wandering to and fro when Yahweh established and revealed his faithfulness to his people through physical intercession for them.

     In the situations in the Bible, namely the Ark of Noah and the Ark of the Covenant, the Lord is very, explicitly clear about the specific geometry of the arks being created. In other words, there were rules and regulations involved in the construction of these objects. There was formality and specifications to not only its appearance but also its function.

     Let us take now what the text says and apply it to our lives and souls. How can the biblical texts of Noah, Moses, and the Ark of the Covenant constructed by the people of Israel affect our spiritual lives in 2015? One common theme traces through the Bible as any type of ark is spoken of; this theme is the faithfulness of God, His promises and fulfillment of those promises. What an incredible thing it would be for the people of Israel in the mighty United Kingdom under Saul, written about in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. They would literally be able to remember where the Lord brought them and the obstacles and trials the Lord brought them through by thinking about the Ark of the Covenant and the objects that lie within it.

     Has the Lord answered any of your prayers? Can you look back in your life and see clearly how the God provided for your needs? I believe there are certain things and certain events that forever mark our souls which are never forgotten. Being careful here not to say our minds and souls are like the Ark written about in the biblical text, I do believe our minds and souls function in a similar way.

     The ark Noah built would forever be a reminder of what the Lord brought him and his family through, almost a year of cramped quarters and animal smells would then sit on the summit of Mount Ararat being a visual reminder to all those who saw it that God was faithful in providing protection.

In like manner the Ark of the Covenant containing its contents of historical and spiritual significance would always be a reminder to the Israelites that their God is altogether unique from the gods of their surrounding nations. They can experience things that immediately bring them back to when God was faithful.

     Our minds, hearts, and souls bear witness to the faithful character of the Lord and forever we will be able to proclaim his goodness in our life as we think back on how his faithfulness was shown to us. 

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