The ark, type of Christ

Thursday 11 March 2021

The ark, type of Christ

They will make an ark of acacia wood... You will cover it with pure gold... You will make a mercy seat of pure gold... The cherubim will face the mercy seat. Read Exodus 25:10-20

The most precious object of the tabernacle built by the Israelites at the direction of God, the one which was hidden from the sight of all in the most holy place, but which was in the center of the camp, was the ark of the Lord. Likewise today, what is common to all Christians is Jesus Christ, their Savior and their Lord, invisible in heaven, yet very present in their midst.

It was made of wood, which speaks to us of the humanity of the Lord, covered with gold, an image of the inalterability of its divine origin. We thus find ourselves before the mystery of Jesus, the Son of God, perfectly God, who came to earth as a man in all points similar to us, except that sin did not dwell in him.

The ark contained, among other items, the stone tablets on which was engraved the Law of God given to Moses for the people. Likewise, Christ was able to declare by the prophetic spirit : I want to do your will, my God ! And your law is deep in my heart (Psalm 40: 9) ; and we see in the gospels that doing his Father's will was really his only goal.

The lid that closed the ark is called the mercy seat, because it is on it that the priest put blood on it every year to make atonement for the sins of the people. The cherubim, a figure of the judgment of God, looked at this blood which testified that the righteousness of God had been satisfied. Likewise, it is through the blood of Christ shed for us that God now sees us cleansed from all sin.

When Moses entered the most holy place to speak with God, it was from above the mercy seat that the divine voice arose (Numbers 7:89). Likewise, we believers can speak freely to God, because Jesus Christ, by His atoning work, restored the relationship with God that sin had severed.

So, like the ark for the Israelites in the wilderness, Christ in heaven is the assurance of our full acceptance by God.

Source (Pleasing the Lord)