Ark of the Covenant

vghopet · Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:06 am Post subject: Ark of the Covenant

Jer 3 is the last statement regarding the Ark of the Covenant. It was hidden. We know of course that this temple housed the Son of the Living God, when Jesus visited, but my question is if the Shikina Glory was housed within the Ark of the Covenant, then what was behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place??? Does EGW say that it will or won't be found? If there was no Ark in the Most Holy Place in Herods temple, then was the Shikina there without the Ark? We know that the curtain was rent from top to bottom when Jesus died on the cross, still I am confused about before HE died, what was going on in Herod's temple if the ark had been hidden before it was built?
Gail in Baton Rouge, LA

Sunrunner · Seventh-day Adventist Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 6

Sorry, not a direct answer, but an interesting thought:

There is a verse in Maccabees (a deuterocanonical book.. not scripture) that says Jeremiah hid the Ark in a cave on Mount Moriah and sealed the entrance. It then goes on to say that before the end of the world the Ark will be found again.

It's something to ponder, but you can't be sure on the validity.

Eugene Shubert · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 11:31 pm Post subject:

Ellen White has these comments on the Shekinah glory and the Ark:

"But the second temple had not equaled the first in magnificence; nor was it hallowed by those visible tokens of the divine presence which pertained to the first temple. There was no manifestation of supernatural power to mark its dedication. No cloud of glory was seen to fill the newly erected sanctuary. No fire from heaven descended to consume the sacrifice upon its altar. The Shekinah no longer abode between the cherubim in the most holy place; the ark, the mercy seat, and the tables of the testimony were not to be found therein. No voice sounded from heaven to make known to the inquiring priest the will of Jehovah." The Great Controversy, p. 24.

"The most terrifying calamity that could occur had befallen Israel. The ark of God had been captured, and was in the possession of the enemy. The glory had indeed departed from Israel when the symbol of the abiding presence and power of Jehovah was removed from the midst of them. With this sacred chest were associated the most wonderful revelations of God's truth and power. In former days miraculous victories had been achieved whenever it appeared. It was shadowed by the wings of the golden cherubim, and the unspeakable glory of the Shekinah, the visible symbol of the most high God, had rested over it in the holy of holies. But now it had brought no victory. It had not proved a defense on this occasion, and there was mourning throughout Israel." Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 584.

"No language can describe the glory of the scene presented within the sanctuary--the gold-plated walls reflecting the light from the golden candlestick, the brilliant hues of the richly embroidered curtains with their shining angels, the table, and the altar of incense, glittering with gold; beyond the second veil the sacred ark, with its mystic cherubim, and above it the holy Shekinah, the visible manifestation of Jehovah's presence; all but a dim reflection of the glories of the temple of God in heaven, the great center of the work for man's redemption." Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 349.

Ellen White never said that the Ark of the Covenant would be discovered or never discovered. Read the interesting Ellen White compilation, titled, The Ark of the Covenant, Will It Be Found?

The Second Book of the Maccabees states:

"Prompted by a divine message, the prophet gave orders that the Tent of Meeting and the ark should go with him. Then he went away to the mountain from the top of which Moses saw God's promised land. When he reached the mountain, Jeremiah found a cave-dwelling; he carried the tent, the ark, and the incense-altar into it, then blocked up the entrance. Some of his companions came to mark out the way, but were unable to find it. When Jeremiah learnt of this he reprimanded them. 'The place shall remain unknown,' he said, 'until God finally gathers his people together and shows mercy to them. Then the Lord will bring these things to light again, and the glory of the Lord will appear with the cloud, as it was seen both in the time of Moses and when Solomon prayed that the shrine might be worthily consecrated.'" 2 Maccabees 2:4-8.