THE QATSPY® From the Kerosene Cowboy Journal Perception
Source of Image of the Ark of the Covenant is by Jeremy Park, Bible-Scenes.com to be used to support our Faith
By: Charles W. Boatright
Importance of the ARK or its Contents– Indiana Jones lead an Expedition like many have to uncover the Lost Ark and its Impact on our Lives. But what is more impactful was what was placed in the Ark that still impacts our Lives to this Day!
What was the Important- The Ark, or What was in The ARK?
Even Jeremiah in Jeremiah 3:16 stated that the Ark wasn’t relevant to practicing our Faith any longer; but what was on (the Mercy Seat) and in the Ark still has relevance!
God gave Moses specific instructions on how the Ark was to be constructed by skilled craftsmen, but that wasn’t the only instruction that God gave Moses. God even gave Moses instruction on how the Ark was to be carried by the Priest ONLY and what to be placed in the Ark.
God gave Moses instructions to place three (3) items into the Ark of the Covenant. This is recorded in the Old Testament, as well as, in the New Testament in Hebrews 9:4. These items were Aaron’s Rod, a gold container of Manna (or Showbread), and the Ten Commandments.
As described in the Old Testament, the Ark had unimaginable powers, as well as, unimaginable curses of death that the enemies of Israel soon found out; and Uzzah did when he went to steady the Ark. The issue with Uzzah was how the Ark was being carried, by Oxen not Priest.
The Lost Significance of the Ark
According to Jeremiah 3:16 the Ark of the Covenant wasn’t as significant to the Jewish Faith as earlier in the Old Testament. But the three (3) items in the Ark of the Covenant still play an important part of our Faith for both in Jewish and Christians Faith alike.
So actually Indiana Jones’ time would have been better spent finding and understanding the significance of the three items in the Ark, than the Ark itself. I find it intriguing that of all the items that could have been placed in the Ark; God chose these three following items:
It is obvious why the Ten Commandment was placed into the Ark that is the bedrock and basis of ours faith and basis of many country’s Judicial systems. If you look at the Supreme Court building pediment it contains reliefs of Moses, Confucius, and Solon.
But what was pointed out by Jesus was the New Covenant, where Jesus told the Jewish Lawyer in Matthews 22:36-40, when the lawyer asked Jesus as a test, Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
This was when Jesus introduced the New Covenant based of three (3) principles of the Old Testament forming the New Covenant Law that summed up all laws in the Old Testament-
Matthews 22: (37) And He (Jesus) said to him (the Lawyer), “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (38) This is the great and first commandment. (39) And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (40) On these two commandments hangs all the Law of the Prophets.”
Earlier Jesus stated another New Covenant Law in Matthews 7:12- So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Jesus was summing up the entire Ten Commandments in just these three (3) New Covenant Laws where Commandment 1 through 4 consisted of verse 37. Commandment 5 through 10 consisted of verse 39.
The Gold Container of Manna or Showbread
The Showbread signified God’s Word that Jesus was tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread after Jesus spent 40- days and 40 nights in the desert. Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3 … that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. The life Jesus was referring to wasn’t the physical life; but our internal spiritual Life!
Jesus while celebrating Passover before the Last Supper, that I have underlined and bolded in the following verse-While they were eating, Jesus introduced Communion referred to as The Last Supper where in Matthews 26:26- Jesus took Matzah (Unleavened Bread) While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
This emphasizes the verse in John 1:14- And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us….
The Significance Aaron’s Rod
King David in writing in Psalms recounted about his days as a shepherd boy tending his father’s sheep and herds where he confronted lion and bear. This probably has the best read on the significance of Aaron’s Rod placed in the Ark. This is covered in one of the most popular chapters quoted, the 23rd Psalms:
Verses (3) He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Verse (4) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The rod and staff was essentially the same; but for how it is used determines how it is being described and referred to in the 23rd Psalms.
Walking Stick on Hikes
Take a fascinating and healthy sport of hiking that I enjoy doing. When you’re hiking the trail in nature you are using your walking stick as support. But if you’re hiking a trail and you encounter a coyote or pack of coyotes, you’re using your walking stick as a defensive weapon, or rod as referred to back in the Old Testament days.
Personally, I would prefer having my Model 1911 with me, instead of using just my walking stick as my weapon of choice on the hiking trail.
In Conclusion and Summary of the Three Items in the Ark of the Covenant
The Ten Commandments are our Principles and Fundamentals that we use to live by; but we also have a Quick Reference Guide that Jesus gave us in just the Three (3) Old/New Covenant verses that sums up the entire Law.
The Showbread– The bread is used for Nourishment in our physical lives; but in our spiritual lives from consuming God’s Word that we live by and prosperous from by following.
Aaron’s Rod– Used for guidance and to defend ourselves like Paul described in Ephesians 6: 12-18 as putting on the Whole Armor of God:
Loins girt about with Truth
Breastplate of Righteousness
Feet shod with the Preparation
Shield of Faith
Helmet of Salvation Sword of God’s Word
Just some of Steven Spielberg’s Movies includes- besides the Indiana Jones series, includes Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Jaws, Lincoln, and on a humor side my favorite is 1941.
If I could suggest to Mr. Spielberg one huge movie that could be made would be that of the Longest Day to make sure the events of that day and the sacrifice never diminishes with time for future generation to know the history of D-Day. I don’t think many of these D-Day Veterans that attended the 80th Anniversary at Normandy this week will be around for the 90th or especially the100th.