How does the ark in Exodus 25:10 foreshadow Christ's role in salvation? Setting the Scene: Exodus 25:10 “They are to make an ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.” Acacia Wood – Christ’s True Humanity • Acacia is a common, durable desert wood—ordinary yet incorruptible. • Christ took on ordinary human flesh, yet without corruption of sin. • John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” Gold Overlay – Christ’s Full Deity • The ark was completely overlaid with pure gold inside and out. • Gold pictures the divine nature—holy, glorious, untarnished. • Colossians 2:9: “In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily.” • Together, wood and gold reveal one Person, two natures: fully Man, fully God. Exact Dimensions – Completeness of Redemption • Two and a half cubits long, one and a half wide and high—fractions, not whole numbers. • Christ alone supplies what fallen humanity lacks; His finished work completes the measure. • Hebrews 10:14: “By one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Contents Inside – Fulfillment of the Law • Later, God places the tablets of the covenant inside the ark (Hebrews 9:4). • Christ embodies and fulfills that law perfectly (Matthew 5:17). • Believers are accepted because He kept the law within Himself. The Mercy Seat – Place of Atonement • Though instructed a few verses later (Exodus 25:17–22), the solid-gold cover crowns the ark. • Blood is sprinkled here yearly on Yom Kippur, foreshadowing Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice. • Romans 3:25: “God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood.” • At the mercy seat God meets sinners; in Christ God reconciles the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). Carrying Poles – Salvation Brought Near • Permanent poles kept the ark ever mobile, traveling with the people. • Salvation in Christ is not confined to a place; it accompanies believers wherever they go (Matthew 28:20). Veiled Presence Torn Open • A veil once barred access to God’s throne above the ark (Exodus 26:33). • At Christ’s death, the temple veil rips from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51), opening direct entry. • Hebrews 10:19–20: “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.” Living Application • The ark’s materials and design portray Christ’s person. • Its blood-sprinkled cover pictures His substitutionary death. • Its hidden law points to His perfect obedience credited to believers. • Its constant presence mirrors His abiding Spirit within the redeemed. Conclusion The ark in Exodus 25:10 is more than ancient furniture; it is a vivid, God-given portrait of Jesus—fully human, fully divine, perfectly righteous, eternally present, and alone able to bring sinners into the holy presence of God. |
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