What is the meaning of Exodus 39:35? the ark of the Testimony • Exodus 39:35 lists “the ark of the Testimony” first, reminding us that the centerpiece of the tabernacle has been completed exactly as the LORD commanded (Exodus 25:10–22). • It is a literal gold-overlaid acacia chest that housed the two stone tablets of the covenant (Deuteronomy 10:1–5; Hebrews 9:4). • The name “Testimony” links the ark to the written covenant; every time Israel saw or spoke of the ark they were pointed back to God’s unbreakable word (Psalm 19:7). • Positioned in the Most Holy Place, the ark signified God’s enthroned presence among His people (1 Samuel 4:4). • The precise craftsmanship and costly materials underline His holiness and His worthiness of the very best (Malachi 1:14). • As the covenant chest, the ark prefigures Christ, in whom the fullness of God dwells bodily and through whom the new covenant is secured (Colossians 2:9; Luke 22:20). with its poles • Exodus 39:35 continues, “with its poles,” emphasizing that even the carrying gear is integral, not optional (Exodus 25:13–15). • The poles allowed the Levites to transport the ark without touching it, preserving reverence and protecting them from judgment (Numbers 4:15; 2 Samuel 6:6–7). • Mobility testifies that the living God leads His people wherever He wills—cloud by day, fire by night, ark borne on shoulders (Numbers 10:33–36). • The poles were never to be removed (1 Kings 8:8), teaching constant readiness to follow God’s guidance. • Obedience in small details matters; careless shortcuts can lead to disaster, as Uzzah discovered (1 Chronicles 15:13). • For believers today, the lesson is clear: handle holy things—Scripture, worship, fellowship—with awe and exact obedience (Hebrews 12:28). and the mercy seat • The list ends with “the mercy seat,” the solid-gold cover that sealed the ark (Exodus 25:17–22). • Two cherubim faced each other above it, and the LORD declared, “There I will meet with you” (v. 22). • Once a year blood was sprinkled here on the Day of Atonement, securing forgiveness for the nation (Leviticus 16:14–15; Hebrews 9:5–7). • Romans 3:25 calls Christ “a sacrifice of atonement” (BSB: “a propitiation”), directly linking the mercy seat to the cross. • What the golden lid symbolized—sins covered by sacrificial blood—Jesus fulfilled once for all (Hebrews 10:10). • Because He is our Mercy Seat, we now “approach the throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16), assured of permanent acceptance. summary Exodus 39:35 records the completion of three sacred pieces—“the ark of the Testimony with its poles and the mercy seat”—each constructed exactly as the LORD prescribed. The ark proclaims God’s covenant faithfulness, the poles highlight reverent obedience and His guiding presence, and the mercy seat foreshadows the perfect atonement accomplished in Christ. Together they invite us to trust God’s word, follow His lead, and rest in His mercy. |
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