1 Kings 8:9 — There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
One verse today reminded me of beautiful pictures! The two stone tablets of the Law that Moses put in the ark were still there. At some time a pot of manna and Aaron’s rod were placed in the ark too, but it seems they were no longer there. Maybe they were just lost, or perhaps the Philistines took them when they had possession of the ark. However that might be, the essential things — the tablets — were still there to remind the Israelites of the covenant that bestowed blessings and duties on them, they were a symbolic reminder of God’s presence. Indeed, it seems that in early times the simpler believers, at least, believed the ark to be — somehow — the actual dwelling place of God!
The ark, then, spoke of blessing and duty — but it also spoke of mercy. Its gold lid was called the “mercy seat” Once a year the high priest was made atonement for the people of Israel by sprinkling the mercy seat with the blood of bulls and goats.
A terrible thing happened to Israel. Somewhere — perhaps in the Babylonian exile — the ark disappeared. It was, perhaps, the Lord’s rebuke for Israel’s apostasy. Perhaps, though, it was to clear the way. The ark was a picture of something immeasurably better to come. The ark was a picture — a “type” in Biblical terms — of Jesus.
When Jesus came, there was no longer any need for a symbolic reminder of God’s presence. Now God dwells among us. When Jesus died and rose He sent the Holy Spirit. God is with us!
Jesus’s coming also removed the need for the annual atonement over the mercy seat — “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9:12). Jesus tore way the veil before the most holy place, and paid — once for all — the price for every believers’ sins.
The ark makes one more appearance, “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” (Revelation 11:19). It is a sign that the day will come when heaven and earth come together, the redemption will be complete and law and grace will be unified. It is one last beautiful picture!