The Throne and Covenant Chest of Yahweh (Exodus 25:10-22).
The Making of the Ark (Exodus 25:10-14).
The analysis of this section stresses the make up of the Ark (Exodus 25:10-14).
a They were to make an Ark (chest) of acacia wood covered with gold and a moulding of gold round about (Exodus 25:10-11).
b Four rings of gold were to be set at the bottom part of the sides of the chest, two on one side and two on the other (Exodus 25:12).
b Staves were to be made of acacia wood covered with gold, and these were to be but into the rings in the side of the ark.
a This was for the purpose of carrying the Ark and all that pertained to it (Exodus 25:13-14).
Note how in ‘a' we have the making of the Ark and in the parallel the bearing of the Ark. And in ‘b' we have the provision of the rings for carrying it, and of the staves which would fit into the rings.
The Purpose of the Ark (Exodus 25:15-22).
a Into the Ark was to be put the Testimony which Yahweh will give them (Exodus 25:15).
b A mercy-seat or place of propitiation was to be made to cover the Ark as a kind of lid, and on it, made as one piece with the lid, were to be two cherubim of gold at each end of the mercy-seat (Exodus 25:17-19).
c And the cherubim were to spread their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat, with their faces facing each other and facing the centre of the mercy-seat (Exodus 25:20).
c And the mercy-seat was to be put over the Ark and in the Ark was to be the Testimony that Yahweh had given them (Exodus 25:21).
b And there Yahweh will meet with Moses, and commune with him from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim (Exodus 25:22 a).
a Which are on the Ark of the Testimony, concerning all the commandments which He will give him for the children of Israel - compare Numbers 7:89 (Exodus 25:22).
Note how in ‘a' the Testimony (the covenant) was to be put into the Ark and in the parallel it is called the Ark of the Testimony, containing all the commandments given through Moss to the children of Israel. In ‘b' the mercy-seat or place of propitiation is to be made, on which are set, at each end, the two cherubim looking inward, while in the parallel Yahweh will meet with Moses and commune with him from the mercy-seat or place of propitiation, from between the two cherubim. And in ‘c' the cherubim were to ‘cover' the mercy-seat, and in the parallel the mercy-seat was to cover the Ark.
The first and central object in the Tabernacle, although only known to the people by description, was the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh with its covering mercy seat. It represented the throne of Yahweh both for mercy and judgment, and confirmed the covenant that as their Overlord He had made with His people. It was the outward evidence of their unique position as His ‘holy people', which they were required to live up to (when they finally failed to do so the Ark was finally destroyed).
It is to us a reminder that our God is enthroned in Heaven, the High and Lofty One, enshrouded in splendour, Who inhabits eternity Whose name is Holy, surrounded by a multitude of heavenly beings, and yet is One Who dwells among the humble and contrite (Isaiah 6:1-4; Isaiah 57:15). And it is a reminder that to those who trust in Him He offers mercy and forgiveness, and to be their God, to watch over them and keep them, and be perpetually among them.
That the Ark should be mentioned first emphasises its supreme importance. It represented the essential realities between Yahweh and His people. As His throne it declared Him to be their king, as His Mercy-seat (place of covering of sin) it declared His offer of continual mercy and propitiation (making satisfaction for sin), as containing the covenant tablets it declared that His people's portion in Him lay though the covenant. Only by receiving and being bound by His covenant could they approach Him as their sovereign and merciful Lord.
“And you shall make a chest of acacia wood. Its length will be two and a half cubits and its breadth one and a half cubits and its height one and a half cubits. And you will overlay it with pure gold, you will overlay it both inside and outside, and you will make on it a moulding of gold round about.”
The chest or ark would contain the Testimony, the ten words (Exodus 25:21). It was to be made of acacia wood and totally covered in gold. Thus it depicted His strength and His glory. Only gold was worthy of the throne of Yahweh. In the Tabernacle that which is gold must not come in contact with the more mundane. Thus it stresses the holiness of all that is in the Tabernacle which is made of gold. The word for ‘chest' was used for Joseph's coffin in Egypt (Genesis 50:26) and a money chest for collecting the ‘ransom' (Exodus 30:12), as well as freewill gifts, when the people were numbered (2 Chronicles 24:8-11; 2 Kings 12:9). Otherwise it is exclusive to the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh.
“Acacia wood.” This was obtainable in the Sinai region and came from a spreading, thorny tree which would produce hard wood of sufficient size. Some of the people already had some in stock (35:24).
“Totally covered in gold”, both inside and out. Gold represented all that was most splendid. In the Tabernacle it represented all that was most holy. The Semites were recognised as highly skilled craftsmen in precious metals, as various Egyptian tomb scenes, depicting the giving of tribute, demonstrate. The moulding was probably shaped to receive the covering, the throne seat (25:17). We must not just look on Israel as merely a desert people. They would have had ample opportunity to expand skills that were already among them while Joseph was vizier and these would have continued in use even when they were enslaved. Skilful slaves were always treasured.
“Cubits.” The cubit was the length from elbow to finger tip. This was the natural or common cubit. It was about 44:45 centimetres or 17:5 inches. The chest was thus about 111 centimetres or three foot eight inches long, and about 66:68 centimetres or two foot six inches wide.
“And you will cast four rings of gold for it, and put them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it.”
These rings were to receive the staves by which the Ark would be carried. They were probably at the bottom (its four feet), possibly at the corners. But we must recognise that in all the descriptions there may be technical terms which were far better understood then than they are now.
“And you shall make staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. And you will put the staves into the rings on the sides of the chest, to carry the chest by them. The staves shall be in the rings of the chest. They shall not be taken from it.”
The staves for carrying the chest were made of the same wood as the chest, providing strength, and overlaid with gold, demonstrating overlordship and holiness. For Yahweh all was to be the very best. The staves ensured that the Ark never needed to be touched and were to be kept in the rings permanently although it would appear that when the Ark was being elaborately prepared for travelling they would be temporarily removed and then immediately replaced (Numbers 4:5-6) by the priests. It was holy to Yahweh, as Mount Sinai had been (19:12-13). The staves were long enough to protrude into the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies) (1 Kings 8:8). One purpose therefore of keeping them permanently in the rings was so that they would be seen through the veil as a permanent reminder of the presence of the unseen Ark. Another was that having touched the Ark they were not to be treated casually by being stored away.