July 3rd, 2018

The Ark and the Law

“And you shall put in the ark the Testimony which I will give you.”  Ex. 25:16

God instructs Moses what to place into the Ark of the Covenant.  We shall follow the progression of instruction, beginning at Exodus 25:16.  The word testimony is “eduth” in Hebrew and means law, witness, precept, prescription, or reminder.  It comes from the root word “ed” which means witness, or recorder.  In essence God was telling Moses that the testimony, or witness, was to be placed in the Ark as a reminder to the people of the covenant law.  The Ten Commandments were actually placed inside the Ark after they had been given for the third time.  Let’s trace the history below:

Ø  God spoke the Ten Commandments at Sinai – Ex. 19:20;  Dt. 4-5;

Ø  God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger on two Tables of Stone – Ex. 31:18 and 32:16;

Ø  Moses broke the tables to symbolize how Israel had broken the law – Ex. 32:19;

Ø  God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger a second time – Ex. 34:1-4;

Ø  Moses placed the tables of the law in the Ark of the Covenant – Dt. 10: 1-5.

It is noteworthy that the law was placed under the Mercy Seat.  As the Ark itself was the container of the presence of God, and the law was stored within it, Jesus fulfilled the law.  The Messiah ushered in “grace and truth” (John 1:17) and because Jesus was obedient to the law while he dwelt among men, judgment that was once in the law was given to Him.

The law of the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament yielded to a New Covenant and a new law.  This new law was written not on tables of stone, but on the tables of the heart.  It too was written by the Lord, and is etched on the hearts of believers today.  It is the law, or commandment, of love.