Exodus 25:14

_AND THOU SHALT MAKE STAVES OF SHITTIM WOOD, AND OVERLAY THEM WITH GOLD._ Thou shalt make staves of shittim wood. These staves, which were to be ornamented in the same style as the ark itself, were always to remain in the rings, even when the ark was stationary, to prevent it from being desecrated by the contact of human hands. The Septuagint has: hoi anaforeis akineetoi, the poles not to be moved (see the note at Numbers 4:15)....

10-22 The ark was a chest, overlaid with gold, in which the two tables of the law were to be kept. These tables are called the testimony; God in them testified his will. This law was a testimony to the Israelites, to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them, if they transgressed. This ark was placed in the holy of holies; the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled, and the incense burned, before it, by the high priest; and above it appeared the visible glory, which was the symbol of the Divine presence. This was a type of Christ in his sinless nature, which saw no corruption, in personal union with his Divine nature, atoning for our sins against it, by his death. The cherubim of gold looked one towards another, and both looked downward toward the ark. It denotes the angels' attendance on the Redeemer, their readiness to do his will, their presence in the assemblie...

(compare Exodus 37:1). The ark is uniformly designated in Exodus the ark of the testimony. Elsewhere it is called the testimony, the ark of the covenant (most frequently in Deuteronomy and the other books of the Old Testament), the ark of the lord, the ark of god, the ark of the strength of the lord, and the holy ark. The ark of the covenant was the central point of the sanctuary. It was designed to contain the testimony Exodus 25:16; Exodus 40:20; Deuteronomy 31:26, that is, the tables of the divine law, the terms of the covenant between Yahweh and His people: and it was to

EXPOSITION THE PATTERN OF THE ARK.—Moses is first shown, not the pattern of the tabernacle, but the patterns of those things which it was to contain—the ark, the table of shew-bread, and the seven-branched candlestick, or lamp-stand, with its appurtenances. The ark, as the very most essential part of the entire construction, is described first. EXODUS 25:10 THOU SHALT MAKE AN ARK OF SHITTIM WOOD. Arks were an ordinary part of the religious furniture of temples in Egypt, and were greatly venerated. They usually contained a figure or emblem, of some deity. Occasionally they were in the shape of boats; but the most ordinary form was that of a cupboard or chest. They were especially constructed for the purpose of being carried about in a procession, a

AND THOU SHALL PUT THE STAVES INTO THE RINGS BY THE SIDES OF THE ARK,.... This shows for what use the rings were; namely, to put the staves into them and the use of the staves thus put was, THAT THE ARK MIGHT BE BORNE WITH THEM; which staves overlaid with gold, and put into golden rings, figured the ministers of Christ, enriched with the gifts and graces of his Spirit, and possessed of the truths of the Gospel, more precious than gold and silver; who bear the name of Christ, and carry his Gospel into the several parts of the world....

Exodus 25:10. _And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about._ The ark of the covenant was the most sacred object in the tabernacle in the wilderness. It stood at the extreme end of the holy of holies. It was the place over which the bright shining light, called the Shekinah, which was the token of the presence of God, shone forth. The ark was, doubtless, typical of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was a sacred chest made to contain the law. Blessed are they who know the law in Christ. Out of Christ, the law condemns. In Christ, it becomes a blessed guide to us. This ark was made of wood, perhaps to typify the human nat

3. THE TABERNACLE AND THE PRIESTHOOD CHAPTER 25 The Tabernacle _ 1. The freewill offering and the materials (Exodus 25:1)_ 2. The ark (Exodus 25:10) 3. The table of showbread (Exodus 25:23) 4. The golden candlestick (Exodus 25:31) This is another intensely interesting portion of this great book. To give a few annotations and hints on the tabernacle is an extremely difficult task, for there is such a wonderful mine of wealth here that a book of hundreds of pages could not contain all. The tabernacle concerning which the Lord instructed Moses was the earthly place of worship of Israel; i

EXODUS 25:10 P. THE ARK (_cf._ Exodus 37:1). Three stages of tradition may be distinguished with regard to the Ark (pp. 105f., 123f.): (_a)_ In JE, and in the earlier historical books, it is the visible seat of Yahweh's presence, guiding and protecting His people. Various explanations are offered. Other ancient peoples carried images in similar chests; the ark may have held some such symbol; Kennett (ERE, vol. i. 791- 793) suggests the brazen serpent. Or it may have contained a stone from the sacred mount to serve as a throne for Yahweh as He went forth with His people to find a new home amongst men (_cf._ Naaman's mules-' burden of earth). But it is not thought likely that it originally held the tablets, which would be publicly exhibited not hidden from sight. Dibelius and Gressmann e

Poles of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, to be made for the transport of the ark. Cf. 1 Kings 8:7 f. Similar poles are provided for carrying the table of Presence-bread, _vv._27 f., the altar of burnt-offering, Exodus 26:6 f., and the altar of incense, Exodus 30:4 f. The word (_bad_), except in these connexions, is rare. Egyptian shrines, and sacred -arks," were carried in procession similarly: see Wilk.-B. iii., Plate opp. p. 355, E; _EB._i. 307; Erman, p. 276....

THEY SHALL MAKE AN ARK OF SHITTIM-WOOD— The furniture of the most sacred part of the tabernacle, the _Holy of holies,_ the immediate residence of the Divinity, is first appointed. Of this, the _ark_ or _chest_ was the principal; which, made of _shittim-wood,_ Exodus 25:5 was about four feet five inches in length, and two feet six inches in height and breadth, _overlaid with pure gold within and without; with a crown_ or _circular rim of gold round about it,_ Exodus 25:11 and was to have _two golden rings on each end,_ [see 1 Kings 8:8. 2 Chronicles 5:9.] in which were to be put staves of shittim-wood ove