The Lost Ark

Galatians 6:7

“Do not be deceived. God will not be mocked.”

In today’s world if a person mentions the Ark of the Covenant someone may say,

“Oh, that was my favorite Indiana Jones movie!”

The movie Raiders of the Lost Ark was based on a real search for the lost Ark of the Covenant just before World War II.  Most people do not know anything about the Ark or what was inside, not even Christians!

But today we will learn and grow in our knowledge of Scripture as we read 1 Samuel 5:1-12 together.

Before we begin turn back to 1 Samuel 4:6-9 and reread how the Philistines recognized the Ark of the Covenant as the God of Israel’s power and presence. They knew they would need to capture it from the Israelites and that is exactly what they did starting in verse one of chapter five.
1 Samuel 5:

In verse 2-5 they arrogantly treated God’s Ark of the Covenant with disrespect and sat it in their temple in front of their god Dagon. (Dagon was worshipped as the father of Baal and he was thought to have an upper body of a man and the lower body of a fish.)

Galatians 6:7 is a strong warning to all mankind:

“Do not be deceived. The Lord your God will not be mocked.”

The Philistines were shocked and horrified the next morning when they entered the temple and found the statue of Dagon lying on the ground.  They replaced their god on its pedestal and when they had returned the second morning God knocked it down again and dismembered it. The people knew the God of the Israelites was angry and fighting against them.

The following seven verses of this chapter shows the panic and fear growing in the people. People became extremely ill and many died throughout their camps while the Ark of the Covenant was present. The people wanted their leaders to remove the Ark from their camps and return it to the Israelites.

Notice how the people in verse 12 finally cry out to the God of the heavens for help. They were broken people desperate for help and healing. No longer were they seeking their god for help but the one true God of the heavens.

So what?

What can you and I learn from Chapter 5

1.What was in the Ark of the Covenant?

   a. The Ten Commandments written on stone (Ex.25:16)

   b. The Pentateuch (Scrolls of Genesis through Deuteronomy) (Dt. 31:26)

   c. A jar of manna (to remind them of God’s provision) (Ex. 16:33,34)

   d. Aaron’s rod that budded  (Heb. 9:4)

2. What was it made of?

   a. Acacia wood, overlaid with gold (Ex. 25:10-11)

   b. Designed to carry on poles (Ex. 13,14)

   c. Topped with a “mercy seat” (Ex.26:34)

   d. Adorned with gold cherubim (Ex. 25:18)

3. Who took care of the Ark and moved it from place to place?

    a. The priests of the Levite Tribe of Israel.

    b. The priests were instructed to only use poles to move the Ark.

How can I apply this to my life?

1. God placed the Ten Commandments in the Ark of the Covenant for all to respect and remember.

Application:

CAN YOU RECITE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN THEIR ORDER?

Today is a great day to refresh and share them with others. (Read Exodus 20)

2. We may not have the Ark of the Covenant with us but we do have our Bibles full of Scriptures to read, respect, memorize, learn and share.

Application:

DO YOU RESPECT AND READ YOUR BIBLE? WHERE DO YOU KEEP YOUR BIBLE?

Today is a great day to recommit your life to reading and respecting the Word of God.

If you are looking for further in depth reading on the Ark of the Covenant or the new temple rebuilt in the End Times I’d like to suggest the book The Temple And The Second Coming by Grant Jeffrey. It is extremely interesting and I know you won’t be disappointed.

Now is the time to honor the Lord and read His Word!