1 Kings 6:19

The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.

This temple of Solomon, so "exceeding magnifical," this "holy and beautiful house," "of fame and glory throughout all lands"—why was it built? what its primary purpose? It was above everything else a home for the ark ( 1 Kings 8:1 , 1 Kings 8:6 ), a place for the Divine Glory which hovered over it.

In this temple, unlike the shrines of Paganism, there was no statue, no similitude of God. Here was no "image which fell down from Jupiter," no Baal or Asherah, no Apis or Osiris. We may imagine how this would impress the Phoenician workmen. We know how it impressed Pompeius and the Romans. There is deep significance in those words of the Roman historian: Inania arcana, vacua sedes . Nothing but the ark. And this ark, what was it? It was a coffer, a chest. It was nothing in itself; but it was meant to contain something. It was the casket of a rare jewel. "There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone," etc. ( 1 Kings 8:9 ). It was the "ark of the testimony." So that the temple was properly and primarily the shrine and depository of the tables of the law graven with the "ten words," "the words of the covenant" ( Deuteronomy 4:13 ).

Now we have just seen that the temple was the archetype of the Church: we have seen, too, that everything in Judaism has its analogue in Christianity. What, then, let us ask, was the significance of the ark? To what does it correspond in the new dispensation?

In the Church, to nothing. The "words of the covenant" are no longer kept in the dark. No; we now inscribe them on our chancel walls. In the "sanctuary" of the Gothic church the ten commandments are "writ large*' for men to see.

But if Judaism was really the outline of Christianity, then there must be something in Christianity answering to that ark which was the core and centre of the Mosaic system. Certainly. But it is to be found, not in "temples made with hands," but in those other "temples" of the Christian faith, the bodies of believers, the temples of the Holy Ghost ( 1 Corinthians 3:16 ; 1 Corinthians 6:19 ). The ark was the soul of Judaism. It may fittingly represent the souls which Christ has redeemed. Temple, ark, tables of the law—these severally correspond to the "body, soul, spirit" of the Christian man. Within the temple was the ark; within the ark the tables. Within the σῶμα is the ψυχή ; within the ψυχή the πνεῦμα . Nor is this so fanciful as it seems. For are not our bodies the "temples of the Holy Ghost"? And are not our hearts— i.e; our inmost being, our spiritual part ( 1 Peter 3:4 )—the fleshy tables on which He writes His law? Yes, in the "new covenant" God writes His law in the heart, and puts it in the inward parts (see Jeremiah 31:33 ; cf. Ezekiel 11:19 , Ezekiel 11:20 ; 2 Corinthians 3:8 ). In the face of these scriptures, who can deny that the ark and its tables have their analogues in the New Testament? Such, then, being the symbolism and significance of temple, ark, and tables of law, what are their lessons? Among others these:

1 . That God dwells within us. No longer in temples made with hands, but "with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit" ( Isaiah 57:15 ). Did the Shechinch brood over the mercy seat? Not less truly does God's Spirit dwell ( Romans 8:9 ) and witness (verse 16) with our spirit. Men say the Shechinah has left the world. On the contrary, It has enshrined Itself in the soul. " Christ in you" ( Colossians 1:27 ); God dwelling in us ( 1 John 4:2 ); this is the last best gospel of our religion. The Old Testament, Neander says, tells of a God who is for man. In the Gospels we hear of Emmanuel, God with man. But the Epistles speak to us of God in man.

2. That God writes His law upon us . We have seen that in the Church there is neither ark nor tables of stone. It is because there is no need of either. This is the age of that "new covenant" of which the prophet spoke, when the finger of God should write the law upon the spirit, and when the Bath Kol should speak within. The laws of our country are so voluminous that no man can hope to know or to remember them, and their "glorious uncertainty" is proverbial But God's law is but one ( Romans 13:9 , Romans 13:10 ; Hebrews 8:10 ; Hebrews 10:16 ); and that sweet and blessed statute the Spirit graves within us. Now observe—

3. The ark, led by God, conducted Israel to victory, and rest. In the journeyings of Israel the ark went before them ( Numbers 10:33 ). At the Jordan it opened a way for them ( Joshua 3:14-17 ). Before Jericho it led them on to victory ( Joshua 6:9-11 ). Even so the soul, guided and taught of God, passes safely through its pilgrimage, conquers its foes, and gains its heavenly rest. Let us yield ourselves to be "led by the Spirit of God" ( Romans 8:14 ).

4. The ark, led by man, conducted Israel to disaster and defeat. When the Israelites, instead of following the ark, would lead it ( 1 Samuel 4:3 ), it landed them in a "very great slaughter." It proved to be no fetish, as they had hoped; it only led them to a shameful death. "It is one thing to want to have truth on our side; another to want to be on the side of truth" (Whately). It is of no avail to have the commandments of God, unless we keep them; to know His will, unless we do it. And if we lean to our own understandings, the soul will make shipwreck. Reason, it is true, is "the candle of the Lord;" but revelation is the " lamp to our feet and the light to our path" ( Psalms 119:105 ; cf. Proverbs 3:5 , Proverbs 3:6 ).

5. The ark, the pride of Israel, on two occasions became its plague. The men of Bethshemesh looked into it, and died. Uzzah put forth his hand to steady it, and was smitten for his error ( 2 Samuel 6:7 ). So the ark teaches the much needed lesson of reverence—reverence for God and the things of God. It also suggests that dishonour done to God, or disregard of His law, has a sure retribution. If we stifle our convictions or quench the Spirit's light, the law written within may hereafter become the "instrument to scourge us."

6. In the second temple there was no ark . A stone is said to have taken its place. The venerable relic of the wilderness life, the sacred chest, and its still more sacred contents, both perished in the sack of Jerusalem ( 2 Kings 25:9 sqq.) May we not see here a lesson against impenitence? Over how many souls may "Ichabod" be written? The ark of God is taken! The soul is led captive of the devil The heart of flesh, the "fleshy tables" on which the Spirit loves to write, has given place to a heart of stone—a heart as cold, as hard, as senseless, as void of all grace and blessing as this stone which stood in the oracle in the room of the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

HOMILIES BY A. ROWLAND