The Ark of the Covenant is in My House

Text/Su Wen’an

In this dark and chaotic world where the epidemic seems to be endless, natural and man-made disasters occur one after another, and bloody wars happen one after another, how can you and I experience God’s clear guidance, abundant provision, and miraculous power, so that we can be successful in our families, churches, and workplaces? , live a purposeful life with faith, good deeds, words, and writing in physical or online communities?

Let’s think about it from Ezra 5:11-15. This passage is part of a memorial to the emperor from the Persian imperial officials who were in charge of Palestine at that time. It describes the Jewish response when they asked the returned Jews who allowed them to rebuild the temple.

The "King Cyrus of Babylon (Cyrus)" mentioned in the memorial who authorized the Jews to rebuild the Temple was Cyrus the Great of the Persian Empire in history, and the target of this memorial was the Persian Emperor Darius I. After receiving the memorial, he ordered to search the palace archives, and sure enough he found the original authorization certificate from Cyrus the Great. So local officials were ordered not only not to obstruct it, but also to immediately provide the Jews with funds and materials to build the temple.

Why are there two temples?

From the Book of Ezra, we know that there were two temples in the history of Israel, called "The First Temple" and "The Second Temple".

The First Temple was built by King Solomon in 960 BC when the power of Israel reached its peak. It is a magnificent and magnificent building. 374 years after the First Temple was built, in 586 BC, it was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

In 516 BC, after 70 years of captivity in Babylon, God called the first Israelites to return to their homeland. The temple they rebuilt became the Second Temple. The temple of Jesus' time was built on the basis of the Second Temple in 19 BC by King Herod the Great, who was entrusted to Judea by the Roman Empire at that time. It was later completely destroyed by the Roman general Titus in 70 AD.

No matter how Herod the Great expanded the Second Temple 500 years later, what was rebuilt by the returnees was no longer the magnificent temple of Solomon's time, but a simple and simple temple of a completely different type.

Who built the Second Temple?

Mathew John, senior pastor of Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, Southern California, USA, pointed out that it is very important to recognize the difference between the First Temple and the Second Temple. He emphasized that the First Temple was built by a great king who used his power, fame, wealth, gifts, and talents. The Second Temple was built by a small group of relatively unknown prophets and priests led by the people.

What kind of person is a prophet? They "speak to men on behalf of God." What about the priest? They "speak to God on behalf of man."

A prophet speaks to people on behalf of God through preaching or teaching. Broadly speaking, this also includes sharing the gospel and sharing biblical truths with others. Therefore, every one of us Christians, regardless of age or gender, should be a prophet of God.

Priests speak to God on behalf of people through prayers and sacrifices, that is, they bring people’s needs, confessions, and thanksgiving before God. This is also the worship, intercession, and watchfulness that every child of the Lord must undertake. duty of. 1 Peter 2:9 calls believers a “royal priesthood.”

Therefore, in church, family, workplace, and community, everyone who sincerely follows the Lord must ask God for the opportunity, motivation, and ability to play the role of prophet and priest.

Not only that, the purpose of the construction of the First Temple was to allow representatives of all tribes and families of Israel to gather in this temple regularly to offer sacrifices and worship, symbolizing that they were a group belonging to God. The Second Temple was built for the spread of the community and to equip the people so that they could return to their villages and towns to worship and serve. This gave rise to synagogues throughout the world. This is also the role that the church should play today.

What's in the Ark of the Covenant?

There is another important difference between the First Temple and the Second Temple. The original intention of building the First Temple was actually to house a small box called the "Ark of the Covenant." The Ark of the Covenant is the "Ark of the Covenant." About a year after the exodus from Egypt, God asked the Israelites to build the Ark of the Covenant. This wooden chest was completely covered with pure gold from the inside out and was approximately 50 inches long and 30 inches high and wide. There are two cherubim carved on the lid of the ark. Between the two cherubim is the place where God speaks to people, and the glory of God will be revealed from there; this is a sacred space.

Three things were placed in the ark: a stone tablet with the Ten Commandments written by God himself; some manna; and a rod belonging to Aaron, the first high priest of Israel. The stone tablets are God's law, symbolizing God's guidance and teaching; manna, the main food for the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years, symbolizes God's provision; Aaron's rod, according to Numbers Chapter 17:8, death The wood produced ripe apricots overnight that took half a year to germinate, bloom and bear fruit. This symbolizes the power of God.

Where is the Ark of the Covenant?

The Israelites carried the Ark with them during the 40 years in the wilderness until they entered the Promised Land. Since then they have been looking for a more formal and permanent place to house it than the Tabernacle. Hundreds of years later, during the time of King Solomon, this dream was finally realized and the First Temple was built. The entire temple was actually built for this sacred ark, which symbolizes Jehovah’s presence, guidance, teaching, provision, and power.

From many records in the Old Testament, we can see that the physical ark placed in the Holy of Holies of the First Temple was indeed the visible evidence that Jehovah gave to the Israelites so that they could personally experience the glorious presence of God. Clear guidance, abundant provision, and wonderful power.

However, the First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC and all its artifacts were taken away. The Book of Ezra records that King Cyrus of the Persian Empire, which replaced Babylon, ordered the temple to be rebuilt. He also returned to the Babylonian kings all the items that they had taken from the temple. But there was no Ark of the Covenant in the Second Temple! Because after the destruction of the First Temple, the Ark disappeared and was never seen again.

There are many theories about the whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant, one of which is widely circulated is that some Jewish leaders hid it before the Babylonians captured Jerusalem. It was hidden so secretly that the Ark seemed to disappear from the face of the earth, and no one really knows its whereabouts to this day. The plot of the 1981 Hollywood classic archaeological adventure film "Raiders of the Lost Ark" starring Harrison Ford revolves around this theme. Of course, all plots are fictional.

Without the Ark of the Covenant, why would we need a temple?

Here a very significant biblical difficulty arises. Since the Ark of the Covenant symbolizes God’s presence, guidance, provision, comfort, and power, what’s the point of rebuilding the temple if the Ark of the Covenant is missing? How can God's people live a life of faith without the physical ark of the covenant?

Pastor Mathew John believes that the Second Temple was built based on a new concept; the temple is no longer just a building to house the Ark of the Covenant, but is built to highlight the altar. At the center of the Second Temple was the altar where God's people could offer themselves up. As we empty ourselves before God, His power will fill us; and when we return to our own communities, God's presence will be there, where the invisible ark of the covenant is hidden.

The mission of God’s children is to reveal the power of the Ark of the Covenant hidden in our homes and communities. It seems like I don’t know where it is, but in fact it is everywhere (Nowhere yet everywhere).

After that, people came to the temple, no longer for the sacred ark placed in the Holy of Holies. On the contrary, people come to the temple to offer themselves as holy living sacrifices as commanded in Romans 12:11. Then, carry the invisible ark of God’s presence into your family and community!

What is the reminder of the "Ark of the Covenant"?

What significance does the "Ark of the Covenant" have to our personal lives today? What role can it play in today’s faith life? After writing this message, I specifically asked the increasingly wise Mr. Chat Gilbert, aka ChatGPT. It provides three very interesting reminders for us.

First, the Ark of the Covenant reminds us to use God’s words and teachings as our guide to life. The Ten Commandments in the Ark of the Covenant teach how to love God and love others. When we obey God’s Word, we can find the direction of our lives and make the right decisions.

Secondly, the Ark of the Covenant reminds us to seek the comfort and protection of our Heavenly Father at all times. When faced with challenges and difficulties in life and ministry, God’s presence is just like the Ark of the Covenant accompanying the people of Israel, protecting us and giving us peace and comfort.

The Ark of the Covenant also serves as a reminder to always pursue a close relationship with our Heavenly Father. The Ark of the Covenant is not only a physical container, but also a symbol of God’s presence. We do have an eternal, best friend who is willing to listen and build personal and profound relationships.

I also think of the Ark of the Covenant as a reminder to be ready to respond to God’s guidance. There were poles set in golden rings on each side of the ark. Whenever the pillar of cloud moved in the wilderness, the Levitical tribe of Israel would lift it; when the pillar of cloud stood still, they would stop and place the ark. Tabernacle.

God clearly commanded that even if the ark stood still, the poles must still be set in golden rings on either side of the ark. This means that God's people must always be ready to lift up and move forward when He gives His word. The modern version of the hidden ark also symbolizes God’s guidance, teaching, provision and power. You and I should always be prepared to take action according to God’s will and command.

The church is a big family and the family is a small church

Today you and I are living in the “Second Temple Period” both spiritually and broadly. God is not only present in the church, but also in families, churches, workplaces, and communities. He is also present in the most filthy, dark, and bloody corners of the world. What we need to do is to reveal the Ark of the Covenant hidden around us. .

We come to church to be equipped, inspired, and sent out. Let us find the "Ark of the Covenant" every day, experience the sin offering of Jesus Christ, the high priest, offered once and for all for us every day, and witness, spread, and live out the gospel so that people around us and far away can also enjoy and experience it. This great love. As the saying goes, "The church is a big family, and the family is a small church."

“The church is a big family” refers to the love and support for each other in the church. “The family is a small church”, what does it mean? I think the core functions of the church are worship, healing, equipping, and sending. Families can be used as "micro branches" of the church planted in the community, and can achieve worship, healing, equipment, and missions. Church life is definitely not just about gathering in a certain place on Sundays, worshiping together, and receiving pastoral care. It also must be implemented by parents in daily family life, including the basic functions of the church such as worship, healing, equipment, and sending.

The church needs a supply of resources and talent. Resources are equipment, teaching materials, courses, tools, and support groups for family faith inheritance. Talent is to allow parents to become prophets, priests, and kings in the family, to play the role of truth teachers, life coaches, and discipleship mentors in life, and to inherit Christ-centered thinking and lifestyle.

No matter what environment the church is in today, this is a direction worth thinking about, exploring, and trying. The church should be a “second temple” where we worship together, are healed, equipped, and then sent back to our families and communities to serve as prophets and priests.

This is the true meaning of "the ark is in my house"! As parents, we must be prophets to our children, whether they are at home or have left home, speaking to them on behalf of God, so that they can understand the truth, believe the truth, and obey the truth. We also need to be priests, speaking to God on behalf of our children and leading them to turn to God and follow Christ.

Is the "Ark of the Covenant" really in your home?

The following is a brother sharing how he serves as a prophet and priest at home, leading his children and grandchildren to reveal the truth, provision, and power symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant in their family and community.

Video: Playing it real - Luo family faith inheritance (6:42)https://youtu.be/rRCsgSxBhoA

The following story confirms from another perspective the revival and changes that have been happening over the past few decades as a result of "The Ark of the Covenant in My Home". December 17, 2023, is a very special day for my wife Lishan and I. Let's take a look at what happened exactly 40 years ago.

Video: The story of wind and kites (7:09)https://youtu.be/gFyOn5SfkQo

Married brothers and sisters, are you also willing to live out "The Ark of the Covenant is in my home" by faith in your marriage, break out of conflicts, struggles, and difficulties, usher in renewal and breakthroughs, and reveal God's eternal truth and loving provision? And wonderful power?

Unmarried brothers and sisters, are you willing to pray for your own revival and change by faith, so that you can first become a person after God’s heart, and also pray seriously for your future marriage, and ask the Lord to give you the ability to be with you at the time He has predestined? Spouses who are of the same mind, walk together, and work together so that marriage can become a testimony of God’s eternal truth, loving provision, and wonderful power?

Pour out your heart to the Lord

Please put your hands on your hearts and come together to the Lord to plead:

Lord, we all know that we are not perfect, and we all have many challenges and struggles in our families, workplaces, cultural fields, and church lives. thank God! From the many witnesses, I see that you don’t need to be perfect; you don’t need to be someone who pretends to be perfect; and you don’t need someone who thinks you are perfect. You only need people who are willing to admit that they are weak and limited, and who are willing to rely on You and follow You wholeheartedly. Only in this way can your eternal truth, loving provision, and marvelous power flow out from the lives you have revived and transformed. Lord, may the invisible ark You have given us manifest in our lives. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!

Pastor Su Wen'an is the vice president of the International True Love Family Association and the editor-in-chief of this magazine.