Thursday, May 10, 2018

Christ the Ark (Rev. 11:19)


SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-04-2005

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Christ the Ark

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Revelations 11:19

 

             Message of the verse:  “19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.”

            I am not at all sure as to what this verse means because as I looked at all of the commentaries that I have on this verse it is evident that not everyone knows either for all of them have a different thing to say about it.  I would like to say that I do not believe that there is a temple in heaven like the one that was built here on earth in Israel and that may seem to go against Scripture, but I am not the only one who believes this. (Well I have changed my mind about this and now believe that there is a temple in heaven as described in Rev. 4, 5).  The other thing I would like to say is that it would not be to far fetched to say that Jesus Christ is likened unto the ark of His covenant, because when you look at Jesus Christ you see many of the same attributes in Him that are represented by the Ark of the Covenant.  The Gold surely represents His Deity, and the wood represents His humanity and even the fact that He was a carpenter growing up, and He certainly had the Law inside Him, and how could one not see the mercy seat as something that represents Christ.  The two angels represent God’s mercy and God’s judgment and God judgment is satisfied by seeing the blood on the mercy seat as the word for mercy seat in the New Testament is propitiation, God being satisfied with the finished work of Christ’s sacrifice.  Inside the Ark was Manna, and Christ is the bread of life.  Inside was the tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments on them and Christ keep the Law of God perfectly.  Also in the Ark was the Aaron’s rod that budded, and that could surely represent the believer because just as the rod was dead and then came to life through a miracle of God so it is with a believer who was surely dead and through a miracle from God comes to life in a new and wonderful way.  In conclusion there was no need for an Ark in heaven like the one on earth because there was no sin in heaven like that on earth. 

            As far as the earthquake and the thunder and lighting and the great hail storm, this may just be a preview of the coming attractions that will take place on earth to complete the wrath of God and usher in the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I love the symbolism that God has included in His Word, as at times it seems to my like hidden pieces of fine gold that when a non believer looks at would never be able to find, but because I am a new creation in Christ who has His Spirit in me I will be shown these pieces of gold if I look for them through studying His Word.   

 

The Word of God was indeed a challenge to my heart as I read it and studied it this morning. 

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord as we go through these trials that he has seen to send us through so that we might become like gold as Job spoke about: Job 23:10 But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Thes. 4:3-6


 

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to posses his own vessel in sanctification and honor; not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you and before and solemnly warned you.

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