The Ark of the Covenant, and what happened to it, is one of the Bible’s greatest mysteries. When in its rightful place, the Ark brought blessing; when captured by enemies, however, it brought curses upon them. Why? And where is the Ark now?
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Israel: The Prophetic Connection | Dr. John Tweedie - The Ark of The Covenant | July 5, 2025
- We know that the ark of the covenant,
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- Which contained the tablets of the ten commandments
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- And the ark had the mercy seat above it,
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- Represented the presence of god with israel.
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- Wherever the ark went,
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- God was with israel both in the wilderness
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- And eventually in the promised land.
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- But whatever happened to the ark of the covenant?
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- Find out next on israel the prophetic
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- Connection.
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- Soft music
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- If you've seen
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- Steven spielberg's movie raiders of the lost ark
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- The search for the ark of the covenant,
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- You'll remember that scene towards the end of the movie
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- When the nazis actually have the ark,
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- And they remove the lid and they want to look inside.
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- But when they take the lid
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- Off the ark, they unleash destroying angels.
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- And all of those
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- Who looked at the ark or into the ark are killed on the spot.
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- Now, was that simply hollywood fantasy using special effects,
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- Or was there truth to that particular scene?
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- Actually, it was a mixture of both hollywood fantasy
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- And biblical truth,
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- Because there is a story in the bible
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- That when the ark was captured by the philistines and taken
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- To the land of the philistines, to various cities,
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- The people there broke out in tumors,
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- And they realized it was because they had the ark of the
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- Covenant in their presence, when it actually belonged
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- In the presence of the people of israel.
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- But the ark was sacred to god.
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- It was his symbol of his dwelling place
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- With the children of israel.
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- And in fact, the ark.
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- When the philistines gave the ark back,
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- It probably came through this valley.
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- You can see the hills in the distance.
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- I'm standing today in bet shemesh,
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- And there's actually a passage in the first book of samuel
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- The prophet.
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- In chapter six we read these words in verse 13.
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- Now the people of beth
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- Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley,
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- And they lifted their eyes and saw the ark.
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- They saw the ark
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- Coming from the distance from the land of the philistines
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- Coming back through israel and presumably up to jerusalem.
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- And they rejoiced to see it.
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- They rejoiced when they saw the ark being returned to its
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- Rightful place, its rightful owners.
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- But then we read on,
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- And we discover that some of those men,
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- Many of those men of beth shemesh, had the same curiosity
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- That's depicted in that modern movie.
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- They wanted to look inside the ark and see what it contained.
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- And so we read in verse 19 of first samuel six,
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- Then he, god struck the men to beth shemesh,
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- Because they had looked into the ark of the lord.
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- He struck 50,070 men of the people.
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- These were not philistines.
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- These were jews. they were israelites.
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- But because they violated god's commandments
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- And looked into the ark
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- In the same way
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- It was depicted in that popular hollywood movie.
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- They died on the spot.
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- 50,070 men of this community of beit
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- Shemesh died because they looked into the holy ark.
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- God struck the people with a great slaughter.
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- The ark of the
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- Covenant represented the presence of god,
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- And it was sacred to god throughout history.
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- But what ever happened to that
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- Sacred ark?
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- Most people in the western world
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- Have heard of the ark of the covenant,
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- If not by the biblical account, then because it has been
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- The primary theme popularized in books and movies.
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- But what is the true significance of this
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- Sacred vessel? what happened to it?
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- And why do people continue to search for it today?
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- When the jewish people were walking in the desert,
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- They oftentimes doubted if god was in their midst.
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- But they had this ark in the ark of the covenant
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- Was always with them that are contained the broken
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- Tablets, moses's broken tablets that set the pieces.
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- And it contained the new tablets.
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- It also contained a jar of manna.
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- It contained the staff.
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- Or next
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- It was put the staff of aaron and the flowered
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- Staff of the almond, flour that flowered
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- From the staff of aaron to prove that he was the chosen,
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- The chosen tribe, the chosen leader to be the priest.
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- These things all were reminders.
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- Reminders.
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- We have all kinds of reminders in our life, right?
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- And our alarms go off on our phone, reminding us things.
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- We get a phone call reminding us of things
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- A calendar reminds us of things.
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- In judaism.
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- We have things when you
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- When you walk into the into your house at the door,
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- There's a little scroll.
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- That scroll has and it contains verses from the bible.
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- We kiss that scroll and we say, god, enter, please,
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- Into this abode.
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- It reminds us that god is in our lives.
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- We have certain days that remind us
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- That god is in our lives like the sabbath.
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- The ark of the covenant was a traveling reminder
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- That god was with him.
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- It was the spirit of god in it.
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- And how should we said, without being anthropomorphic?
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- It was the it was the manifestation
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- Of god in this world.
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- But the manifestation wasn't
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- Just, power or fear, it was also the law.
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- The law was there.
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- It told us, what are the ten commandments?
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- They're the basics of of human behavior.
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- Honor your parents, keep the sabbath.
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- Don't murder, don't steal, don't covet.
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- Don't be lascivious.
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- Don't take god's name in vain.
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- Don't be idolatrous.
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- But why were men warned not to touch the ark
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- Or to look inside, lest they die?
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- And why was it placed in the care of priests
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- Who were charged with its safe transport?
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- As the people of israel moved
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- From place to place under god's direction?
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- The ark is something you got to handle with care.
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- It has a big sticker on it. handle with care.
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- Hazmat okay, it's dangerous.
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- And the reason it's dangerous is because you are really
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- Holding on to the siphon of god into this world.
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- And so if you don't treat it
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- With the proper respect, if you think that man
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- Can just hold onto it
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- And just,
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- You know,
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- Manhandle it, no, no, no,
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- That means that you think that you are more powerful than it.
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- You got to have one step removed from it.
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- You can't have it be in your pocket.
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- You got to be in its pocket.
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- But what makes the ark of the
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- Covenant so important is that it represents the presence
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- Of god dwelling in the midst of his people.
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- And you know, the god of the bible
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- Has chosen to remain invisible.
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- It's part of his character and his nature that
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- That he wants to, that he wants to give to humankind.
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- And so we're not to look to the material
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- For our for for god himself.
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- We're to look beyond the material.
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- And it's it's one of god's sovereign choices.
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- But he knows that, that in the practice of our religion
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- And the practice of our faith,
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- There are certain symbols that are very, very important.
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- And so for israel,
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- The ark of the covenant signified his presence.
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- It wasn't his presence, but it signified his presence.
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- And i believe they were forbidden to look into it
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- Just the way we're forbidden to seek god in carved idols
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- Or in material things,
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- When it was in its rightful place.
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- The ark brought blessing.
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- However, when captured as a spoil of war,
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- It just as easily
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- Brought curses upon those who had no rightful claim to it.
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- So when it's in the hands of the philistines,
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- They suddenly have tumors.
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- They have all kinds of, plagues hit on them
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- After a while.
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- They're like, you know what?
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- Jews, just take this thing back.
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- We really don't want it
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- Because not everybody is prepared to have god with them.
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- Eyeball to eyeball, face to face, right in their midst.
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- Because he is a challenging god.
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- He will ask you, are you being moral?
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- If you want me so close, you better be moral.
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- You better be good.
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- And the philistines were not so they suffered and they sent.
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- They sent it, back to the jewish people.
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- Now, when it was in the house
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- Where it was respected, the fields were blessed
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- Just to having that kind of righteous thing in your midst.
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- And you yourself are righteous, commensurate with that thing.
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- It brought blessing out of the ground.
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- It's organic. it's natural.
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- When there's goodness and god's
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- Smiling upon you, things grow out of the ground is a blessing.
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- But at the same time, when it was taken up to jerusalem
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- And it was handled
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- Not properly, with a little too much familiarity,
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- A little too close, you got to know
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- That god is not your buddy.
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- He's your king.
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- So when you don't treat it with that kind of care, you can die.
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- It's a dangerous material, but when you treat it
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- With the honor, respect and the distance
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- That it deserves, then you get blessing
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- Because you are honored for honoring god.
- 00:09:13.751 --> 00:09:16.554
- But what happened to the ark?
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- Some of us believe that it's actually somewhere
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- In the catacombs underneath the temple mount.
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- And a very small fraction of those catacombs have been
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- Excavated. people are scared.
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- Some people believe it's
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- Been whisked away to tunnels by the dead sea.
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- Including some biblical archeologists
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- Like wendell jones, who believed that it
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- Was somewhere near the dead sea. we don't know.
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- We do believe that it will resurface.
- 00:09:39.210 --> 00:09:41.278
- We do believe that it will resurface.
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- We believe that god said that this world could not handle
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- Such an overt manifestation, such an overt sign.
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- One thing is certain
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- No history of the jewish people is complete
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- Without an account of the holy ark
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- And its significance as a symbol of god's presence among the.
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- Don't go away when we return.
- 00:10:05.870 --> 00:10:07.605
- Doctor john tweedie continues his teaching.
- 00:10:07.605 --> 00:10:13.210
- This past year has been
- 00:10:13.711 --> 00:10:15.079
- Incredibly challenging, from the attacks on israel
- 00:10:15.079 --> 00:10:18.182
- To the ongoing struggles faced by the jewish people worldwide.
- 00:10:18.182 --> 00:10:21.852
- We've seen heartache, loss and resilience like never before.
- 00:10:21.852 --> 00:10:26.724
- Yet in the midst of these trials, sephora
- 00:10:26.724 --> 00:10:29.260
- Has been a source of hope
- 00:10:29.260 --> 00:10:30.628
- And support in the holy land, providing aid, comfort
- 00:10:30.628 --> 00:10:34.865
- And a tangible reminder that they are not alone.
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- It's interesting in the chronology of the bible
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- That before god gave moses the design of the tabernacle,
- 00:11:24.515 --> 00:11:28.185
- He first gave them the design of the ark of the covenant.
- 00:11:28.185 --> 00:11:31.889
- We read the story in exodus chapter 25,
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- And they shall make an ark of acacia wood.
- 00:11:34.725 --> 00:11:37.194
- Acacia wood was resistant to insects and other things.
- 00:11:37.194 --> 00:11:40.598
- It was a very strong wood, so it was durable.
- 00:11:40.598 --> 00:11:44.335
- Two and a half cubits shall be its length, and the qubit was
- 00:11:44.335 --> 00:11:47.738
- From a man's elbow to the end of his index finger.
- 00:11:47.738 --> 00:11:51.408
- So roughly 18in
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- Two and a half cubits shall be its length,
- 00:11:55.513 --> 00:11:58.182
- A cubit and a half its width,
- 00:11:58.182 --> 00:12:00.317
- And a cubit, and a half its height.
- 00:12:00.317 --> 00:12:01.919
- So approximately four feet by 2.5ft by 2.5ft high.
- 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:08.025
- And you shall overlay it with pure gold inside and out
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- You shall over land,
- 00:12:11.228 --> 00:12:12.296
- And shall make on it a molding of gold all around
- 00:12:12.296 --> 00:12:16.167
- You shall cast four rings of gold foreign,
- 00:12:16.167 --> 00:12:18.669
- And put them in its four corners.
- 00:12:18.669 --> 00:12:20.471
- Two rings shall be on one side and two rings on the other side.
- 00:12:20.471 --> 00:12:24.842
- You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
- 00:12:24.842 --> 00:12:29.046
- You shall put the poles into the rings
- 00:12:29.046 --> 00:12:31.048
- On the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them.
- 00:12:31.048 --> 00:12:35.052
- You see, the ark was to be carried by priests.
- 00:12:35.052 --> 00:12:37.288
- No man was to touch it.
- 00:12:37.288 --> 00:12:38.889
- No man was to look inside.
- 00:12:38.889 --> 00:12:41.091
- It was to contain
- 00:12:41.091 --> 00:12:42.226
- The ark of the covenant, the tablets in which god wrote
- 00:12:42.226 --> 00:12:45.729
- The ten commandments for moses and for the nation of israel.
- 00:12:45.729 --> 00:12:49.600
- The poles shall be in the rings of the ark.
- 00:12:50.501 --> 00:12:52.536
- They shall not be taken from it.
- 00:12:52.536 --> 00:12:54.338
- And you shall put into the ark
- 00:12:54.338 --> 00:12:55.940
- The testimony which i will give you.
- 00:12:55.940 --> 00:12:58.542
- So god is thinking ahead, and if you like planning ahead,
- 00:12:58.542 --> 00:13:02.046
- That the ark will contain the two stone tablets
- 00:13:02.046 --> 00:13:05.216
- That moses will receive on mount sinai, bearing
- 00:13:05.216 --> 00:13:09.653
- The finger of god, writing the ten
- 00:13:09.653 --> 00:13:12.189
- Commandments, you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold.
- 00:13:12.189 --> 00:13:15.860
- Two and a half cubits shall be its length,
- 00:13:15.860 --> 00:13:18.028
- And a cuban and a half its width.
- 00:13:18.028 --> 00:13:19.797
- And it goes on from there.
- 00:13:19.797 --> 00:13:21.198
- In verse 19 of exodus 25, two cherubs are to be
- 00:13:21.198 --> 00:13:26.203
- One of these ten and one.
- 00:13:26.203 --> 00:13:27.071
- At the other end
- 00:13:27.071 --> 00:13:28.239
- You shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it
- 00:13:28.239 --> 00:13:30.808
- Of one piece, with the mercy seat.
- 00:13:30.808 --> 00:13:33.644
- The mercy seat represented the presence of god
- 00:13:33.644 --> 00:13:36.680
- Over his covenant that he was making with moses.
- 00:13:36.680 --> 00:13:40.484
- God would dwell in the ark, and wherever the ark went,
- 00:13:40.484 --> 00:13:44.054
- God was with israel.
- 00:13:44.054 --> 00:13:45.656
- That was the symbolism being presented here.
- 00:13:45.656 --> 00:13:49.526
- Verse 20 and the cherubim shall stretch out their wings
- 00:13:49.526 --> 00:13:52.796
- Above, covering the mercy seat with their wings
- 00:13:52.796 --> 00:13:55.966
- They shall face one another.
- 00:13:55.966 --> 00:13:57.735
- The faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.
- 00:13:57.735 --> 00:14:02.139
- And then these words,
- 00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:04.008
- You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark.
- 00:14:04.008 --> 00:14:06.777
- And in the ark you shall put the testimony
- 00:14:06.777 --> 00:14:09.146
- That i will give you meaning.
- 00:14:09.146 --> 00:14:11.115
- The two stone tablets on which god wrote the ten commandment.
- 00:14:11.115 --> 00:14:15.619
- And there i will meet with you, and i will speak with you
- 00:14:15.619 --> 00:14:18.956
- Above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim
- 00:14:18.956 --> 00:14:22.192
- Which are on the ark of the testimony about everything
- 00:14:22.192 --> 00:14:25.362
- Which i will give you in commandment
- 00:14:25.362 --> 00:14:27.965
- To the children of israel.
- 00:14:27.965 --> 00:14:30.100
- So the pattern for the ark is given, then pattern
- 00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:33.203
- For the other furnishings
- 00:14:33.203 --> 00:14:34.271
- That are to be in the tabernacle,
- 00:14:34.271 --> 00:14:36.040
- Or the pattern of the tabernacle itself,
- 00:14:36.040 --> 00:14:38.542
- Representing the dwelling place of god with israel
- 00:14:38.542 --> 00:14:41.278
- As they wandered in the wilderness,
- 00:14:41.278 --> 00:14:43.047
- And until they reach the promised land,
- 00:14:43.047 --> 00:14:45.416
- And then after they are
- 00:14:45.416 --> 00:14:46.317
- In the promised land, it will serve them
- 00:14:46.317 --> 00:14:48.385
- For hundreds of years until a permanent
- 00:14:48.385 --> 00:14:51.488
- Dwelling place, a house for god, is built.
- 00:14:51.488 --> 00:14:54.725
- Later in jerusalem,
- 00:14:54.725 --> 00:14:56.727
- And it will be built by none other than king solomon,
- 00:14:56.727 --> 00:14:59.697
- But his father, king david will raise the funds
- 00:14:59.697 --> 00:15:02.666
- And will make the preparation for building the temple
- 00:15:02.666 --> 00:15:05.970
- And the ark.
- 00:15:06.303 --> 00:15:07.471
- Then will be in the temple as it was in the tabernacle.
- 00:15:07.471 --> 00:15:11.075
- But because the ark represented god's relationship
- 00:15:11.075 --> 00:15:15.145
- With israel, it was considered, a wonderful prize.
- 00:15:15.145 --> 00:15:19.216
- And in the history of israel,
- 00:15:19.216 --> 00:15:20.517
- The ark is captured by the enemies of israel.
- 00:15:20.517 --> 00:15:23.520
- The philistines will read this account in first
- 00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:26.457
- Samuel chapter five, beginning in verse one.
- 00:15:26.457 --> 00:15:30.260
- Then the philistines took the ark of god
- 00:15:30.260 --> 00:15:32.730
- And brought it from ebenezer to ashdod.
- 00:15:32.730 --> 00:15:36.033
- When the philistines took the ark of god,
- 00:15:36.033 --> 00:15:38.268
- They brought it into the house of dagon, meaning their chief
- 00:15:38.268 --> 00:15:42.072
- Deity, their god, and set it by dagon.
- 00:15:42.072 --> 00:15:46.310
- And when the people of astorga rose early in the morning,
- 00:15:46.310 --> 00:15:50.247
- There was dagon
- 00:15:50.614 --> 00:15:51.915
- Fallen on his face to the earth before the ark of the lord.
- 00:15:51.915 --> 00:15:56.253
- So they took dagon and set it in its place again.
- 00:15:56.253 --> 00:15:59.823
- And when they arose early the next morning,
- 00:15:59.823 --> 00:16:01.859
- There was dagon, fallen
- 00:16:01.859 --> 00:16:03.594
- On his face to the ground before the ark of the lord.
- 00:16:03.594 --> 00:16:07.831
- The head of dagon, and both the palms of his hands
- 00:16:07.831 --> 00:16:10.534
- Were broken off on the threshold.
- 00:16:10.534 --> 00:16:13.137
- Only dagon torso was left
- 00:16:13.137 --> 00:16:17.341
- Of it.
- 00:16:17.541 --> 00:16:18.542
- Therefore, neither the priests of dagon
- 00:16:18.542 --> 00:16:20.944
- Nor any who came into dagon house
- 00:16:20.944 --> 00:16:23.080
- Tread on the threshold of dagon, and i stood to this day.
- 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:27.651
- You see, god had shown his power and his presence
- 00:16:27.651 --> 00:16:31.155
- Over dagon, the god of the philistines.
- 00:16:31.155 --> 00:16:34.391
- Now as this account continues, and as the ark of the covenant
- 00:16:34.391 --> 00:16:37.694
- Stays with the philistines,
- 00:16:37.694 --> 00:16:39.396
- It brings them nothing but curse and disaster.
- 00:16:39.396 --> 00:16:43.267
- It is first of all in ashton, and it says in first samuel
- 00:16:43.267 --> 00:16:47.404
- In five, and verse six, but the hand of the lord
- 00:16:47.404 --> 00:16:50.607
- Was heavy, and the people of ashdod.
- 00:16:50.607 --> 00:16:52.476
- And he ravaged them and struck them with tumors.
- 00:16:52.476 --> 00:16:55.579
- Both ashdod, meaning the city and its territory.
- 00:16:55.579 --> 00:16:59.650
- And when the men of ashdod saw how it was, they said,
- 00:16:59.650 --> 00:17:02.653
- The ark of the god of israel must not remain with us, for
- 00:17:02.653 --> 00:17:06.857
- His hand is harsh toward us and dagon our god.
- 00:17:06.857 --> 00:17:11.261
- So they transfer it to another philistine city called gath.
- 00:17:11.261 --> 00:17:15.399
- And of course, goliath the giant was from gath.
- 00:17:15.399 --> 00:17:18.702
- But the same thing happens there.
- 00:17:18.702 --> 00:17:20.504
- God strikes that city with destruction.
- 00:17:20.504 --> 00:17:23.073
- And of course, those men as well, develop tumors.
- 00:17:23.073 --> 00:17:27.444
- So they decide that they will move at once again
- 00:17:27.444 --> 00:17:29.580
- And they move it to ekron.
- 00:17:29.580 --> 00:17:31.315
- And the same thing happens to the men of akron.
- 00:17:31.315 --> 00:17:33.951
- They also develop tumors.
- 00:17:33.951 --> 00:17:36.954
- Then we find out that the philistines are desperate
- 00:17:36.954 --> 00:17:39.823
- To return
- 00:17:39.823 --> 00:17:40.958
- The ark of the covenant to its rightful place in israel.
- 00:17:40.958 --> 00:17:44.495
- This chapter six of first samuel opens.
- 00:17:44.495 --> 00:17:47.131
- Now the ark of the lord was in the country
- 00:17:47.131 --> 00:17:48.966
- Of the philistines seven months.
- 00:17:48.966 --> 00:17:50.968
- And the philistines called for the priests
- 00:17:50.968 --> 00:17:52.769
- And the diviners, saying,
- 00:17:52.769 --> 00:17:54.104
- What shall we do with the ark of the lord?
- 00:17:54.104 --> 00:17:56.673
- Tell us how we should send it to its place.
- 00:17:56.673 --> 00:17:59.643
- Well, they discover a method, and they send the ark
- 00:17:59.643 --> 00:18:02.346
- Back in the direction of israel.
- 00:18:02.346 --> 00:18:05.482
- And of course it reaches beth shemesh.
- 00:18:05.482 --> 00:18:08.218
- And as we saw earlier, the men of beth shemesh,
- 00:18:08.218 --> 00:18:10.888
- A curiosity looked into the ark which was forbidden.
- 00:18:10.888 --> 00:18:14.458
- And god strikes 50,070 of them israelites.
- 00:18:14.458 --> 00:18:19.029
- He strikes them dead for violating his will
- 00:18:19.029 --> 00:18:22.166
- And looking into the ark of the covenant.
- 00:18:22.166 --> 00:18:25.169
- So anyway, the ark of the covenant remains at curia
- 00:18:25.169 --> 00:18:28.038
- Djarin.
- 00:18:28.038 --> 00:18:29.006
- Now i'm standing right above curia shearim,
- 00:18:29.006 --> 00:18:32.176
- Down in the valley below.
- 00:18:32.176 --> 00:18:34.011
- Today it's called abu ghosh, and it is an arab city.
- 00:18:34.011 --> 00:18:38.248
- The arab people here are loyal to israel.
- 00:18:38.248 --> 00:18:41.985
- So we find out that the ark of the covenant rests
- 00:18:41.985 --> 00:18:45.289
- In curia djarin at the house of aberdeen,
- 00:18:45.289 --> 00:18:48.325
- Had for some 20 years, and it remains here.
- 00:18:48.325 --> 00:18:54.131
- And then we move on, and david becomes the king of israel,
- 00:18:54.131 --> 00:18:57.901
- And he desires to move the ark,
- 00:18:57.901 --> 00:19:00.170
- Not from here actually, to jerusalem.
- 00:19:00.170 --> 00:19:03.707
- And i'm standing above kiryat dream,
- 00:19:03.707 --> 00:19:06.176
- But in the distance on the hills you can see jerusalem,
- 00:19:06.176 --> 00:19:09.813
- And that's the rightful place for the ark of the covenant.
- 00:19:09.813 --> 00:19:12.416
- And david wants to take it there.
- 00:19:12.416 --> 00:19:14.818
- So we read in second samuel in chapter six.
- 00:19:14.818 --> 00:19:18.055
- Again david gathered all the choice men of israel.
- 00:19:18.055 --> 00:19:20.557
- 30,000 and david arose and went with all the people
- 00:19:20.557 --> 00:19:23.927
- Who were with him from valley judah to bring up the ark.
- 00:19:23.927 --> 00:19:27.764
- From there the ark of god, whose name is called by the name
- 00:19:27.764 --> 00:19:31.768
- Of the lord of host, who dwells between the cherubim.
- 00:19:31.768 --> 00:19:36.440
- And they brought it out of the house of adam,
- 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:39.776
- Which was on the hill accompanying the ark of god.
- 00:19:39.776 --> 00:19:42.980
- And the house was somewhere near here in curio dream.
- 00:19:42.980 --> 00:19:47.784
- But as they're transporting it from here
- 00:19:47.784 --> 00:19:50.087
- To the hills of jerusalem, you can see in the distance
- 00:19:50.087 --> 00:19:53.690
- It's placed on a cart,
- 00:19:53.690 --> 00:19:56.393
- And it's being drawn by cart, but it was always to be carried
- 00:19:56.393 --> 00:19:58.862
- By priest on poles through four rings in the side of the ark.
- 00:19:58.862 --> 00:20:02.933
- So they're violating god's will for transporting the ark.
- 00:20:02.933 --> 00:20:07.104
- And it says in verse six of second samuel chapter six,
- 00:20:07.104 --> 00:20:10.741
- When they came to nikon's threshing floor,
- 00:20:10.741 --> 00:20:13.543
- Uziel put out his hand to the ark of god
- 00:20:13.543 --> 00:20:16.146
- And took hold of it.
- 00:20:16.146 --> 00:20:17.214
- For the oxen stumbled,
- 00:20:17.214 --> 00:20:19.516
- And the anger of the lord was aroused against us.
- 00:20:19.516 --> 00:20:21.852
- And god struck him.
- 00:20:21.852 --> 00:20:23.587
- There for his error, and he died there by the ark of god.
- 00:20:23.587 --> 00:20:28.358
- So david wouldn't move the ark.
- 00:20:28.992 --> 00:20:30.727
- After that.
- 00:20:30.727 --> 00:20:31.795
- We're told that it remained in korea during this time
- 00:20:31.795 --> 00:20:35.565
- At the house of obed edam.
- 00:20:35.565 --> 00:20:38.268
- But lo and behold,
- 00:20:38.268 --> 00:20:40.137
- In its rightful place and properly respected,
- 00:20:40.137 --> 00:20:43.340
- The ark brought blessing instead of cursing.
- 00:20:43.340 --> 00:20:47.210
- And god says in his word.
- 00:20:47.210 --> 00:20:49.346
- But david took us aside into the house of aubrey.
- 00:20:49.346 --> 00:20:52.115
- Dome the gate tight, and the ark of the covenant.
- 00:20:52.115 --> 00:20:54.718
- The lord remained
- 00:20:54.718 --> 00:20:55.886
- In the house of obed edam, the gate eight three months,
- 00:20:55.886 --> 00:20:59.022
- And the lord blessed obed edam and all his household.
- 00:20:59.022 --> 00:21:03.360
- I believe in a sense that the residual blessing rests
- 00:21:03.360 --> 00:21:06.496
- Upon this arab community.
- 00:21:06.496 --> 00:21:08.198
- It has been little israel down through the years,
- 00:21:08.198 --> 00:21:11.034
- And among the arab villages and towns in the land of israel,
- 00:21:11.034 --> 00:21:16.006
- One can say that this abu ghosh, formerly
- 00:21:16.006 --> 00:21:19.743
- Carrot dream, is a blessed arab community.
- 00:21:19.743 --> 00:21:23.747
- Their loyalty to israel has brought blessing.
- 00:21:23.747 --> 00:21:26.183
- But i think in some ways, if we go all the way back
- 00:21:26.183 --> 00:21:28.885
- 3000 years ago because of the ark of the covenant rested here
- 00:21:28.885 --> 00:21:33.724
- In some way, perhaps a blessing remains here
- 00:21:33.724 --> 00:21:37.227
- Because god's holy ark rested here in abu ghosh.
- 00:21:37.227 --> 00:21:43.033
- Or, if you like, in its biblical name, here, here we are in.
- 00:21:43.033 --> 00:21:49.406
- Stay tuned for more from doctor
- 00:21:50.040 --> 00:21:51.541
- John tweedy after this break.
- 00:21:51.541 --> 00:21:57.714
- For nearly 2000 years, christians have debated
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- Of the bible.
- 00:22:53.670 --> 00:23:07.317
- While the presence of the ark of the covenant was prominent
- 00:23:08.518 --> 00:23:10.954
- In israel's biblical history in the time of moses,
- 00:23:10.954 --> 00:23:14.157
- In the time of david, it somehow this has disappeared
- 00:23:14.157 --> 00:23:17.494
- From the pages of the bible after the reign of josiah.
- 00:23:17.494 --> 00:23:21.298
- It is not mentioned after that.
- 00:23:21.298 --> 00:23:23.433
- So what happened to the ark of the covenant?
- 00:23:23.433 --> 00:23:26.436
- Some say that it was hurriedly buried as the babylonian armies
- 00:23:26.436 --> 00:23:30.006
- Were burying bearing down in jerusalem,
- 00:23:30.006 --> 00:23:32.776
- Around 586 bc.
- 00:23:32.776 --> 00:23:36.413
- Others say that when the queen of sheba visited king solomon
- 00:23:36.413 --> 00:23:39.883
- That the ark returned to ethiopia with her,
- 00:23:39.883 --> 00:23:43.353
- And it remains to this day, it's a mystery,
- 00:23:43.353 --> 00:23:46.223
- But this is one of the traditions, and it's kept there,
- 00:23:46.223 --> 00:23:49.626
- By people who are called the guardians of the ark, men
- 00:23:49.626 --> 00:23:52.662
- Especially chosen, who guard the ark night and day.
- 00:23:52.662 --> 00:23:56.666
- But that may be more myth and, fact.
- 00:23:56.666 --> 00:23:59.636
- But it's just one of the traditions,
- 00:23:59.636 --> 00:24:01.204
- Because the disappearance
- 00:24:01.204 --> 00:24:02.839
- Of the ark of the covenant remains a mystery to this day.
- 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:06.843
- No one really knows what happened to it.
- 00:24:06.843 --> 00:24:09.446
- But there are in scripture a couple of hints,
- 00:24:09.446 --> 00:24:12.148
- Or if you like, clues, there is this one found
- 00:24:12.148 --> 00:24:15.085
- In the book of jeremiah in chapter three and speaking
- 00:24:15.085 --> 00:24:19.623
- Prophetically of the future, verse 16,
- 00:24:19.623 --> 00:24:22.792
- Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied
- 00:24:22.792 --> 00:24:25.495
- And increased in the land in those days, says
- 00:24:25.495 --> 00:24:28.231
- The lord, that they shall they will say, no more.
- 00:24:28.231 --> 00:24:31.334
- The ark of the covenant of the lord.
- 00:24:31.334 --> 00:24:33.270
- It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it,
- 00:24:33.270 --> 00:24:36.239
- Nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore.
- 00:24:36.239 --> 00:24:40.677
- At that time jerusalem shall be called the throne of the lord,
- 00:24:40.677 --> 00:24:44.047
- And all nations shall be gathered to it
- 00:24:44.047 --> 00:24:46.349
- To the name of the lord to jerusalem.
- 00:24:46.349 --> 00:24:48.919
- No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.
- 00:24:48.919 --> 00:24:52.856
- So jeremiah seems to be speaking
- 00:24:52.856 --> 00:24:54.591
- Of a future time when god reigns in jerusalem.
- 00:24:54.591 --> 00:24:58.595
- And if god is reigning in
- 00:24:58.595 --> 00:25:00.130
- Jerusalem, there's no need for the ark,
- 00:25:00.130 --> 00:25:02.599
- Which is a symbol of the presence of god.
- 00:25:02.599 --> 00:25:05.302
- So that's one explanation in scripture.
- 00:25:05.302 --> 00:25:08.204
- But surprisingly,
- 00:25:08.204 --> 00:25:09.406
- In the book of revelation, the very last book of the bible,
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- John the apostle, seeing the risen christ jesus
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- And jesus reveals to him the distant future.
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- We have a reference in revelation chapter 11, in verse
- 00:25:21.351 --> 00:25:27.757
- 19 and it says this.
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- Then the temple of god was opened in heaven.
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- John sees this,
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- And the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple.
- 00:25:36.232 --> 00:25:39.336
- And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings,
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- And earthquake and great hail.
- 00:25:41.938 --> 00:25:45.075
- Now we know that the tabernacle and earth, or the temple
- 00:25:45.075 --> 00:25:48.278
- Were patterned after it.
- 00:25:48.278 --> 00:25:49.646
- If you like
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- The sanctuary of god in heaven,
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- And perhaps the ark of the covenant on earth,
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- After the pattern of an ark which was in heaven.
- 00:25:54.951 --> 00:25:58.755
- But here we have this intriguing reference in revelation 11,
- 00:25:58.755 --> 00:26:02.626
- Verse 18, that john saw the ark of the covenant in heaven
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- And the glorious visions that god revealed to him.
- 00:26:07.864 --> 00:26:11.401
- And these are among the mysteries of the bible.
- 00:26:11.401 --> 00:26:14.137
- The ark of the covenant
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- Was with israel, and then it was no longer with israel.
- 00:26:15.405 --> 00:26:18.375
- But god is always has always been present with israel.
- 00:26:18.375 --> 00:26:23.713
- We bring to you the prophetic word of god.
- 00:26:23.713 --> 00:26:25.915
- We try to unlock the mysteries of the bible and some mysteries.
- 00:26:25.915 --> 00:26:29.419
- We will not unlock this side of the kingdom of heaven,
- 00:26:29.419 --> 00:26:33.056
- But we look into the bible
- 00:26:33.056 --> 00:26:34.424
- And we bring the stories to you through television.
- 00:26:34.424 --> 00:26:37.661
- The relationship of god with his people israel,
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- And of course with those who believe in jesus of nazareth.
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- Jerusalem is in the distance behind me, set upon the high
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- Holy hills, the glorious city of the eternal god.
- 00:26:49.139 --> 00:26:53.243
- Help us if you will take god's word, as the prophet said,
- 00:26:53.243 --> 00:26:57.180
- To take the word from jerusalem to the ends of the earth
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- In preparation for the coming of god's messiah,
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- The prince of peace we know as jesus of nazareth.
- 00:27:04.254 --> 00:27:08.458
- Our websites are on your screen.
- 00:27:08.458 --> 00:27:10.026
- Our phone numbers you can call.
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- You can be a blessing to the people of israel,
- 00:27:11.728 --> 00:27:14.364
- Even as we bring god's blessing through his word
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- To you, you in turn, can be a blessing to israel.
- 00:27:17.267 --> 00:27:17.267
