Arch of The Covenant

[MistOfTheSea86]

I have heard but one story regarding this, and it is actually more of a fact. That there is this one place that these people, I forgot who they were. Protected this place SO Wholeheartedly and were not allowed to tell A SOUL what was inside. And many think it is the Arch of the COvenant. My first question being, what is the Arch of the COvenant? My second why do people believe thats what it is?

[EasternPriest]

The Ark of the Covenant

Exodus 25:10-16 describes the construction of the ark.
(King James Version)

10. And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
11. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
12. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
13. And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
14. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
15. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.
16. And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

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This is from Easton's Bible Dictionary:

The sacred ark is designated by a different Hebrew word, 'aron', which is the common name for a chest or coffer used for any purpose (Gen. 50:26; 2 Kings 12:9, 10). It is distinguished from all others by such titles as the "ark of God" (1 Sam. 3:3), "ark of the covenant" (Josh. 3:6; Heb. 9:4), "ark of the testimony" (Ex. 25: 22).

It was made of acacia or shittim wood, a cubit and a half broad and high and two cubits long, and covered all over with the purest gold. Its upper surface or lid, the mercy-seat, was surrounded with a rim of gold; and on each of the two sides were two gold rings, in which were placed two gold-covered poles by which the ark could be carried (Num. 7:9; 10:21; 4:5, 19, 20; 1 Kings 8:3, 6).

Over the ark, at the two extremities, were two cherubim, with their faces turned toward each other (Lev. 16:2; Num. 7:89). Their outspread wings over the top of the ark formed the throne of God, while the ark itself was his footstool (Ex. 25:10-22; 37:1-9).

The ark was deposited in the "holy of holies," and was so placed that one end of the poles by which it was carried touched the veil which separated the two apartments of the tabernacle (1 Kings 8:8). The two tables of stone which constituted the "testimony" or evidence of God's covenant with the people (Deut. 31:26), the "pot of manna" (Ex. 16: 33), and "Aaron's rod that budded" (Num. 17:10), were laid up in the ark (Heb. 9:4). (See TABERNACLE.)

The ark and the sanctuary were "the beauty of Israel" (Lam. 2:1).

During the journeys of the Israelites the ark was carried by the priests in advance of the host (Num. 4:5, 6; 10:33-36; Ps. 68:1; 132:8). It was borne by the priests into the bed of the Jordan, which separated, opening a pathway for the whole of the host to pass over (Josh. 3:15, 16; 4:7, 10, 11, 17, 18). It was borne in the procession round Jericho (Josh. 6:4, 6, 8, 11, 12). When carried it was always wrapped in the veil, the badgers' skins, and blue cloth, and carefully concealed even from the eyes of the Levites who carried it.

After the settlement of Israel in Palestine the ark remained in the tabernacle at Gilgal for a season, and was then removed to Shiloh till the time of Eli, between 300 and 400 years (Jer. 7:12), when it was carried into the field of battle so as to secure, as they supposed, victory to the Hebrews, and was taken by the Philistines (1 Sam. 4:3-11), who sent it back after retaining it seven months (1 Sam. 5:7, 8).

It remained then at Kirjath-jearim (7:1,2) till the time of David (twenty years), who wished to remove it to Jerusalem; but the proper mode of removing it having been neglected, Uzzah was smitten with death for putting "forth his hand to the ark of God," and in consequence of this it was left in the house of Obed - edom in Gath - rimmon for three months (2 Sam. 6:1-11), at the end of which time David removed it in a grand procession to Jerusalem, where it was kept till a place was prepared for it (12-19).

It was afterwards deposited by Solomon in the temple (1 Kings 8:6-9). When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and plundered the temple, the ark was probably taken away by Nebuchadnezzar and destroyed, as no trace of it is afterwards to be found. The absence of the ark from the second temple was one of the points in which it was inferior to the first temple.

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Additionally:

There is also a legend in the Ethopian Christian Church that they have possession of the Ark. There is evidence that they do have an ark, but whether it is the original or a copy is not known.

Another legend for the Ark places it in a secret room buried under the Temple Mount in Jerulsalem.

[Tigerwallah]

Did a powerful scientific peice on the Arc of the Covenant last year. Apparantly, the reason people who touched it died was that the directions for making it are also the directions for making an electric capacitor. Here is the link. It is fascinating.

http://tlc.discovery.com/tlcpages/ark/ark.html

[Danustouch]

LOL tiger..narrowly avoided making a duplicate! I was just ON TLC's Site, and just READ that article..was just about to post it. LOL. It's a great article!

[BrightStar]

Hi all!
I've heard the one about electricity before.I saw a show once wherethey claimed it might have also been a transmitter to talk with extraterrestrials.I don't know,but it's interesting to think about.
One of the rumors is that the prophet Jeremiah took it and hid it before the Babylonians arrived.
Peace and Love
BrightStar