Where is the Lost Ark?

This is a little topic I wanted to introduce for discussion by fellow Baptist believers.
Where is the Ark of the Covenant?
In the Book of Hebrews, the Holy Spirit inspired the author (likely the Apostle Paul) to write about the Ark of the Covenant. He describes its location of the Ark in the Temple in chapter 9:1-3.He describes the contents of the Ark in verse 4. The contents were:
1)the golden pot containing manna from the Wilderness (which represents sustenance by God to Israel)
2)Aaron's Rod which was a dead pole of wood that actually budded (which represents Life given supernaturally from the former lifelessness of Israel.)
3)The tables,or Tablets of the Law which were broken by Moses (and all Israel,and ,of course,you and I)
Verse five speaks of the cherubim above the Mercy Seat.
And then we have a clue about the Ark. While describing the cherubim,the author says "of which we cannot now speak particularly."
Why? Because at the time of the writing of the Book of Hebrews, the whereabouts of the Ark was unknown.In fact, the author had never seen it,nor the early Christian Church.
The description of the contents of the Ark found in Hebrews 4 are those items enclosed at the entering in of Israel to Canaan. Interestingly,one of the last known locations of the Ark, found in 2 Chronicles 5:10 , includes the information that the Ark at that time,at the dedication of Solomon's Temple, contained only the two Tablets of the Law.
So our question is:
1.Where is the Ark now?
2.Why (and how) was the pot of manna and Aaron's Rod removed?

Looking forward to your deductions!
(As always, please include Scripture references)

Julian of York

I agree.The 2011 AD location of the Ark is in Heaven.
Interestingly, the Levites obviously hid the Ark at various times of unrest and apostasy. Here is a short list I compiled regarding times the Ark was most likely hidden:
II Chronicles 12:9 Shishak of Egypt took all the treasures of the House of the Lord
II Chronicles 24:23 Spoil of Jerusalem taken away by Syrians
II Chronicles 25:24 Apostate Israel removes treasures from the Temple
II Chronicles 28:20-21 Wicked King Ahaz sent treasures of the Lord's House to Tilgathpilasser of Assyria as a bribe
II Chronicles 28:24 King Ahaz also "cut up" the remnant of the treasure for easier disposal.
II Chronicles 33:4 Manasseh builds pagan altars IN the House of the Lord.
II Chronicles 35:3 The Last Revival under Josiah Ark is commanded to be returned to the Holy of Holies
II Chronicles 36:10 Nebuchadnezzar takes King Joachin and temple treasures to Babylon
II Chronicles 36:18-19 Babylonians take all the treasures that remained and burnt the House of God.
No mention of the Ark in the Temple of Ezra, under the Maccabees, or Herod's Temple.
We might suppose that,when the Shekinah Glory departed the Temple in the last days of Judah, the Ark,the Symbol of God's Covenant which was set aside because of their abandoning God, was taken away at the same time. Don't know.
Now,contents...
The Pot of Manna was symbolic of God's Sustenance in the Wilderness for Israel
The Rod that Budded was symbolic of God's bringing forth Life from the Dead (the wooden staff).
The Law was a Testimony of God's requirement of Israel for righteousness.

Because of sin and idolatry, God would no longer sustain Israel.
Because of sin and idolatry ,Israel would be allowed to remain dead spiritually and symbolically
Because of sin, God still required Israel to keep the Commandments.
So the only thing left in the Ark is the broken Law.
When the Ark is revealed next, it will be in the last days( Revelation 11:19 ). As a matter of fact , the nation of Israel may be seen in the very next verse (Revelation 12:1) back under the protection and grace of Almighty God. Therefore, the return of the Ark signals the return of Israel to God's Covenant. This is the same occasion as the "Dry Bones" being restored.

Hope this at least makes you think about it.
Julian of York