In reading about the fulfillment of the Old Covenant through Christ, I came across this:
I just wanted to share. That always had me wondering what had happened (and WHY) to the men of Beth Shemesh for just looking into the ark of the LORD. It always seemed unnecessarily harsh to me.
Quoting from linked article: Inside the Holy of Holies was a single piece of furniture - the ark of the covenant. The ark was a box made of acacia wood overlaid with gold and was about 3 feet 9 inches by 2 feet 3 inches wide and about 2 feet high. The wood and gold picture the humanity and deity of Jesus Christ. This is the box that the Philistines stole in battle and later returned. This is the box that Uzah touched and died. What happened to the ark? Nobody knows. When Solomon's temple was destroyed in 587 B.C. it disappeared. There are many traditions about what happened to it.
Why did it disappear? I think for the same reason that we don't have any of the original autographs of the Bible - to prevent idolatry!
Philippians 3:3 (NKJV) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
Our worship is spiritual. If the ark was around today men would be worshiping it.
As you can see, there are some items in the Holy of Holies along with the ark of the covenant. First, there is a golden jar of "manna." This manna was supernaturally preserved by God, because manna usually became rotten within one day. This was to be a reminder to Israel of God's provision for them.
Secondly, there was "Aaron's rod," which demonstrated God's choice of Aaron and his family in the priesthood. And, of course, this was a very significant part of Judaism.
Finally, there were the "tables of the covenant." These tables were the ten commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai - hence it was called the "ark of the covenant". Breakers of the law were breakers of the covenant.
Remember that the furniture items described were of the original desert tabernacle. Later, in Solomon's temple about 940 B.C., the only things in the ark were the tables of stone.
1 Kings 8:9 (NKJV) Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
When Israel returned from Babylonian captivity and rebuilt the temple, Herod's temple, which was destroyed in A.D. 70, the Holy of Holies remained empty - only the stone of foundation was there.
The writer continues his description of the tabernacle in verse 5;
Hebrews 9:5 (NKJV) and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
These two cherubim overshadowed the mercy seat, the place where the blood was sprinkled on the day of atonement to make propitiation for the sins of the nation. The "mercy seat" was a slab of pure gold which fitted over the top of the ark of the covenant. God said:
Why did it disappear? I think for the same reason that we don't have any of the original autographs of the Bible - to prevent idolatry!
Philippians 3:3 (NKJV) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
Our worship is spiritual. If the ark was around today men would be worshiping it.
As you can see, there are some items in the Holy of Holies along with the ark of the covenant. First, there is a golden jar of "manna." This manna was supernaturally preserved by God, because manna usually became rotten within one day. This was to be a reminder to Israel of God's provision for them.
Secondly, there was "Aaron's rod," which demonstrated God's choice of Aaron and his family in the priesthood. And, of course, this was a very significant part of Judaism.
Finally, there were the "tables of the covenant." These tables were the ten commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai - hence it was called the "ark of the covenant". Breakers of the law were breakers of the covenant.
Remember that the furniture items described were of the original desert tabernacle. Later, in Solomon's temple about 940 B.C., the only things in the ark were the tables of stone.
1 Kings 8:9 (NKJV) Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
When Israel returned from Babylonian captivity and rebuilt the temple, Herod's temple, which was destroyed in A.D. 70, the Holy of Holies remained empty - only the stone of foundation was there.
The writer continues his description of the tabernacle in verse 5;
Hebrews 9:5 (NKJV) and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
These two cherubim overshadowed the mercy seat, the place where the blood was sprinkled on the day of atonement to make propitiation for the sins of the nation. The "mercy seat" was a slab of pure gold which fitted over the top of the ark of the covenant. God said:
Exodus 25:22 (NKJV) "And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.
The words "mercy seat" are from the Greek noun hilasterion, which means: "the removal of wrath by the offering of a sacrifice." The mercy seat was interposed between the tables of law contained in the ark, by which the sinner stood condemned and the glory of God's holy presence. An uncovered ark is a throne of judgment. This might explain a very difficult Old Testament passage.1 Samuel 6:19-20 (NKJV) Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter. 20 And the men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall it go up from us?"
In order for them to look into the ark, the mercy seat had to be removed. If you saw the movie, Indiana Jones, you may remember the scene where they took the mercy seat off of the ark, and all who looked into it died. In removing the mercy seat, they exposed the law; and apart from the mercy seat, the law is death to all who break it. The Lord Jesus Christ is our mercy seat. He stands between the sinner who violated the law and a holy God. Full article here: Hebrews 9:1-10 - The Tabernacle: Berean Bible Church
I just wanted to share. That always had me wondering what had happened (and WHY) to the men of Beth Shemesh for just looking into the ark of the LORD. It always seemed unnecessarily harsh to me.
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