Where is the Ark of the Covenant now?

[Righttruth]

It is rumored that it is in Ethiopia now, and, it seems, Solomon gifted that to Sheba

 

[Bumble Bee]

Where does this idea come from? It is an interesting theory. I don’t see why Solomon would have gifted it though.

 

[Phil 1:21]

Probably melted down thousands of years ago.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Revelation 11:19

 

[dzheremi]

It is rumored that it is in Ethiopia now, and, it seems, Solomon gifted that to Sheba

The Ethiopians have always claimed to have it, not just now, if by that you mean recently. They say it is in a chapel adjacent to the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Axum, which was built in the 4th century under King Ezana, the first Christian king of Ethiopia. It is guarded by a monk who is not allowed to leave the grounds ever.

I have never heard that the ark was 'gifted' by Solomon. As far as I know, the Ethiopian tradition says that it was brought back to Ethiopia by the first emperor, Menelik I (the son of King David and Makeda, the Queen of Sheba), after he went to Israel to meet his father upon becoming an adult.

 

[Bumble Bee]

Is there an article source for this?

 

[Righttruth]

Where does this idea come from? It is an interesting theory. I don’t see why Solomon would have gifted it though.

I think that spurious theory should be dumped in a dustbin.

 

[Righttruth]

Probably melted down thousands of years ago.

I don't think of such a possibility

 

[Righttruth]

Revelation 11:19

Yes, I go by that

 

[Righttruth]

The Ethiopians have always claimed to have it, not just now, if by that you mean recently. They say it is in a chapel adjacent to the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Axum, which was built in the 4th century under King Ezana, the first Christian king of Ethiopia. It is guarded by a monk who is not allowed to leave the grounds ever.

I have never heard that the ark was 'gifted' by Solomon. As far as I know, the Ethiopian tradition says that it was brought back to Ethiopia by the first emperor, Menelik I (the son of King David and Makeda, the Queen of Sheba), after he went to Israel to meet his father upon becoming an adult.

The Ark was totally in charge of Levies, then, how can they think of a totally foreign land to install there?
2 Chronicles 35:3 may help you on this.

 

[Traveling teacher]

Dont know where it is ....
but I am certain it is not in Ethiopia
at least not in Solomons day with Sheba
that was 1000BC...
as it was probably still around in Jeremiahs day before the babylonian captivity 600bc
jeremiah 3:16
And it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

Probably smashed to matchwood during the Babylonian sack. It was YHWH's seat, so the throne of defeated gods are usually destroyed or subjugated to their own gods - as in when the Philistines put it in the Temple of Dagon. As there is no narrative of Ashur's temple similar to the story of Dagon's, it being destroyed seems more probable. It was the Ark of the Covenant after all, and the fall of Jerusalem was due to the Jews failing to keep their side.

 

[Pyong Ping]

It is rumored that it is in Ethiopia now, and, it seems, Solomon gifted that to Sheba

There is no evidence for any such, however, this thread is interesting - https://www.christianforums.com/thr...bbath-commandment-ex-20-8-11-is-seen.8062322/

The Ark on earth (a copy of the one in heaven) was hid by holy men in the days of Jeremiah, before the seige and sack of Jerusalem. It is not listed in any of the items taken by the Babylonians, nor of those items in their return. It is still hid in a special place, known by God, and is never to return into the hands of the physical Jews again according to a promise from God.

Jeremiah 3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.​

The Ark was still in Jerusalem in Jeremiah's day amd was not gifted to an imaginary offspring of Solomon and Sheba (a ficticious, non-historical, contrived event). Sheba didn't come for sex, she came for God, and the knowledge of Him.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Dont know where it is ....
but I am certain it is not in Ethiopia
at least not in Solomons day with Sheba
that was 1000BC...
as it was probably still around in Jeremiahs day before the babylonian captivity 600bc
jeremiah 3:16
And it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

It may have been there in Christ's day; the Holy of Holies was still treated as the home of God with the great curtain. At the moment of Christ's death, it was torn top to bottom. It is plausible that the Levites anticipating what was coming with the political instability, and the disturbing events of Good Friday, may themselves taken it to another group of Jews, living in a more stable location. The Ethiopian Church claims it was held in safe keeping on a hard to access island where a tabernacle was built for it. Moved much later to it's present location.

Other than the connection to the Jews in Israel, the Queen of Sheba likely has little to do with what happened to the Ark.

It may be there, and I truly hope that it is.

 

[Wick Stick]

From an engineering standpoint, the weight of the mercy seat (made of solid gold per the Biblical record) could not be supported long-term by the base (made of wood but gilded per the Biblical record).

The ark built by Moses and co described in the Bible would have crushed itself long before Solomon ever took the throne.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

From an engineering standpoint, the weight of the mercy seat (made of solid gold per the Biblical record) could not be supported long-term by the base (made of wood but gilded per the Biblical record).

The ark built by Moses and co described in the Bible would have crushed itself long before Solomon ever took the throne.

Our Lord was able to walk on water; Elijah was carried up into heaven... If god wanted it to persist, it would persist.

Were it to have collapsed under it's own weight and you speculate, who is to say that it and it's contents were not saved in a new box, and taken from the temple to Ethiopia?

Maybe the Priests of the Temple continuously restore and maintained it the way conservators do with artifacts in museums? Maybe that is also part of the Priest's job in Ethiopia?

Regardless, it's existence is not a condition of our salvation; so we are free to speculate; however I am a "glass half full" guy.

 

[EvangAlived]

It is rumored ...

No evidence for the Ark being given by 'Solomon' to Ethiopia (or Sheba, who didn't come to Jerusalem for sex, she came for wisdom) gimick. It is not even a 'theory', it's a cruel joke, and a denial of the plainest words of scripture.

Jer. 3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

God had holy men preserve the Ark in a safe undisclosed location in Judaea, around the time of Jeremiah and remains there, untouched, to this day, so that it would not come into the hands of the Babylonians. For as the above passage shows, Jeremiah spake of the 'earthly' Ark (aka footstool), and then spoke of its future. One can simply compare the lists of that which was taken from the Temple by the Babylonians, and the Ark is not listed. They would not destroy it either, since Nebuchadnezzar prized such things, and took as much as he could back to Babylon to place in the house (temple) of his own 'god'.

Why would God not allow another nation to have the Ark, such as the Babylonians? Look at the events with the Philistines (1 Sam. 4). There would be plagues of devastating effect. God was using the Babylonians to punish Israel, and wanted to use Israel to bring the truth to Babylon, as Daniel did to Nebuchadnezzar. And that would not be able to be done, if the Ark was present there, for the same things would take place as happened to the Philistines.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

No evidence for the Ark being given by 'Solomon' to Ethiopia (or Sheba, who didn't come to Jerusalem for sex, she came for wisdom) gimick. It is not even a 'theory', it's a cruel joke, and a denial of the plainest words of scripture.

Jer. 3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

God had holy men preserve the Ark in a safe undisclosed location in Judaea, around the time of Jeremiah and remains there, untouched, to this day, so that it would not come into the hands of the Babylonians. For as the above passage shows, Jeremiah spake of the 'earthly' Ark (aka footstool), and then spoke of its future. One can simply compare the lists of that which was taken from the Temple by the Babylonians, and the Ark is not listed. They would not destroy it either, since Nebuchadnezzar prized such things, and took as much as he could back to Babylon to place in the house (temple) of his own 'god'.

Why would God not allow another nation to have the Ark, such as the Babylonians? Look at the events with the Philistines (1 Sam. 4). There would be plagues of devastating effect. God was using the Babylonians to punish Israel, and wanted to use Israel to bring the truth to Babylon, as Daniel did to Nebuchadnezzar. And that would not be able to be done, if the Ark was present there, for the same things would take place as happened to the Philistines.

Your theories are about as firmly structured as anyone elses.

Bottom line: The Ethiopian Church has "something" that they fell needs protecting; and they have done so for centuries.

 

[Newtheran]

It is rumored that it is in Ethiopia now, and, it seems, Solomon gifted that to Sheba

It's possible. There's a long tradition in Ethopia that the ark was sent there. In fact there is a keeper of the Ark in Axum(?) in their church. I'd wager that's more likely than it being in a US government warehouse in Area 51 at any rate...

As for this

Why would God not allow another nation to have the Ark, such as the Babylonians? Look at the events with the Philistines (1 Sam. 4). There would be plagues of devastating effect.

It's very likely that the first keepers of the ark in Ethopia - if it's there - were actually followers of Judiaism and so it doesn't necessarily follow that the plagues that were visited upon pagan nations as a result of their capture of the Ark would be seen.

Jewish community in Ethiopia — the Beta Israel(House of Israel) — has existed for at least 15 centuries.
The History of Ethiopian Jewry | My Jewish Learning

 

[The Gryphon]

All I can say is I used to be a moderator for the Israel Military Forum before I retired from it a couple of years back but maintained my friendship with some from there. I am not Jewish but I am a Christian Zionist and have had discussions with some people I shall not mention. That said it is with that in mind I believe it is now in Israel waiting for the Third Temple to be built. As Breaking Israel News reported the Temple Institute in Jerusalem has completed the construction of the stone altar required for the sacrificial service in the Holy Temple. In response to several inaccuracies in both the Hebrew and English media due to lack of information, the organization released its first detailed statement about the exciting event. I know the Priests have been trained. I have heard the Arch is hidden awaiting completion of the Temple. We all will see as events seem to be escalating.