The Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant was central in crossing the river.
Firstly, let us make some general remarks about the Ark of the Covenant. The word ark (of covenant) is related to a
Hebrew word which is a common name for a coffin or chest (Genesis 50:26; 2 Kings 12:9-10 ). However the addition to
the word ark is the following: “ark of God” ( 1 Samuel 3:3 ), “ark of the covenant” (Joshua 3:6; Hebrews 9:4 ), “ark of
testimony” ( Exodus 25:22 ), and the “ark” in connection with “glory” ( 1 Samuel 4:21, 22 ).
The ark was made of acacia or shittim wood and covered with the purest gold. Note that in Joshua 3:1 the nation set out
from Shittim, which is also called “Abel-Shittim” (Numbers 33:49 ). It was the same places from which Joshua sent two
spies secretly to view the land (Joshua 2:1 ). To enter the land, is first to study and spy the land.
The upper surface or lid of the ark, 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 (Numbers 7:9; 10:21;
4:5, 19-20; 1 Kings 8:3,6 ). At each end, there were two cherubim over the ark, with their faces turned toward each other
( Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 7:89 ). Their outspread wings over the top of the ark formed the throne of God, while the ark
itself was his footstool (Exodus 25:10-22; 37:1-9 ). The ark was deposited in the “holy of holies”, and was placed so
that one end of the carrying poles touched the veil that separated the two sections of the tabernacle ( 1 Kings 8:8 ).
Stored in the ark were the ten commandments on two tablets of stone, which were the testimony or evidence of God’s
covenant with the people ( Deuteronomy 31:26 ), the pot of “manna” (Exodus 16:33 ), and Aaron’s rod that budded
( Numbers 17:10; Hebrews 9:4 ).
After Israel settled in the land, the ark remained in the tabernacle at Gilgal for a while. It was then moved to Shiloh till
the time of Eli, between 300 and 400 years ( Jeremiah 7:12 ), when it was carried into the field of battle in an attempt to
guarantee victory. However, it was taken by the Philistines ( 1 Samuel 4:3-11 ), who returned it after seven months when
they realized it was bringing a curse on them (1 Samuel 5:7-8 ). The ark then remained at Kirjath-jearim (7:1-2 ) until the
time of David (twenty years), who wished to move it to Jerusalem; but because they did not move it in the proper way,
Uzzah was killed for putting “forth his hand to the ark of God.” Therefore, the ark was left in the house of Obed-Edom in
Gath-Rimmon for three months (2 Samuel 6:1-11 ), after which David moved it in a grand procession to Jerusalem,
where it was kept till a place was prepared for it (chaps. 12-19 ).
Solomon later deposited the ark in the great temple he built (1 Kings 8:6-9 ). When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem
and plundered the temple, the ark disappeared. Some believe it was taken away by Nebuchadnezzar and was destroyed
at some point. No definite later trace of it has ever been found.
In crossing the Jordan, the ark went ahead with 2,000 cubits of spaces between the it and the crowd. The number 2,000
in general refers in Scripture to something sufficient, in this case a sufficient and safe distance (cp. Joshua 7:3; 1
Samuel 13:2; 2 Kings 18:23 ).
The ark represented both the presence, nature, and purpose of the Lord . And because all purposes of God are bound up
with/in Christ, the Ark of the Covenant is also a type of Christ Himself. In realizing the salvation of the soul, we receive
participation in the presence, nature, and purpose of the Lord. To be a co-heir with Christ is to participate in Christ and
His millennial reign. It is to participate in the nature of the Lord, which can be seen in the budded rod of the Aaron. This
rod speaks of resurrection life.
Twelve stones were taken to the Promised Land, and twelve stones were laid in the middle of the Jordan. Before the
judgment seat the overcomer will hear: “Well done, good and faithful slave ”, which will be a powerful motivation in our
present spiritual walk and a remembrance to the overcomers during the whole of the millennium. The non-overcomers
will also have a remembrance: the “ weeping and gnashing of teeth .” To have, during the millennium, a greater part in the
presence, the nature, and the purpose of God in connection with the glory of God is the essence of the salvation of the
soul.
The aim of this study is to lay a foundation for one to see that the Jordan is a type of the saving of the soul through the
subjective application of the cross. This type should become just as familiar to us as the Red Sea is a type of baptism.
A closer look should be taken at the three items in the Ark of the Covenant. Stored in the ark were the ten
commandments on two tablets of stone, which were the testimony or evidence of God’s covenant with the people
( Deuteronomy 31:26 ), the pot of “manna” (Exodus 16:33 ), and Aaron’s rod that budded (Numbers 17:10; Hebrews 9:4 ).
The Two Tablets of Stone
The two tablets of stone set forth God’s mind and His will for us. Dispensationally the Christian has nothing to do with
the Law of Moses. Yet as a type, 2 Corinthians 3:3 shows us that we are letters of Christ, written not with ink but with
the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of our human hearts. The context of the whole chapter
has to do with the metamorphosis from a carnal to a Spirit-led state, which takes place in the Christian’s life upon his
digestion of the “meat” of God’s Word.
The Budded Rod of Aaron
The budded rod points to resurrection, to the power of His resurrection. In Philippians 3:10,11 we read:
“ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His
death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. ”
A fellowship of the sufferings of Christ, a crucified life, which makes room for the life of Christ and the power of His
resurrection, through which we come to know Him, is the whole process of our spiritual growth, which will ultimately
lead to the out-resurrection from the dead. And that’s exactly what the type in Joshua 3 and 4 teaches.
The Pot of Manna
The manna points to the heavenly provision in our Christian life. The manna deals with the matter of food for the
Christian. In John 6:53-56 the Lord taught that we abide in Christ by eating His flesh and drinking His blood:
“So Jesus said to them , ‘ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you
have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last
day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I
in him’.”
What does it mean to eat His flesh and to drink His blood? That’s also what the Jews argued about: “How can this man
give us His flesh to eat? ” (vs. 52 ). Of course we cannot literally eat His flesh and drink His blood. The answer is to be
found in 1 Corinthians 1:30 where Christ became everything to us, not pieces and without permanent satisfaction as with
the feeding of the 5,000. Christ is everything to us; He is the great “I am”:
· I am the bread of life ( John 6:35, 48 ).
· I am the light of the world (John 8:12 ).
· I am the door of the sheep ( John 10:7 ).
· I am the good Shepherd (John 10:10 ).
· I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25 ).
· I am the way, de truth and the life ( John 14:6 ).
· I am the true vine (John 15:1, 5 ).
Taking all these three items together: 1) spiritual food, 2) the metamorphosis, and 3) the power of Christ’s resurrection;
we see that the “salvation of the soul” (its realization) deals with these three issues. The power of Christ’s resurrection
emanates from the application of the cross from day to day. The natural life will then be set aside and Christ, our
spiritual food, will become our life.
This will effect the metamorphosis in our lives. We cannot say that the mere study of Scripture will effect the
metamorphosis. This will only occur in connection with the application of the cross in our lives, simply because the
Spirit of God always works on basis of the cross. The cross leads to the Spirit and the Spirit leads to the cross. That is
the typical meaning of the Jordan.
What is the salvation of the soul? It is nothing less than reaching the end or outcome of our faith ( 1 Peter 1:9 ), which
means to receive an inheritance reserved for us in heaven (1 Peter 1:5 ). It means to be part of the bride of Christ. This
bride will be in an intimate relationship with the Bridegroom and will have part in His work through eternity. This is
really a gospel to the believer. Nothing can be compared to this, and there is nothing in this world that can be viewed as
worthy of competing with this. We should never separate the salvation of the soul from a deep passion to our Lord.
Teachings surrounding the salvation of the soul can, if one is not watchful, easily become another doctrine in itself –
i.e., just another doctrine among many within one’s own thinking. But advance in the Christian life is far more than just
advance in doctrine. The most attractive Christian is one who is strong in the knowledge of the Scriptures and who is
rich in resurrection life with our Lord. The fullness that springs up from our inheritance has to do with the very purpose
of our existence: the exaltation of the Son of God to the throne. This is our vocation and it involves our deep, personal
relationship with our Lord, borne out of His deep dealings and involvement with us.
Therefore, the Christian life is above all a personal relationship with the Lord. But this personal relationship will ever
show the insurmountable difference between the Lord and us. He is so different, so spiritual, that we always can be in
despair to know Him fully. In fact, we will need eternity to come into a complete and full practical knowledge of Him.
The salvation of the soul requires the living of a crucified life (our present salvation) in order to share in Christ’s coming
glory during the coming Messianic kingdom of a thousand years (our future salvation). To be in a position to rule and
reign with our Lord then, there has to be a present training in which we move from the natural to the spiritual through
the subjective work of the cross of Christ. The whole matter of the salvation of the soul, which emanates from living a
crucified life, involves our present salvation in view of our future salvation. The Jordan River is a type of it. Our heavenly
food (the written Word and Living Word), the power of Christ’s resurrection, and the metamorphosis, can be summarized
as the antitype of the Jordan River.







bibleone.net/print_tbs138.html

Nice write up
But e too long na

laurenziz6:
Nice write up But e too long na

if It's edifying, Then It's worth it.