There are countless revelations when we visit the Ark of the Covenant in the book of Exodus. Truly the entire tabernacle and temple layout holds prophetic/spiritual significance to believers as it points to the “I AM” or “In Christ” realities of the New Testament gospel of Jesus Christ.
“They shall make an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. You shall overlay the ark with pure gold, overlay it inside and out, and you shall make a gold border (frame) around its top.” Exodus 25:10-11 AMP Here we start to read very specific instructions concerning the construction of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark is particularly relevant to us because in the Old God tabernacled in the Ark but now in the New God tabernacles in US!
“There I will meet with you; from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, I will speak [intimately] with you regarding every commandment that I will give you for the Israelites.” Exodus 25:22
God meets with us in a place called “there”. “There I will meet with you. From above the mercy seat.” ‘There’ is the secret place, the holy place, the dwelling place. It is important to note that in this typology when it says God meets us between the “cherubim” that it means something other than “angels.” The Cherubim are one piece with the Mercy Seat. The entire thing was carved from the same piece of acacia wood and covered in gold. Throughout the scriptures we see a somewhat consistent mention of “wings” over and over again.
Remember, the Ark resided in the Holy place. This revelation is connected with what scripture also calls the “secret place”. This deals with the presence of God.“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” Psalm 91:1-4 NASB
Here in Psalms we see that “His wings” is God’s wings. This powerful psalm is intertwined with the revelation at the Ark!
“How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. Psalm 31:19-20 NASB
Here we see that the Secret Place is the place of God’s presence!
“Keep me [in Your affectionate care, protect me] as the apple of Your eye; Hide me in the [protective] shadow of Your wings.” Psalm17:8 AMP
Again we see this pattern that “wings” are God’s wings, not angel’s wings. The wings are always tied to the “secret place.”“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.” Psalm 36:7-9 NASBWhen you are in this place, the place called ‘There’, you don’t look anywhere else for satisfaction. When you live in the place called ‘There’ you are fully, continually satisfied. We are seated with Him, He is seated in us. The picture of the ark gives us a picture of what it means to be complete in Christ. The ark is entirely spiritual in it’s relevance for us! It points to the fullness of the “Christ in me” revelation.
“With you is the fountain of life.” connects with 2 Timothy 1:10 (AMP) “but now [that extraordinary purpose and grace] has been fully disclosed and realized by us through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who [through His incarnation and earthly ministry] abolished death [making it null and void] and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,” The purpose of grace made real to us annulled death and made it of no effect. Grace brought life and immortality to light through the gospel!“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by. I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.” Psalm 57:1-3 NASB
These wings are one with the mercy seat. Two winged Cherubim and one seat. Three things are one piece.Psalms 61:3-4 “For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.” “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. He is enthroned in your heart. God now dwells in our hearts! Christ dwells in our hearts through faith according to Ephesians 3:17. The Ark represents: the throne of God in the earth, The presence of God in Christ in the midst of his people, the glory of God revealed in divine worship, the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Col 1:19).Psalms 80:1 “Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!” God is “There” at the Mercy Seat, between the Cherubim.
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NASB He tabernacles among us, full of grace and truth. Under Old Covenant Judaism the Ark was the only place that God continually dwelled and was his ‘official’ physical address on earth. The mystery, what was hidden, of the Ark is fully revealed in us! As you take time to visit (or revisit) the the Ark and the things of the Tabernacle in the book of Exodus remember the key to fruitful understanding is that you are now the Ark of the testimony! We have received the testimony of Christ and He dwells richly in our hearts. The Ark lead the nation of Israel in journey, conquest, and peace! Likewise when the Holy Spirit, Christ in Me, goes before us we walk victoriously in the land of promise. I pray today you would take time in the Secret place of the Most High and learn to dwell in the shadow of His wings. May you tune your ear to the voice of the Lord as you meet with him ‘There’.