The Stolen Ark of GodThe Stolen Ark of God

““Evening, and morning, and at Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice…O and he shall hear my voice…O

how I love thy law! It is my how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day.”meditation all the day.”

The Facts, Please!The Facts, Please!

At the foot of Mt. Sinai, the Israelites At the foot of Mt. Sinai, the Israelites built the tabernacle by the directions built the tabernacle by the directions God gave them. A fence of curtains God gave them. A fence of curtains surrounded the tent. This was the surrounded the tent. This was the outer court, where the people outer court, where the people worshiped God and the priests offered worshiped God and the priests offered sacrifices on an altar for the sins of all sacrifices on an altar for the sins of all the people. Inside the tabernacle a the people. Inside the tabernacle a thick curtain divided two rooms. thick curtain divided two rooms.

More Facts!More Facts!

The ark was a box, about 45 inches The ark was a box, about 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches deep. It was made of wood and deep. It was made of wood and covered with gold. There were rings covered with gold. There were rings on the side, with long poles inserted on the side, with long poles inserted in them, for carrying the ark. The ark in them, for carrying the ark. The ark was never to be removed from the was never to be removed from the Most Holy Place, unless God said to Most Holy Place, unless God said to do it.do it.

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Inside the ark were the stone tablets Inside the ark were the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments on which the Ten Commandments were written. The cover of the ark were written. The cover of the ark was pure gold. On it were two golden was pure gold. On it were two golden cherubim, touching in the center. cherubim, touching in the center. Underneath the wings was the mercy Underneath the wings was the mercy seat-the place were God met with his seat-the place were God met with his people. He showed his presence by a people. He showed his presence by a brilliant light above the mercy seat.brilliant light above the mercy seat.

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The high priest entered the Most The high priest entered the Most Holy Place only once a year. Then he Holy Place only once a year. Then he sprinkled the blood of a bull on the sprinkled the blood of a bull on the mercy seat. When he returned mercy seat. When he returned again, a shout of joy went up from again, a shout of joy went up from the people, because that meant God the people, because that meant God had forgiven their sins of the past had forgiven their sins of the past year.year.

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