I am sure that the majority of us can remember the tragedy that struck Southeast Asia on 26 December 2004. An earthquake rocked the ocean bed, which produced a massive tsunami—one which claimed thousands of lives.

I can well remember the magnitude of my shock as the news ticker kept updating the list of fatalities; 10,000, then 20,000, then 50,000. Estimates eventually hit 100,000 and then a staggering 200,000.

Such a death toll staggers the imagination, and for months after the media was filled with stories of this event as emotional shock waves seemed to grow. The question raised by many was, how can such future tragedies be avoided? Scientists gave their expert opinions regarding specific plans for implementing early warning alarm systems when a tsunami is detected. Such preparation probably saved thousands of lives recently in Japan and other parts of the world. When the recent earthquake struck, systems were in place to prepare people for the imminent tsunami. In fact as I opened my browser that morning I noticed a bright red message on my Google home page: “Tsunami Warning.” With a click of the mouse one could access life-saving information. The result of this early warning system was that people took shelter and much human devastation was avoided.

Let me describe another devastating event; one that occurred about 3,000 years ago, in which over 50,000 people dropped dead simply because they looked into a box. Such devastation could have been avoided had those involved paid attention to God’s early warning system.

Fifty thousand and seventy (religious) people died on the spot because they looked into a chest that contained two stone tablets on which were written the law of God. This, like the tsunami, was no “natural disaster” (despite how CNN described it) but rather was direct and deliberate act of God. The deaths in both cases were the direct result of the exercise of His wrath.

We read about this in 1 Samuel 6. The ark of the Lord had been taken by the Philistines, who believed that its presence in their midst was a guarantee of blessing and protection. In fact, all they received was a bad case of rodents and painful haemorrhoids. So they had a better idea: Send it back!

They crafted a flat bed trailer pulled by cows and sent the ark back on its merry way.

The town of Beth Shemesh was the blessed recipient of this ark. The population rejoiced as the holy vessel made its procession into town (v. 13). They immediately offered sacrifices to God (from the cows who had delivered it). They were no doubt thrilled that the Lord was with them; His throne had returned to them. They were elated. But alas they were also irreverent. Verse 19 tells us, simply and without drama, that the men of Beth Shemesh looked into the ark of the Lord and God immediately killed 50,070 of them. A tsunami of God’s wrath overthrew them.

To put that into perspective, in 2009 the population of metro Brackenhurst was some 49,000. Or see it this way: It was as if 25% of the entire Alberton area dropped dead. All at the same time. If curiosity killed the cat, here it killed a city.

The reaction of the remaining population was understandable. They were quick learners. They reverently responded by asking the right question: “Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall it go up from us?” That is an interesting question.

It seems as if the survivors of this wrath desired to get rid of the ark. They at least no longer considered themselves worthy to house it. The men of Kirjath Jearim heard the call and they came up and took it to their town where it would remain for another 20 years. David would eventually move it to Jerusalem (an event which initially was another demonstration of God’s wrath).

If they had paid attention to Exodus 25, thousands of lives could have been saved.

I have brought our attention to this account because in this study we begin to examine the construction of the tabernacle, with particular reference to the furniture in it. But we begin where God begins: with specific focus on the most important piece, the ark of the covenant (also called the ark of the LORD, the ark of God, the ark of the LORD God, the ark of the testimony, the ark of God’s strength and the ark of His testament).

This piece of furniture was both glorious and dangerous. Let’s remember that the tabernacle was God’s means to keep the fire of His wrath in the fireplace. Without the tabernacle the fate of all of God’s people would be like that of these 50,000 men of Beth Shemesh.

The ark was designed by God for a gloriously utilitarian purpose: It was the place where God would meet with His people through His chosen mediator. It was the place therefore where atonement would be experienced. But if it was not treated properly—with respect—then it would be deadly dangerous. Just ask Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:1-7)!

Uzzah simply touched the ark and God killed him. The piece of furniture was treated contrary to God’s prescription with the result that Uzzah ended up with far more than merely a broken nose; his mishap with this piece of furniture put him in the grave.

With such a history it would serve us well to get a handle on this chest designed by God. I trust that what we learn today will help us to better understand the tsunami of God’s wrath long ago in Beth Shemesh. May it be used today to deliver you from the tsunami of God’s wrath.

Is it not amazing that the Lord desires to protect us from Himself, and that He has done so by giving Himself for us? This is the message of the gospel. It is the message of the incarnation, the message of the tabernacle and certainly the message of the ark. Let us learn and be moved by God’s Spirit to wonder, love and praise.

The ark was the only piece of the tabernacle that was made by Moses himself. The God-appointed mediator made the way for man to meet with God (see Deuteronomy 10:1-5).

“And they shall make an ark” (v. 10a). Please note that, whilst this was the first specific instruction concerning construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings, the ark was in fact the last piece of furniture placed in the tabernacle. It is mentioned first due to priority of importance. “It is upon the ark that God would descend in a cloud theophany to meet with his people. The ark was to be the object at the very centre of the worship of the Israelites.”¹

God, unlike man, works from the inside out. If there was no ark then there would be no need for the tabernacle. The ark was the place where God would meet with Moses (v. 22; Numbers 7:89), the mediator of His people; it was therefore the place where God would meet with His people. As important as the tabernacle was, it was merely the house for the throne of God.

DeHaan notes, “The ark of the covenant was the most important piece of furniture in the entire tabernacle, and becomes at the same time the most complete type of figure of the Lord Jesus Christ to be found anywhere in the Old Testament.”²

God gave very specific instructions for the construction of the ark.

And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height.

And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a moulding of gold all around. You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings on the other side. And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them. The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.

(Exodus 25:10-15)

A word of caution here may be in order. Many well-meaning Bible teachers have sought to find the Christ-centred meaning behind every detail of the tabernacle and this, in my opinion, has led to some fanciful conclusions. Though I believe that the “pattern” that God used was purposeful I also believe that there are some things that we cannot know for sure and so we would be wise to avoid speculation. One such area is the measurements. Some have suggested that the width and breadth of the ark are the same which speaks of the perfect humanity of Christ Jesus who was well-balanced in all that He did. I agree with the assessment of His character, but am hesitant to say that this is why the measurements are the same.

The measurements were basically a chest that measured 1.1 metres in length, being 0.7 metres in height and 0.7 metres in width.

It was to be made of acacia wood and was to be completely overlaid in gold. Here I will venture to point out what was a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acacia wood was common in that region and was noted for its dark hue and hardness, as well as its relative lightness. It was also referred to sometimes as the “incorruptible wood” because its hardness made it insect-resistant. No termites could mar it. Pink notes, “It is indeed striking to find that in the Septuagint . . . it is always translated ‘incorruptible wood.’”³

Further, trees are often used in the Bible to describe humanity (e.g. see Psalm 1; Jeremiah 17:7-8; etc.).

Of course, this is true of our Saviour. He was God in the flesh; He was a man. But He was not like any other man in that He was and remains without sin. Though Jesus was a man (as common as acacia in the wilderness) yet He was uncommon in that He was without sin. He was without spot or blemish.

Gold is clearly used in Scripture as a picture of deity. Jesus of Nazareth was acacia in gold. That is, He was the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He was God in the flesh and thus the wood spoke of His perfect humanity and the gold spoke of His eternal deity.

No wonder the first article mentioned for the tabernacle was the ark. Everything about our relationship with God must begin with Christ. The God-man is our only hope for surviving our meeting with God.

Around the top of this chest was to be a rim of pure gold (not a covering over wood). This rim was much like a quarter round or like a crown moulding. As we will soon see, it was upon this that the mercy seat or lid of covering was to be placed.

We note also that at the foot of each corner of the ark were gold rings permanently attached. And in these rings were to be placed acacia poles that were also to be covered in gold. These poles were likewise to remain permanently in the rings and this was the only way that the ark was ever to be moved. God’s servants were responsible to carry the ark from place to place. But it was only to be transported by the Kohathites, descendants of Aaron of the tribe of Levi (see Numbers 4). This helps us to understand the calamity that attended David’s first attempt to move the ark from Kirjath Jearim to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6).

David copied the methodology of the Philistines and so, with much fanfare, he placed the ark on a new cart. As the worship band played and the people celebrated, the oxen stumbled, the ark began to fall and well-meaning Uzzah put forth his hand to protect the ark. And for his efforts God killed him.

David was angry. After all, he was only trying to bring God to His appointed Zion. The trouble, of course, was that David lost sight of the holiness of God; and so did those he was leading. Uzzah became too familiar with God and a loss of sense of His weightiness led to irreverence. The poles were a reminder that God is dangerous, and not to be trifled with. Fortunately, David examined the Scriptures and the ark was later successfully transported to Jerusalem (see 1 Chronicles 15). It was a successful move; nobody else died.

We should learn from this that God alone has the right to prescribe how He is to be worshipped. He regulates what is acceptable worship. He regulates what is the acceptable approach to Him. And He also regulates how His saving presence is transported from place to place: His appointed priests “carry” Him.

Of course, in the new covenant era there are no priests appointed to physically carry a physical representation of God’s presentation around, but the Great Commission makes it plain that God has entrusted the task of carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth to His appointed servants.

According to our text, “you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you” (v. 16). According to Hebrews 9:4, the ark also (eventually) contained some of the manna with which God fed Israel in the wilderness, as well as Aaron’s rod that budded, but here the focus is on “the Testimony.”

The reason that the ark is sometimes referred to as the ark of the covenant or the ark of testimony is because of its contents. God commanded that the “tables of stone” (24:12) be put into this chest. This was both the Ten Commandments as well as the Book of the Covenant.

The ark of the covenant was the place where God would meet with Moses and from where He would command His people (Numbers 7:89). The ark therefore represented the throne of God. His rule is founded on law. It was for this reason that the ark could be such a dangerous place for sinners. The law reflected the holy character of God.

In the ancient custom of treaty (covenant) making each party receiving a copy of the covenant so that there would be no confusion about the terms of the treaty. Each party had responsibilities according to the covenant and they knew that for which they were responsible. When God would meet with His appointed mediator (in this case Moses, v. 22) it would be based on the terms of the covenant. As Matthew Henry pointed out long ago, “The tables of the law are called the testimony, because God did in them testify his will. This law was a testimony to them, to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them, if they transgressed.”⁴ And transgress they would.

Ryken brings out the fact that since God reigned above the mercy seat that the Ark of the Covenant was actually God’s footstool. Hence when God would meet with His people, He was right on top of the law that they violated; they could not enter a not-guilty plea!⁵

DeHaan observes that the law of God, housed within the ark, “demanded the death of the sinner. It contained the law, broken by Israel, which placed them under the condemnation and the sentence of eternal death.”⁶

When it came to the law—God’s law, the covenant of God—the children of Israel were well aware that they were responsible to be holy (19:1-8). It was there in black in white.

But God had also covenanted to do something: He would bless abundantly if they obeyed His law and He would judge righteously if they disobeyed the law. This is what made the ark so dangerous. You see, the children of Israel were ultimately covenantally unfaithful, but God was covenantally faithful! This meant that if they met God, there would be a grand collision. A tsunami of wrath was sure to follow. “The ark, therefore, by itself was a throne of judgment, condemning the sinner, demanding his death and eternal banishment from the presence of God.”⁷ And this helps us to understand the next piece of the ark: the mercy seat.

Pink observes that “an uncovered Ark furnishes naught but a throne of judgment.”⁸ And so God provided a covering.

You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width. . . . You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. 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.

(Exodus 25:17, 21-22)

In some ways the mercy seat was the most important part of the ark. The rendering “mercy seat” is not the most literal translation of the Hebrew words used here. But, as we will soon see, the phrase “mercy seat” clearly captures the purpose of this cover.

The mercy seat acted as a cover over the chest and sat snugly on the pure gold rim referred to in v. 11. It therefore covered the very covenant that the children of Israel were so easily prone to break and which the Lord God was so holily committed to keeping. In other words, it was a means of protecting covenant violators from God’s just condemnation. “The mercy-seat being of the same measure as the ark, covered it exactly. There was no part uncovered; the law was completely hidden from view. In a very real sense it could not act against the people, although they had broken it.”⁹

This, of course, enables us to better understand the wrath of God meted out in Beth Shemesh: 50,070 men looked upon the covenant, which they continually violated without any shielding from God’s holy and just condemnation. Their presumption led to their destruction. No man can survive the glory of God (here revealed through His law) without a covering. You see, we have all fallen short of the glory of God and this glory is measured by His law. Our only hope is an atonement. Our sins, once acknowledged, must be covered by mercy. “Man’s thought of a covering is concealment; God’s is by atonement.”¹⁰

The words “mercy seat” are the translation of one word in the Hebrew: kapporet. Strictly speaking, it means “a covering.” But the word “derives from the root that means ‘to make atonement . . . an instrument of propitiation.’”¹¹

Some scholars have argued that “the word is not related to mercy and of course was not a seat” (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament). I disagree, for the following reasons.

First, since the kapporet was over the law of the covenant, and since God rules by His law, and since the cherubim wre present (and they are uniquely associated with the government of God), this covering was indeed an emblem of the throne of God. And a throne is also a seat.

Second, since the kapporet covered the law, which would otherwise both condemn and destroy the one who approached it, we see once again the mercy of God being expressed here. Since this word is related to the concept of atonement, and since it has to do with God’s desire to commune with His undeserving people, then certainly this is a place where mercy is manifested by God. We should note that it was here that God appointed as the meeting place with Moses, the mediator. The very place that could have reminded them of failure became a place of forgiveness and of fellowship.

Third, and perhaps most convincingly, this covering was the very place where once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would place the blood (see Leviticus 16). This place of covering would literally be covered in blood so that God’s people would be covered from His wrath. It beautifully pictured the biblical teaching that without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins. Who could argue that this was an act of mercy on God’s part?

In short, the mercy seat was a place of propitiation.

Again, note that the blood was to be poured on the cover, which perfectly fit over the law. This speaks of total forgiveness and freedom from condemnation. As Motyer comments, “The kapporet was a precise ‘covering,’ and when identified with the atoning blood—the price paid in respect of sin—there was an exact covering/payment/atonement.”¹²

DeHaan puts it so clear when he writes, “When God came down in the shekinah cloud over the ark, instead of beholding the law which Israel had broken, He saw instead the blood of atonement, and God could not exercise the judgment of death and of the law, for He Himself had promised: ‘When I see the blood, I will pass over you (Exodus 12:13).’”¹³ This is precisely what the Bible means by “propitiation” (see Romans 3:21-26; 1 John 2:1-2; 4:10).

Sin must be both expiated and propitiated. To “expiate” means “to make amends for.” It speaks of restoration. In expiation, justice is satisfied. To “propitiate” means “to atone for.” (Tyndale translated the word “at one with.”) It means “to make favourably inclined,” “to appease” or “to conciliate.” In propitiation, peace is realised.

Sinners need both expiation and propitiation, and Christ provides both. “The ark was the place of atonement or propitiation, hence the place where God was rendered favourable to his people.”¹⁴

The mercy seat was the place where the blood of propitiation was applied. And so it is with the experience of our salvation. The blood of the Passover Lamb—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world—was shed on Calvary. But the Lamb ascended to the throne of God where the Father’s wrath is continually propitiated and thus where believers are eternally safe (cf. Hebrews 9:6-28). Yes, the throne of judgement has become a throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16)!

This is only possible because of the perfect obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Our Saviour in His life and death magnified the Law and made it honourable. Not one jot or one tittle is allowed to pass unfulfilled. There is no fear that it will ever arise to take by the throat and demand payment from any whom God has accepted. If we may put it so materially—the gold of our Saviour’s obedience even unto death is of the exact size and pattern of the demand of the moral law.”¹⁵

One final detail of the ark must yet be dealt with.

And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat. And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.

(Exodus 25:18-20)

The mercy seat was to be made of pure gold and it seems as if the two cherubim that were on each side of the ark were to flow from the golden covering. These cherubim were to be fashioned in such a way that they faced each other, and yet their faces were to be facing down towards the covering, towards the mercy seat, towards the atonement.

The biblical cherub is a creature that appears to be unique. It is not quite an angel, but certainly not a man. Cherubim represent power and authority and for this reason they are often associated with the rule and the throne of God. This is another reason why the mercy seat was a picture of the throne of God. Currid notes, “That these cherubim are supporters of God’s throne is confirmed by the frequent Old Testament idiom that Yahweh is “enthroned on the cherubim” (1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2).”¹⁶

Cherubim seem to be special creatures that protect the throne of God. “Unlike some of the other angels, the cherubim are not messengers but remain in God’s presence to deny access by anything unholy. They are the palace guards for the King of kings—‘guardians of the sacred and throne attendants of the Almighty.’”¹⁷ In contrast to the “chubby little creatures with jolly faces” so often portrayed in contemporary media, cherubim are “serious angels.”¹⁸

The first mention of cherubim is in Genesis 3:24 where cherubim (was it two of them?) were placed at the east entrance to the Garden of Eden (along with a rotating flaming sword) to guard the holy place of God. Adam and Eve had broken covenant with God and they were no longer welcome in His sanctuary. Cherubim were assigned the duty of keeping them out.

But why were these cherubim to be so fashioned that their faces were turned downward? I would suggest two reasons.

First, because they were worshipping at the throne of God. They were awed by God. The cherubim were worshippers, not objects of worship. Being in the very presence of God, they bowed their heads.

But second, these cherubim bowed their heads towards the mercy seat because they were amazed by grace. “Instead of flying with the speed of the wind or like the lightning flash upon the enemies of God, they bend with adoring worship upon that which speaks of ‘righteousness and peace having kissed each other’ (Psalm 85:10).”¹⁹

Pink writes, “The cherubim . . . saw not those holy statutes which condemned their transgressors; instead, they gazed on that which spoke of the glory of God—Deity magnified by sacrifice. There was blood between the law and its Administrator and His executors!”⁸

I would remind you that this is not fanciful conjecture. The New Testament points to this when Peter writes, “To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into” (1 Peter 1:12).

The angels desire to look into the things that we have experienced in the gospel. This is why their heads are bent in worshipful wonder. They get grace. The angels that did not fall with Satan were “the elect angels” (1 Timothy 5:21). Election is always an act of grace. What they don’t understand is mercy. The angels in heaven have never sinned, and never will. They do not know the misery of sin, and cannot therefore grasp the wonder of mercy.

A fair question that confronts us at this point is, what significance does this ark carry for us? After all, we do not carry about a tabernacle and do not meet God in a tent at a place of sacrifice. This furniture is long gone (probably destroyed by the Babylonians in the siege of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar). Despite the claims of the Ethiopian Coptic Church, the ark is no longer in existence. Even if it were, it would be irrelevant. You see, Christ has completely fulfilled the picture. But it is still important for us to study this piece of furniture, for it teaches us many important lessons—the same lessons that the ancient Israelites needed to know. As we conclude, therefore, let me point out some truths for you to take home.

First, we must never seek to dilute the biblical truth that God is dangerous. This is a truth worth repeating—again and again—especially in our day.

There is much discussion in the Christian media at present about an upcoming book by Rob Bell—Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived—scheduled for release by Harper Collins on 29 March. The scuttlebutt is that Bell denies the biblical teaching concerning a literal hell for those who are not in Christ. He may actually be teaching that hell is unnecessary because in the end everyone will be saved. Whatever direction this book takes it most certainly is a denial of the biblical doctrine of the wrath of God. It would seem that in our day people have little trouble believing in the love of God—after all, who would not love such loveable creatures!—but belief in the wrath of God is far less popular. Most have little or no concept of the holiness of God and therefore accounts of God’s wrath, such as the one in 1 Samuel 6, strike us as over the top, cruel and unjust.

The fact is that God is so holy that even the angels cover their faces with their wings and any person with any sense falls on his face in His presence (see Isaiah 6). Those who have any concept of the holiness of God will view themselves as Isaiah did and cry, “I am a failure; woe is me!” Or they will be like the elders of Israel who, when they “saw” God, were amazed that God did not lay His hand upon them (Exodus 24:11). Or they will respond like Peter who fell before the veiled glory of God in Christ and cried out, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8).

It is only when we realize something of the holiness of God that we will be moved by the grace of the gospel. Until such time, we will approach the gospel with boredom, and in fact we will see the gospel as an entitlement rather than as a gracious gift.

An interesting translation of the Greek word for propitiation is found in Matthew 16. After Peter had made his bold declaration about the person of Christ, Jesus began speaking of the cross. Peter immediately rebuked the Lord, crying, “Far be it from You, Lord.” The phrase “far be it from you” is a translation of the Greek word often translated “propitiation.” Peter was saying, in essence, “May God be merciful to You, Lord.” In other words, “Lord, don’t you know that God is propitiated; that He is favourable toward us? Why all this talk about the cross?”

Peter did not understand that Jesus was the means of propitiation. If He refused the cross then no propitiation, no salvation of His people, could or would occur. It was precisely because the Father was favourable to Jesus Christ that Jesus chose to make us favourable to the Father. Peter, like many others, apparently did not see the seriousness of sin and the danger of God’s wrath. Jesus did.

Make no mistake: “Natural disasters” are evidence of the wrath of God revealed from heaven against a world that suppresses the truth of His holiness (Romans 1:18). Truly, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, for He is a consuming fire. Sometimes He is a consuming wave. And He does not discriminate between rich and poor, between wealthy holiday makers and those who make their beds and clean their rooms. The wrath of God is a reality that is terrifying to those who take it seriously. And, of course, this is also what makes His grace so amazing!

We must ask the same question of those of Beth Shemesh: “Who is able to stand before the Lord?” The only answer is: Our Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory. He is able to stand before the Lord on our behalf!

Because the wrath of God flows from God’s throne, man’s only hope is in a God-appointed propitiation—the one that He has provided. God saves sinners who see His appointed mercy seat as their only hope. Propitiation is the bedrock of the Christian faith and life. To turn away from the cross is to turn away from God. To reject this is to die in one’s sins.

As we conclude our study let me ask you to consider your position before God. Are you safe? That is, are you saved? If not, then come to the throne of God’s grace today and find the mercy that you need in the Lord Jesus Christ. That mercy is available because of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ who was God manifested in the flesh. He is the Mercy Seat who refuses to conceal your sin but rather by His grace He covers it with His blood. What can wash away your sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Come contritely and be cleansed and covered that you might commune with God today—and forever!

“The work is done and God Himself can do no more than that which was done by the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. . . . God Himself knows of no other way to save a sinner than by the Cross of Calvary. Refusal to receive God’s perfect provision is to choose the doom of one’s own soul.”²¹