Does the Bible say the ark of the covenant will ever return to Israel to restore the ancient form of worship?
Some believe that the ancient form of worship will return to Israel as it was before the veil in the temple was torn as Christ died on the cross. Some say it will be part of the New Temple that is supposed to be re-built there. It seems that mystery enshrines the whereabouts of the missing ark but what does the Bible say?
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Asked November 17 2013
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Anthony Clinton
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Anthony Clinton
When we think on the purpose of God by removing the Ark totally one can only understand that the era of the Old Covenant had gone forever and as the book of Hebrews declares we are living now in the Jeremiah 31:31 era. This is the era of the old stony heart being removed for a heart of flesh and God's laws written on the tables of our heart. The Glory of God's Holy Splendor was forever resting on Christ. So the Ark was a picture of Christ who is our Holy of Holies not open to a few priests but open to all believers to enter boldly by faith. So I was listening to the Scriptures on Sunday and to my amazement it spoke of the era in Jeremiah when they would no longer place any relevance on the ark. Surely this prophecy speaks of the NT era where all nations may come at the removal of the ark in Israel. Jer 3:15..And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 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. Jer 3:17..At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. I believe whatever happens in relation to Jerusalem and her conversion and expansion will all happen before the One and Only Second coming of Christ, called The Last Day. The New Jerusalem is now the Church and it is beautifully revealed in this Scripture from Revelation. Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Rev 21:2..And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev 21:3..And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Christ is the Tabernacle and He in all His glory dwells with us.
Meshack Gachago
Jesus was the final sacrifice that will ever be needed. The resumption of any form of Jewish sacrifice is not indicated in the Bible. The whereabouts of the ark or its restoration is not a NT teaching. Jesus is the ark today who guarantees spiritual immunity and new life through the forgiveness of sin.
Larry Pittman
Anthony, I believe that any talk of a new form of worship is probably based on what we find in the book of Ezekiel. I encourage you to read chapters 40-48, the last nine chapters of the book. In these chapters you will read about a vision that Ezekiel has in which he is shown a Temple, courtyards, and boundaries for each of the 12 tribes. This isn't just some vague vision of a new temple, but there are exact measurements given in great detail, much like Solomon's temple. In chapter 43 we also read about a new alter, again with dimensions. But although we are given this much detail, there is no mention of the Ark of the Covenant. Not only that but in chapter 43 there are even details for a sacrificial system of offerings! Consider Ezekiel 43: 18 Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for the burning of offerings and the sprinkling of blood when the altar is built. 19 At that time, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who minister before me, are to be given a young bull for a sin offering, says the Sovereign Lord. 20 You will take some of its blood and smear it on the four horns of the altar, the four corners of the upper ledge, and the curb that runs around that ledge. This will cleanse and make atonement for the altar. 21 Then take the young bull for the sin offering and burn it at the appointed place outside the Temple area. I really don't know what to think of these chapters and how they fit into God's sovereign plans. But this vision was given by God and I have no doubt that this will come to pass, just as everything else will happen that's been prophesied in God's Word. I find this all to be very fascinating and look forward to seeing this temple someday and the 12 tribes be re-established. His ways are so mysterious and I am in awe of what He's done and continues to do, both in my life and in His creation. Thanks for the great question and keep reading my friend! -Larry
Pam Johnson
Per Revelation 11:19 the Ark of God's Covenant is in heaven. It will not be returning to earth this side of the new earth Christians are promised in Revelation Chapter 21. There will be a 3rd temple in the last days as we are told in Daniel Chapter 9 b/c the antichrist sets up an image of himself on a wing of the temple. There is currently no temple in Jerusalem, but apparently there will be during the days of the antichrist. The Ark of the Covenant is not needed to perform their ritual sacrifices to Yahweh again.
Alex Diaz Ososrio
The Ark will not be seen again till Jesus' return. Revelation 11:19 “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” Amen.
Jerome Gainer
Jerome J. Gainer says: In a previous blog by the famed archeologist Leen Ritmeyer in 2008, he posted a description of some “weird” or otherwise interesting comments on the whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant. I recently ran across those comments. One of those comments was from someone who claimed to have lived in the Ethiopian quarter of Jerusalem and this person further claimed that on two previous occasions Israeli soldiers tried to wrestle the Ark of the Covenant out of the hands of the Ethiopian Guardians in Axum. As you are aware in 1984-85 and again in 1991, thousands of Ethiopian Jews were brought to Israel via cargo planes and the Rabbis have declared that they are descendants of the tribe of Dan. What convinced the Rabbis that these people were truly Jews? I believe the bible as an unimpeachable source for the claim that Ethiopian Jews returned to Israel with the ark of the covenant is the book of Isaiah 18:1-7 that talks about the Ethiopian people bringing a gift to the Mount of Zion that the WHOLE WORLD WILL SEE. Just to quote one verse it says ” At that time a gift will be brought to the Lord All Powerful from people who are tall and smooth-skinned” (referring to the Ethiopian Jews). Because Israel rescued the Jews from Ethiopia during Operation Solomon and paid 35,000,000 dollars to take these poor, starving Jews to Israel at a very chaotic time during the War in 1991. Why did they pay anything if not for the very holy ark. Why did they risk this—if not because they were afraid they would lose a chance to rescue the Ark of the Covenant. Or perhaps you would like a second source —then go to Zephaniah 3: 10 (and I quote) “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine OFFERING. The truth of the matter is that when you look at the most credible location for the Ark of the Covenant, all roads lead to Ethiopia. One road to Ethiopia leads thru Elephantine where to this day the priests on this Island claim that the Jews brought the Ark from Israel around 1000 BC. On this Island, locked in their treasury to this day is a basin (in which the blood of the animal was collected) as well as other artifacts that they have kept since ancient times. These priests claim that the Ark was kept on Elephantine until a outbreak of disagreements between the Jews (who were heading south) and Egyptian priest. The Jews went on their merry way further south to Ethiopia. Or perhaps you should visit or read about the priests on the Island in the middle of Lake Tana in Ethiopia who can go to their treasury and pull out a metal chest plate frame (crudely fashioned) and claimed to be the breast plate used by the Ethiopian priests once the Ark CAME to Ethiopia. Further more, folklore point to Ethiopia as the place the Ark was kept for thousands of years as we are all aware of the claims that a series of guardians (each 7 years old when they were appointed) guarded the ark in Azum until 1991 supposedly in the Church of St. Mary of Zion in Axum (although it is more likely that it was kept in the mountains.) Even whispers from Ethiopians who now live in Jerusalem who went thru Operation Solomon or knew someone who did— point to this return of the Ark being the true facts about the fate of the Ark of the covenant as mentioned –as humor– in your blog. Of course some people are of the same belief as Vendyl Jones (now deceased) that a poor minority nation such as Ethiopia would never be granted the privilege to hold the Ark of the Covenant. Maybe we all just have to get over our preconceived notions and prejudices and realize that the Ark is in Israel now, courtesy of Ethiopia!
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