5 Interesting Facts About The Ark of the Covenant

4. God Appeared Above the Ark of the Covenant

God's presence "shone forth" above the Ark and upon the Mercy Seat between the two cherubim. The Bible reveals that it was here that God appeared when he spoke to Moses "face to face as a man speaks unto his friend" (Ex 33:11). God's glory appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai with smoke, great darkness, and thunder and lightning. God's glory also appeared to Moses in the Holy of Holies above the Ark and he would speak with Moses about his plans. Besides Moses, only the high priest could enter the room where the Ark was, but it was much different. There was great ceremony when Aaron the high priest came into the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement. He first took two handfuls of incense and poured them on hot coals which were in a censor that he was carrying. A cloud of thick smoke would fill the holy of holies as Aaron sprinkled the blood on the Mercy Seat between the cherubim, he also sprinkled the floor seven times in front of the Ark. God's presence would shine forth above the Ark, and the glory cloud would appear above the Tabernacle for all of Israel to see. It was on the Mercy Seat that God's glory appeared, and this is always where God's glory appears, at the place of mercy. When Solomon built a resting place for the Ark and dedicated the Temple, he offered a sacrifice and said a prayer and suddenly fire came down and consumed the sacrifice and the glory of God filled the Temple so that the priests could not enter, and all of Israel fell down and cried out unanimously "Praise the LORD for he is good, and his mercy endures forever."   (See Ex. 40:35, Lev 16:2, Num 7:89, 2 Chr 7:3, and Ps 80:1)

The Cloud Appeared above the Tabernacle

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