Can you imagine how beautiful the Ark of the Covenant was? Exodus 37 describes its’ dimensions and how it was made. I keep thinking about how Bezalel, the craftsman chosen by God to build and oversee the making of everything, worked. As an artist, if I see something I have a better chance of painting it realistically. I can’t help but wonder how God’s inspiring him worked; could he see the cherubim in his mind’s eye? Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover. v. 7-9. Then again, I think of artists, musicians, writers, poets throughout the ages inspired to create beautiful works and I give thanks to Almighty God for enabling hearts and minds to respond to the inspiration He gives. Cherubim? So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:23-24. Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. Ezekiel 10:18-19. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” Revelation 4:6-8.

The Ark would be placed in a separate section of the tabernacle – the Most Holy Place. Only the High Priest could enter that section and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement after first making sacrifice for his own sins. Then he could enter on that day only to sprinkle blood on the top of the Ark to atone for the sins of the entire nation.

I can’t help but think about what the people did while Moses was on the Mountain with God the first time. They made a golden calf and called it god.

The Ark would not be seen by the people. I can well imagine they would have made an idol of it and that would not be tolerated. Only God is to be worshipped….only God is worthy to be worshipped.

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. “For in him we live and move and have our being.” As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.” Acts 17:24-28.

The people in Exodus were living in their appointed time. Today we live in ours. Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone – an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead. Acts 17:29-31.

In Scripture we’re reading the history of us. Time marches on. Will our history be written? The cherubim depicted so beautifully by Bezalel on the Ark cover, know exactly who God is. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is, and is to come.” God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him…though he is not far from any one of us. He wasn’t far from ancient Israel! We today, in our appointed time, have the incredible blessing of reaching out for Him because He is here with us where He has always intended and longed to be. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7. Jesus told us that. Take His hand and let Him be the one to guide you to Him; He’s here. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Matthew 27:51. The curtain that separated all but the High Priest was torn in two from top to bottom at Jesus’ death…Jesus’ appointed time on Earth. He is the one who gives us life, breath and everything else. Rejoice in so great a love that His mercy is for all of us. Then realize how much each one of us needs that mercy…every…single…one of us. What a wonderful, merciful, loving God. He alone is our hope…and He takes our hand when we ask…nothing separates each of us from the love of God.