Inside The Most Holy Place
Within the Most Holy, beyond the Veil, there stood only one item of furniture: the Ark of the Covenant. It contained the two tables of the Testimony (or the 10 commandments). Later the Golden pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod that budded, were added.

IT is proposed to first study the physical details and characteristics of each item; then examine their significance in relation to their application to the Kingdom age (i.e. the future Most Holy state).

At each of the four corners there was a foot. The R.V. renders "corners" (v.12) as feet (cp. Psa. 74:1-3 with its reference to the tabernacle with Ezek. 43:7 and its reference to the future Temple, and Isa. 60:13).

Each foot was fastened to the corner or side of the Ark by means of a ring (v.12); Heb - Tabaath, a seal or a sinking into. No doubt they were first cast in the earth. This would require the piercing of the feet and sides for the purpose of securing the one to the other.

It had staves, also made of gold-covered shittim wood (vv. 13-15). These were left in permanently (Exod. 25:15). They were adjusted for use when the Ark was to be conveyed from place to place (Num. 4:5-6,11). By this means the bearers became connected with the Ark for that brief period.

There is some evidence to suggest that two Arks had been made. In Deut. 10:1-5 Moses recounts to Israel the experiences associated with the giving of the commandments upon the two tables of stone: v.3 records that he made an ark; in v.5 he draws their attention to the fact that he put the tables into the ark as commanded, and then states "and there they be". But the two tables, at that moment, were in the gold covered Ark of the Covenant within the Most Holy Place.

On the other hand, Exod. 27:1 shows that Bezaleel (Heb. In the shadow, or under the covering of Au) made the Ark that answers the description contained in Exod. 25:10-16. Into that Ark were placed the tables of the Testimony, which, apparently, were housed in two arks one inside the other, no measurements being given for the ark made by Moses.

• Though he had manifested Divine Truth and Light (Lampstand);
• Though he was the Bread of Life (Shewbread),
• Though he had offered acceptable service and prayers (Incense Altar);
• Though he had passed through the rent veil of his flesh;
• Yet he entered into perfection by the GRACE of Yahweh.

Many other humans are being gathered into him by grace (Eph. 2:8) + They are expected to put off fleshly carnality in favour of a Christ-like faith that covers them with a richness of character that is pleasing to Yahweh. Their lives are hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:3; Heb. 2:10), as they await the full manifestation of glory (Rom. 8:23).

Provision is made for members of the body of Christ, the Ecclesia, to be held together by the bonds of faith (i.e. the crown of gold). The principle has been, for many, one of practical experience during present Ecclesial times. It has been found in our fellowship (the golden crown upon the Table of Shewbread). Fellowship can only exist properly where proved and tried faith is evident. It is again found in our service and prayers (the golden crown upon the Incense Altar). Acceptable service and prayer must also evidence faith that has been tested and proved in these areas.

The crown was of "wreathen work", suggesting that a struggle was involved. The bonds with which men and women of differing dispositions are bound together in unity, are not automatic so as to take everyone into its embrace. Rather they must be worked at earnestly by all who are affected by them. Paul, in Eph. 4:16, emphasized the contribution which each member takes towards the effectiveness of those bonds. In Col. 2:19 he explains it as being "knit together" (as a weathen band would be). In these references "band" is a word that denotes a uniting principle as a band of union. But it also denotes an impediment to individual freedom (Col. 2:19 "bands" Gk - Sundesmos).

Not only are we bound together by faith in the oneness of the body of Christ, but we are attached to him, and identified with him, by a kind of "seal" (Exod. 25:12 "rings" Heb. Tabaath "seal" (see John 6:27; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30). Upon the basis of, and by virtue of, the Lord's sacrifice, we become related to Christ and become bearers of his truth and character, In the Kingdom age of the Most Holy state, many will become permanently associated with him as bearers of his name and nature.

As we have seen, the Ark of the Covenant contained three articles (Heb. 9:4):

1. The Two Tables of the Testimony;
2. The Golden Pot of Manna;
3. Aaron's Rod that budded.

It is now proposed to study each item separately and then relate them to the Lord Jesus Christ and to the Kingdom age; that being their significant context.