Directions for the Ark of the Covenant

God’s directions for the tabernacle begin not with the tabernacle structure but with the ark of the covenant, as we see in today’s passage. It does not take much speculation to figure out why this is the case. The ark was perhaps the most important component of the tabernacle and its furniture and the clearest symbol of the divine presence. The Lord promised to meet His people at the ark, above its mercy seat, and when it was not being transported, the ark was placed in the Most Holy Place, where God made His presence most felt under the old covenant (Ex. 25:10–22; Lev. 16:1–2). Later, in Revelation 11:19, we read about the ark in the heavenly temple and its association with signs of God’s presence. God gave the plans for the ark first because it represented most concretely His dwelling among them.

Exodus 25:10 indicates that the ark was a rectangular box fashioned from acacia, a strong wood that is easy to make into furniture. The measurements for the box are given in cubits, and one cubit in Moses’ day was equivalent to about eighteen inches, though the length of a cubit may have been longer later in Israel’s history. Thus, the body of the ark was about forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches tall. Given that the ark would be a sign of the royal divine presence, it was covered with gold, as befits God’s sovereign majesty, and featured a molding on its edges (v. 11). The end result was an ornate, gold-plated chest.

When the ark was resting, its bottom did not touch the ground directly, probably to emphasize its being set apart to the Lord. It had four gold legs, each of which featured a gold ring (v. 12). Through these rings were inserted two gold-covered poles made from acacia wood, one on each of the ark’s long sides, for the purpose of carrying the ark. Designated Levites would lift the ark and rest the poles on their shoulders when transporting the ark. These poles were not to be removed, and one commentator notes that this would help preserve the ark’s beauty, since taking the poles in and out would create opportunities to damage the ark (vv. 13–14; see Num. 7:9).

Into the ark would be placed “the testimony,” which later Scripture tells us was the tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments (Ex. 25:16; Heb. 9:4). Matthew Henry comments on the significance of referring to the law as a testimony: “This law was a testimony to [the Israelites], to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them if they transgressed.”