Where the Ark of the Covenant Is!

    In this archaeology search, our only guide will be the Scriptures to establish where it is, and when it disappeared.  You will need to get your Scriptures out and get them ready, because for the sake of space, references will be given to help the reader get the point, but you'll have to look it up.

   Tracing the history of the Ark of the Covenant briefly, it was built in the wilderness as the children of Israel were preparing to enter the Promise Land.

 It's first resting spot was Shiloh (Joshua 18:1).  Later the Philistines captured it.

 "When the Philistines took the Ark of Elohim, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.  And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the Ark of YAHUWAH

 See I Samuel 5:1-7.  They set Dagon up again. The following morning the idol was in pieces.  No idol can stand before the Ark without being thrown down.  Keep this in mind!

    YAHUWAH begin to plague Ashdod, so they sent the Ark to Gath, YAHUWAH plagued Gath, so they sent the Ark to Ekron.  In short they made a new cart and the kine that drove the cart came into the field of Joshua at Bethshemesh. YAHUWAH plagued Bethshemesh because they looked into the Ark, thus it was brought to Kirjathjearim into the house of Abinadab.  It was there until David fetched the Ark to bring it to Jerusalem.  Events happened along the way, in short they forgot to consult the Torah as to how to bring up the Ark.  Uzzah died in the process, then they remembered that the Levites were to bear the Ark.

    The Ark entered the temple after it was finished during Solomon's reign.  There it remained about 300 years. 

    The Ark of the Covenant is synonymous with the sacred name (see Jer. 7:12; Deut. 12:5, 10, 11; I Chr. 13:5-10; I Chr. 22:7-10).  We know the Ark is still in the temple in the time of Yahushaphat because of (II Chr. 20:9) which states: "for Thy name is in this house."

    Remember when Merodachbaladen king of Babylon sent letters and a present to Hezekiah by messengers?  Hezekiah was glad of them.  He showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures.  There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.  He was probably trying to witness to these Babylonians and show them how YAHUWAH blessed him, because of his religion.  Isaiah came to Hezekiah and said what have you done?  Hezekiah answered  "there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them."  Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of YAHUWAH of hosts: it "shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left." see Isaiah 39:1-8

    So Isaiah and Chezekyah made plans to hide the Ark of the Covenant, so that it should not be carried away to Babylon.

The Ark of the Covenant was not in the temple in the days of Hezekiah's son Manasseh!  How do we know this? Because Manasseh "set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of Elohim." II Chr. 33:7.  We already know that no idol can stand before the Ark without being thrown down, remember Dagon?  Thus, the Ark was not in the temple during Manasseh's reign.  And would have had to be removed before his time, in Hezekiah's reign!

    Hezekiah is famous for his construction work around Jerusalem: "who blocked the upper outflow of the waters of Gihon and directed them downward and westwards to the city of David." II Chr. 32:20 NEB

    "He made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city." II Kings 20:20

    Now along this trail from Gihon to the pool of Siloam is the  "gutter" (KJV) "watershaft" (new versions) (II Sam. 5:7, 8).

    Remember when Sennacherib came up and threatened to take Jerusalem?  Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, and went up into the house of YAHUWAH, and spread it before YAHUWAH, and prayed unto YAHUWAH, saying "O YAHUWAH of hosts, Elohim of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim (a hint the Ark was still in the temple, but this is the last mention or hint as to its presents in the temple), thou art the Elohim, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth." See Isaiah 37:15-21.

 Hezekiah pleads with YAHUWAH to save Jerusalem.  Then Isaiah gave words of deliverance to Hezekiah, (See II Kings 19:32-35).

    The Chronicler is very brief in the story.  There can only be two reasons.  Either he didn't know much of what happened.  Or, he knew, but didn't want to give too much information, if the Ark was secreted at this time.  The Scripture states:  "And it came to pass that night, that the angel of YAHUWAH went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses." II Kings 19:35

    What happened to the watchman?  Who can sleep when your city is surrounded?

 A deep sleep must have been on the inhabitants of Jerusalem that night!  The priests took the Ark from the temple, then the angel  slew the Assyrians, then they concealed the Ark somewhere in the tunnel that Hezekiah constructed, probably around the water-shaft where David climbed up, and so stopped the opening.

    Nahum is contemporary with Isaiah, and seems to tell the story of what happened that night and compares it with the last days.  The Ark will be found!

    "The precious record of the law was placed in the ark of the testament and is still there, safely hidden from the human family.  But in (Elohim's) appointed time (a Feast day) He will bring forth these tables of stone to be a testimony to all the world against the disregard of His commandments and against the idolatrous worship of a counterfeit Sabbath.

    There are abundant evidences of the immutability of (YAHUWAH's) law.  It was written with the finger of (Elohim), never to be obliterated, never to be destroyed.  The tables of stone are hidden by (Elohim), to be produced in the great judgment -day just as He wrote them." SDA Bible Commentary  Vol. 1 p. 1109

    We know that Judgment Day is on the Day of Atonement.  Also because sister Ellen G. White describes the scenes on Judgment Day then states: "then commence the jubilee." Early Writings p. 35.  The Jubilee is always announced on the Day of Atonement. On the day of the death decree, the tables will be turned and will be the day of deliverance, as was with Hezekiah and Jerusalem.

    "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." Mt 24:35

     Specifically the "ten words" see Ex 34:28 margin & Deut 10:4 margin.  The ten words will never be destroyed but will be translated to heaven with the saints in triumphant majesty in the sight of the heathen, as a witness.  He will make it honorable. 

Back to Index

For More Information write:

 The Oil Derrick  P.O. 574 Erin TN 37061

Webmaster eMail: connections@surfbest.net