Ark of the Covenant: Scam or the real deal?

JP Noel · #1 Jun 9, '12, 7:46 am

Was the Ark real?

Why do so many Christians struggle with this mythical object?

I take no issue with the Ark of the Covenant as real (and lost) sacred object. In fact, after spending years researching and writing about the topic, I now believe it truly did exist.
Just as I believe in the Ten Commandments, I too, believe there was an Ark.

So then, why do we need to conjure up a bunch of far-flung stories to explain this physical object; a golden box with poles?

JP Noel

Author of "The St. Croix Ark"

maltmom · #2 Jun 9, '12, 8:51 am

What far flung stories?

Delaine75 · #3 Jun 9, '12, 9:05 am

I'm not sure I'm understanding what "far-flung stories" you're referring to here...

colmywaykurtz · #4 Jun 9, '12, 9:35 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by maltmom

What far flung stories?

JP Noel may be referring to certain speculations in fiction or in non-fiction research.

The first and most obvious would be "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

It has also been speculated that at some point it was secretly carried back into Israel.

Graham Hancock wrote a book called "The Sign and the Seal," which seemingly was a well-reasoned attempt to prove that the Ark got carried off to a place in Ethiopia, and is currently in the care of one of the local Christian churches there, having passed through the hands of Jews, Knights Templar, etc. But he ends with no proof it is actually in that church, saying they wouldn't let him actually see it. Dr. Bernard Leeman points out some other flaws in his review on Amazon.

I've looked at a book Hancock has written since then, one about ancient astronauts visiting earth (like a very belated attempt to cash in on the craze Erich von Daniken ignited in the '70s with "Chariots of the Gods"), and concluded that (with this book) he had just wanted to write a good "coffee table book" that would extol Ethiopia, as the writer for the Kirkus Review said.

There are probably other "far-flung" stories I haven't heard of, of course.

mark a · #5 Jun 9, '12, 9:43 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Noel

So then, why do we need to conjure up a bunch of far-flung stories to explain this physical object; a golden box with poles?

Once one realizes there were boxes with poles all over the middle east, it doesn't seem so far fetched.

EphelDuath · #6 Jun 9, '12, 10:57 am

There's a monastery in Ethiopia that claims to have possession of it, though nobody except a specially designated minister is allowed to approach it.

**JharekCarnelian** · #7 Jun 9, '12, 11:04 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by EphelDuath

There's a monastery in Ethiopia that claims to have possession of it, though nobody except a specially designated minister is allowed to approach it.

See here for some more information on that:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_...y_Mary_of_Zion

maltmom · #8 Jun 9, '12, 12:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JharekCarnelian

See here for some more information on that:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_...y_Mary_of_Zion

Thank you for the link. I found the last part particularly interesting that they confine the guardian to the Chapel of the Ark of the Covenant. That says to me that whatever is kept there must match the biblical description of the Ark and they must truly believe it is the true Ark. Why else would someone spend the rest of their life confined and guarding it? At some point a new guardian would probably walk out and say that it wasn't true. Thoughts?

tabycat · #9 Jun 9, '12, 2:40 pm

Did the Ark ever exist? Yes. Does It still exist? I don't know, If It still exists, is it in a chourch Ethiopia? I doubt that It is there. As where It is, it should not effect someones faith.

One thing, I would not mind knowing where It was If it was still in existint.

saveusfromhell · #10 Jun 9, '12, 3:17 pm

watch the link on you tube in my signature during the clip it goes into detail on the Ark and its typology

JohnMPhilomena · #11 Jun 9, '12, 4:34 pm

The Ark is Mary - Gilded of the purest gold, containing the Word of God (made flesh). Yes - she was real.

**JharekCarnelian** · #12 Jun 9, '12, 4:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnMPhilomena

The Ark is Mary - Gilded of the purest gold, containing the Word of God (made flesh). Yes - she was real.

True enough, but the thread is dealing with the original Ark of the covenant from the OT, beloved of people who write stories about it popping up here, there and everywhere since it's dissappearance.

George Stegmeir · #13 Jun 9, '12, 6:26 pm

Yes, the Ark of the Covenant actually did exist. There is a complete discription of it, including how it was made and its measurements in the Old Testament. It was made out of wood and clad in Gold. It was in the "Holy of Holies" in Solomons Temple ca. 956 B.C..when it was first built. This temple was first sacked by the Egyptians ca. 900BC, and in all probability the Ark was stripped of its gold by them and the wood burnt. If, by some strange chance it survived, then it may have been destroyed when the Assyrians ca. 700 BC or most definately destroyed by the Babylonians who destroyed the Temple in 586 B.C. It is highly unlikely that the Ark survived after that, and it is not mentioned in the Bible after it was first installed.
As for its existence in Ethiopia, this has been historically prooven to be a myth. The reports on the History Channel are little more than hype and bull patties.

Ion · #14 Jun 10, '12, 3:55 am

Some people say something like: "If the Ark is true then there is proof that God exists..."
Didn't work with the jewish people...
Will the Ark be discovered before the Apocalipse?

I think the Muslims say yes...
There is a text saying that, just before the comming of the Mahdi, muslim mesia, a great treasure will be found in the Euphrates river, and people are not supposed to touch it...That sounds like the Ark...

The Final Hour will not come until the river Euphrates (which flows through Syria and Iraq and finally opens in the Gulf) will disclose a mountain of gold over which people will fight and die Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said:

"The shall not occur until the Euphrateswill disclosea mountain of gold, over which people will fight. 99 out of every hundred shall die, and every one of them shall say, 'perchance I shall be the one to succeed"
(Muslim)
In another narration we have been told that who ever is present at the time when the Euphrates discloses a mountain of gold should not take the gold.

Porknpie · #15 Jun 10, '12, 6:25 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ion

Some people say something like: "If the Ark is true then there is proof that God exists..."
Didn't work with the jewish people...
Will the Ark be discovered before the Apocalipse?

I think the Muslims say yes...
There is a text saying that, just before the comming of the Mahdi, muslim mesia, a great treasure will be found in the Euphrates river, and people are not supposed to touch it...That sounds like the Ark...

The Final Hour will not come until the river Euphrates (which flows through Syria and Iraq and finally opens in the Gulf) will disclose a mountain of gold over which people will fight and die Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said:

"The shall not occur until the Euphrateswill disclosea mountain of gold, over which people will fight. 99 out of every hundred shall die, and every one of them shall say, 'perchance I shall be the one to succeed"
(Muslim)
In another narration we have been told that who ever is present at the time when the Euphrates discloses a mountain of gold should not take the gold.

I bet the Muslims are getting this belief through 2 Maccabees 2. Scripture records Jeremiah hiding the arc until the end of time. Also, the Arc of Titus does not show the arc and there is no record of the arc being taken. Both facts support scripture.

1
In the records it will be found that Jeremiah the prophet ordered the deportees to take some of the fire with them as indicated,
2
and that the prophet, in giving them the law, directed the deportees not to forget the commandments of the Lord or be led astray in their thoughts, when seeing the gold and silver idols and their adornments.a
3
With other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts.

4
* The same document also tells how the prophet, in virtue of an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should accompany him, and how he went to the very mountain that Moses climbed to behold God’s inheritance.b
5
When Jeremiah arrived there, he found a chamber in a cave in which he put the tent, the ark, and the altar of incense; then he sealed the entrance.
6
Some of those who followed him came up intending to mark the path, but they could not find it.
7
When Jeremiah heard of this, he reproved them: “The place is to remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows them mercy.
8
Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will be seen, just as they appeared in the time of Moses and of Solomon when he prayed that the place