Typology · Foundational

The Ark of the Covenant

The ark, its contents, and the mercy seat sprinkled with blood picture Christ, in whom God's presence dwells, God's law is kept, and God's mercy is given.

Start Lesson 7 min Read Full Study 13 min Plus

The lesson walks through the topic one card at a time. The full study is the complete written article, with its sources.

What you'll learn

What the ark was, what it held, and the names Scripture gives it

How the ark, its contents, and the mercy seat point to Christ, and why Romans 3:25 and Hebrews 9:5 share one Greek word

What Israel's history with the ark teaches: no victory without God's presence, and no power in holy objects

Why the ark is not a picture of Mary, and what Scripture does and does not say about where the ark is today

Lessons in this topic

01What Was the Ark of the Covenant?Plus7 min 02What Does the Tabernacle Show Us?PlusRelated lesson7 min 03What Happened on the Day of Atonement?PlusRelated lesson7 min 04How Does Joshua Point to Jesus?PlusRelated lesson6 min

Key passages

Hebrews 9:1–5 Exodus 25:10–22 Exodus 16:32–34 Numbers 17:8–10 Deuteronomy 10:1–5 Romans 3:24–26 Joshua 3:13–17 1 Samuel 4:3–11 Jeremiah 3:16–17 Revelation 11:19

Key Scripture

“Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.”

HEBREWS 9:1–5 · KJV