Clay Pots

Exodus is an exciting book in the Bible until you get to the details of God telling Moses how to build a Tabernacle for His presence. So often I’ve read mindlessly through the “boring” details of what metals, thread, linens, etc. to use for this important task. I’ve noted some of my favorite colors were used – purple, red and blue!


But today, as I was reading chapter 25, the word “ark” stuck out in my mind. We all know what the ark was. The ark was where the 10 commandments were kept. And above the ark, between the gold cherubim, the presence of God rested.


An “ark” was first mentioned in Genesis 6:14 when Noah was instructed by God to build this structure to save his family and the animals God would send from the coming flood. God destroyed all the earth, but kept safe those who were in the ark.


In Exodus 2:3 we read that Moses’ mother got a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch so she could put Moses in and save him from Pharaoh’s decree to kill all Hebrew boys when they were born. The Hebrew word for Noah’s “ark” and Moses’ “basket” is the same: Tebah. So an “ark” was constructed to save Moses from impending death.


In Exodus 25:10 Moses is told to have the craftsmen build a chest, or ark, which will contain the Testimony or commandments God is going to give Moses for the Israelites. Under the Old Covenant, the ark was where God’s law was kept, where His presence would rest, and this application was the only one in which the Israelites had a chance of a right relationship with God through the sacrifices the priests offered for them.


Then Jesus came…
He became our place of safety from impending destruction and death. He became our “application” for right relationship with God. Jesus replaced the Ark of the Covenant with Himself.


And now we have become “arks” of His presence. We carry within us the answer to salvation, to rescue and safety from impending death.


In Exodus 27, as the ark is being prepared, it is instructed to make wooden poles covered in gold that will be put through gold rings on the corners of the ark, so that the ark can be carried – so that God’s presence could be carried with the Israelites.
The Tabernacle was being built to be a place where God would meet with men. By making the Tabernacle portable, men could carry God’s presence with them wherever they went. When the Israelites moved, it was the priests’ job to carry the Tabernacle and all its articles.


Men “carried” God.
Men “contained” God.


Today, we who are followers of Jesus Christ are “carriers” or “containers” of the presence of God.
We are “Jars of Clay” carrying the greatest Treasure. And that Treasure is able to give Salvation to all who believe, to rescue and bring to safety from impending death those who are ready to receive.


We are New Testament “arks”


2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.