The Ark of His Covenant
It may not be easy to work out the connection of the text; but taken by itself it is eminently instructive.
Muoii that is of God we fail to see: to us the temple of God in heaven is still in a measure closed.
There is need that it be opened to us by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus has rent the veil, and so laid open, not only the holy place, but the Holy of holies; and yet by reason of our blindness it still needs laying open, so that its treasures may be seen.
There are minds that even now see the secret of the Lord. We all shall do so above: and we may do so in a measure while below.
Among the chief objects which are to be seen in the heavenly temple is the ark of the covenant of God. This means that the covenant is always in the rnirid of God, and that his most holy and most secret purposes have a reference to that covenant.
It is “covenant,” not testament (see the Revised Version, which is the better translation in this place.)
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I. THE COVENANT is ALWAYS NEAR TO GOD.” There
was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant.”
Whatever happens, the covenant stands secure.
Whether we see it or not, the covenant is in its place, near to God.
The covenant of grace is forever the same, for —
1. The God who made it changes not.
2. The Christ who is its Surety and Substance
changes not.
3. The love which suggested it changes not.
4. The principles on which it is settled change
not.
5. The promises contained in it change not; and,
best of all,
6. The force and binding power of the covenant
change not.
It is, it must be, forever where God at first placed it
II. THB COVENANT is SEEN OF SAINTS.” There was seen
in his temple.”
We see in part, and blessed are we when we see
the covenant.
We see it when —
1. By faith we believe in Jesus as our Covenant-head.
2. By instruction we understand the system and
plan of grace.
S. By confidence we depend upon the Lord’s faithfulness, and the promises which he hae made in the fovenant.
4. By prayer we plead the covenant.
5. By experience we come to perceive the coyenant-love running as a silver thread through all the dispensations of providence.
6. By a wonderful retrospect we look back whom
we arrive in heaven, and see all the dealings of our faithful covenant God.
III. THE COVENANT CONTAINS MUCH THAT IS WORTH 8BB-ING.
The ark of the covenant may serve ua as a symbol.
In it typically, and in the covenant actually, we
see —
1. God dwelling among men: as the ark in the
tabernacle, in the centre of the camp.
2. God reconciled, and communing with men upon
the mercy -seat.
3. The Law fulfilled in Christ: the two tablee in
the ark.
4. The kingdom established and flourishing in him:
Aaron’s rod.
5. The provision made for the wilderness: for in the
ark was laid up the golden pot which had
manna.
6. The universe united in carrying out the covenant purposes, as typified by the cherubim on the mercy-seat.
IV. THE COVENANT HAS SOLEMN SURROUNDINGS. “There
were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings,” etc.
880 MY SEEMO^-NOTES.
It is attended by —
1. The sanctions of divine power — confirming.
2. The supports of eternal might — accomplishing.
3. The movements of spiritual energy — applying
its grace.
4. The terrors of eternal law — overthrowing its
adversaries.
Study the covenant of grace.
Fly to Jesus, who is the Surety of it.
KEMARKS OF SOUND DIVINES.
The great glory of the covenant is the certainty of the covenant; and this is the top of God’s glory, and of a Christian’s comfort, that all the mercies that are in the covenant of grace are “• the sure mercies of David,” and that all the grace that is in the covenant is sure grace, and that all the glory that is in the covenant is sure glory, and that all the external, internal, and eternal blessings of the covenant are sure blessings. — Thomas Brooks,
The covenant stands unchangeable. Mutable creatures break their leagues and covenants, and when they are not accommodated to. their interests, snap them asunder, like Samson’s cords. But an unchangeable God keeps his: “The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, nor shall the covenant of my peace be removed.” (Isa. liv. 10.) — Stephen Chamodc.
The ark was an especial type of Christ, arid it is a very fit one; for in a chest or coffer men put their jewels, plate, coin, treasure, and whatsoever is precious, and whereof they make high account. Such a coffer men use to have in the house, where they dwell continually, in the chamber where they lie, even by their bedside: because his treasure is in his coffer, his heart is there also. Thus in Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’1 (Col. ii. 3). He is “full of grace and truth” (John i. 14). “It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell” (Col. i. 19). Hereupon Christ is “the Son of God’s love” (Col. i. 13); ‘’his elect in whom his soul delighteth ‘’ (Isa. xlii. 1); and he is “ever at the right hand of God” (Heb. x. 12). — William Gouge.
A friend calling on the Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, during his last illness, said to him, “Sir, you have given us many good advices; pray, what are you now doing with your own soul? ““I am doing with it,” said he, lt what I did forty years ago; I am resting on that word, ‘I am the Lord thy God’; and on this I mean to die.” To another he said, “The covenant is my charter, and if it had not been for that blessed word, ’ 1 am the Lord thy God? my hope and strength had perished from the Lord.” — Whitecross.
The rainbow of the covenant glitters above, lightnings of wrath issue from below. This is the fire that breaks forth from the sanctuary to consume those who profane its laws. It is the wrath of the Lamb that bursts from the altar upon those who trample under foot his blood. It is the savor of
MY SEEMOJVT-iN’OTES.
death unto death to those who have rejected the gospel as a savor of life unto life. It is the reply of Christ to those who command him upon their own authority to come down from his lofty elevation, and commit himself into their hands. “If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you.” Humiliation brings Christ himself from heav en to earth; imperiousness brings down consuming fire. From the same temple, in which some behold the ark of the covenant, lightnings, voices, thunderings, earthquake, and great hail, descend upon those who have profaned its courts with their abominations, — George Rog&rs.