19. The Ark of Mount Zion; or, God's Presence in the Sanctuary

Chapter 19 - The Ark of Mount Zion; or, God’s Presence in the Sanctuary WHEN the ark had been lodged in the tabernacle on Mount Zion, it was no longer forgotten. We read of those "whom David set over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after that the ark had rest,"1 Chronicles 6:31. Asaph and his brethren mini­stering "before the ark continually, as every day’s work required." 1 Chronicles 16:4;1 Chronicles 16:37. Nor, when these ar­rangements had been made, did the king think all his duty ended. The skill of Tyrian workmen had erected for him a sumptuous palace; and as he sat at ease beneath its roof of cedar, sheltered from the storm and shaded from the sun, his thoughts recurred to the earthly dwelling place of the King of kings. "See," he said to Nathan, "I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains." 2 Samuel 7:2.

It was a natural and a seemly thought. A tabernacle was a dwelling well suited for the changeful life of the desert; but a temple would be more fitting for the permanent residence of Jehovah in the royal city. "Thou didst well that it was in thine heart to build a house for my name," was the commendatory message that God sent him; while yet, not for him, but for Solomon, his son, was the honor reserved. The zeal of David was unabated by the prohibition. That he might not build the temple was no reason why he should cease to prize the ark. The value which he set upon it is discoverable from the notices we meet with in his writings. Not only does he refer again and again to the tabernacle as the house of God, but he repeatedly uses expressions which clearly indicate that his thoughts centered in the ark, as the token of God’s presence. "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth."Psalms 26:8. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and toenquire in his temple; for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion, in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me." "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God; he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears." "Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle." "I will abide in thy tabernacle forever; I will trust in the covert of thy wings." "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord: our feet shall stand within thy gates, Oh Jerusalem: Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together, whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel." "How amiable are thy tabernacles, Oh Lord of hosts! blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee! they go from strength to strength; everyone of them in Zion appeareth before God." "Praise waiteth for thee; Oh God, in Zion, and unto thee shall the vow be performed; Oh thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come." "Sing praises unto the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion." "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill."

It is manifest that the attraction of David’s soul toward the tabernacle arose from the fact of God’s presence above the mercy seat. He thought of it as Jehovah’s dwelling place, as the place of the holy oracle, as the place of prayer and praise.

Such, likewise, should be our estimate of the sanctuary. It is only as we consider it to be "the house of God," that we shall find it "the gate of heaven." In our churches and chapels we have no golden coffer, no sacred mercy seat, no over-shadowing cherubim, no oracular re­sponses; but what these betokened we yet possess, and in a fullness unknown to the ancient Jew. Our places of worship have been consecrated, or set apart to God’s service. Publicly has His presence been invoked. We have blended our voices, it may be, in the song of welcome, and have joined to utter the entreaty, "Enter with all thy glorious train, Thy Spirit and thy word;

All that the ark did once contain Could no such grace afford."

Though we have not the treasured pot of manna, we have the promise, "I will abun­dantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread." Though not the almond ­branch of Aaron, yet have we the assurance, "I will also clothe her priests with salvation." Though not the testimony inscribed on tables of stone, yet we have the declaration, "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their heart." Though not an audible voice from between the cherubim, or a miraculous answer by the ephod, yet we have given to us "some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Though the glorious Shechinah is withdrawn, we are not left without the blessed intimation, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." But do we find these promises fulfilled, and these benefits enjoyed, in our experience? do we seek their realiza­tion? do we go up to the courts of the Lord with the joyous expectation of meeting Him there? do we enter into the exercises of public worship with the full conviction of His more immediate presence? do we sing His praises with the firm belief that His ear is open to receive our homage? do we offer our supplica­tions with the implicit confidence that He is waiting to be gracious? do we listen to the explanations of His word, as heaven-sent mes­sages for the solving of our perplexities, or for the guidance of our devious steps? Only thus can we "behold His beauty in the temple," only thus can we be "abundantly satisfied with the fatness of His house." It is true, our God is unseen, His presence unrevealed to mortal eye; but so it was under the Jewish economy, as well as under the Christian. The Israelite saw much, yet that which he looked upon was but type and symbol. The outward rites and frequent ceremonies enjoined upon him may have been requisite to impress the groveling uncultured mind of his age with a sense of God’s sanctity and greatness; but, as we have already seen, and as we cannot too constantly remember, they brought him none the nearer to a vision of God’s face. The ark was unseen, it was behind a veil, and even had it been ex­posed to view, it was not divine. The glory-­cloud was seen at rare and distant intervals; but that cloud was only a screen to hide the Invisible. As truly, therefore, as Jehovah was in the tabernacle on Zion, so truly is He still in the midst of every worshipping Christian assembly---unseen then, as He is now---but accessible now, as He was then. Reader, have you "seen the goings of your God and King in the sanctuary"? have you felt the nearness of His presence? have you rejoiced in it? have you learned to love His house, because it is the spot where He oftenest unveils His face to the spiritual perceptions of the believ­ing heart? We leave the question with you. Ponder it. And let your resolve be, that you will henceforth always plead for the manifesta­tion of His presence, when you go to unite with the great congregation in the services of His earthly temple. Then will you find a yet better blessing than that which rested on Obed­edom’s house; for "the Lord loveth the gates of Zion," even "more than the dwellings of Jacob."