Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1621
Delivered on Lord’s-Day Morning, September 25, 1881
“And it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the co venant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.” Jeremiah 3:16.
THIS text speaks concerning the material ark. I should like to append to that another which speaks of the ark spiritually and tells us where its antitype is to be found—
“And the temple of God was opened in Hea ven and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament (or covenant) “Revelation 1119.
When inward piety is low, the externals of religion are frequently cried up. Those who know nothing of God are the very people to exclaim concerning themselves and their brethren, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.” The Pharisees, who were furthest from God, were the most bitter advocates of ritualism and formalism—they would not even have a man healed on the Sabbath, or allow the hungry to rub a few ears of corn out of the husks! It is not always so, but yet too often, “The nearer the Church the further from God.” The more grown, the less Grace. The more phylactery, the less sanctity. The more of ecclesiasticism, the less of true godliness.
On the other hand, whenever the Spirit of God is largely poured out, although the ordinances of God are carefully attended to, yet, as external things, they are sure to be put into their proper place and that proper place is a secondary one. The spiritual is put foremost and the ritualistic is placed hindmost when Grace is largely given. It was so with David in the 51st Psalm. When he had made a hearty confession of his sin and cried to God for mercy, he uttered those memorable words, “You desire not sacrifice; else would I give it: You delight not in burnt offerings.” He puts aside the symbol because he has a clear view of the substance! That is exactly the case with the people mentioned in my text—they had been sadly sinful, but God, in His mercy, promised to turn to them, to bless them and bring them back into their own land again.
He says—“And I will give you pastors according to My heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. And it shall come to pass, when they are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the Covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.” The visible golden ark, which was so much their glory, would be quite forgotten because of the gracious visitation of God! That shall be our subject this morning.
First, I shall invite your attention to the symbol reverenced. Secondly, we shall see that reverence obliterated and, thirdly, we shall dwell upon that reverence transferred, for though we no longer revere the ancient ark of shittim wood overlaid with pure gold, we do honor to that forever enduring ark of which we read in our second text—“The temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in His temple the ark of His covenant.”
I. First, then, let us think upon THE SYMBOL REVERENCED. The ark of the covenant was a small coffer not exceeding four and a-half feet in length by about two feet, eight inches in breadth. It was made of an enduring kind of wood and was covered with pure gold both inside and out. Upon the upper part of it was a golden crown into which fitted a solid slab of gold which formed the lid of the ark. That golden lid was called the propitiatory or Mercy Seat—in the Hebrew, Kapporeth, or a place of covering. Upon the two ends of this Mercy Seat and part and parcel of the same solid metal, were two cherubs, with outstretched wings.
The Lord said of them, “And the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the Mercy Seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the Mercy Seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.” Between those wings, when God was favorable to His people, the bright light, called the Shekinah, was known to shine forth. And when, once in the year, the High Priest went into the innermost place, bearing with him a cloud of incense and sprinkling the blood, he saw the Glory of that Light of God. This ark was the object of great reverence and very fitly so, because it symbolized God’s Presence, the Presence of Jehovah, the living God, in the midst of His people. They saw no similitude, for what likeness can there be of Him that fills all in all?
They knew that God’s excellent Glory shone above the Mercy Seat and they thought of the ark in connection with the Lord, as David did, when he said, “You and the ark of Your strength.” It was, therefore, a thing greatly to be reverenced, for God was there. To no other people had God given such a token of His Presence. He walked in the midst of no other camp—but of Israel He had said, “My Spirit shall go with you.” It was the first article of the tabernacle concerning which Moses received instructions, for, indeed, it was the first in honor. Read the 25th chapter of Exodus and see how speedily the Lord, who gave the Law, provided a chest for its honorable preservation! Although Solomon made most of the furniture of the Holy Place anew, he retained the same ark which was too much esteemed to be changed.