Reflection:  Lost Ark

‘The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!’ Hebrews 9:13-14, NIV

A hardwood chest about the size of an average fridge, gilded inside and out and topped with a solid-gold-moulded lid – this would be the relic of all relics. So what happened to it?

The last Old Testament mention of the Glory Box is when godly King Josiah leads his people in a working bee to clean up the temple and their wayward hearts (in c.622BC, see 2 Chronicles 35:3).

And then it mysteriously disappears from the annals of history.

But then, wouldn’t it appropriately disappear when in its place ‘The Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us’? (A literal translation of John 1:14). When a new covenant is signed with blood – a forever-solution to the unholy chasm between holy God and unholy mankind. It’s in Christ, brothers and sisters, it’s there that we get to see glory ‘full of grace and truth.’(John 1:14).

There’s a final spectacle of the Glory Box in Revelation 11:19, ‘Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.’ God’s presence that once was too hot to handle, behind-the-curtain-too-holy-to-behold is now, in every aspect of his glory, for all the world to see!

Prayer:  Father of all, we give you thanks and praise that when we were still far off, you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us in this hope that we have grasped; so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name. (Anglican Prayerbook).