The Hidden Things
We have not space to deal with all the remaining details of the Tabernacle—the table of shewbread, the laver, the great altar of burnt offering and its instruments, and the various sacrifices. We shall stay therefore with the heart of the Sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. In it, as we have seen, the only piece of furniture was the ark of the testimony: a box of shittim wood, measuring 2^1/2 x 1^1/2 x 1^1.2 cubits, over laid with gold and having a solid gold lid or cover—the Mercy Seat—upon which, and of one piece with it, were two golden cherubim. What was the purpose of this box?
Hebrews tell us that in it, hidden from the sight of men but preserved in the presence of God, were three things relating to Israel's history as a people: “The golden pot that had the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant” (Heb. 9.4; and see: Exod. 16.33; Num. 17.10; Exod. 25.16). Let us now look at these three things.
In Exodus 16 we are told how the manna was given to the children of Israel. From the day on which they journeyed into the wilderness until the day they entered the land forty years later, they had a daily supply of bread from heaven. This manna, which looked like dew and tasted like wafers with honey, had to be gathered at sunrise and there was always enough to satisfy all the people. It was reckoned that an omer was the average quantity sufficient for a man, and so one omer was put in a golden pot in the Ark of the covenant as a witness that God has made an abundant and sufficient provision of heavenly food for every man. There is no need for anyone to go hungry in the House of God.
The manna was a shadow or type of the tine Bread that God would one day send into the world. It speaks to us of the Lord Jesus who has Himself become our Bread of Life (John 6.47-50). It was a miracle in the eyes of the children of Israel that they should find bread falling from heaven every day for forty years. Nobody knew how it was made or how it came. They simply had to obey God's instructions about gathering it morning by morning.
Each Israelite had to gather for himself; he could not be lazy and get another to gather for him. In the same way, ours has to be a personal feeding upon Christ. The Lord Jesus has become our daily Bread, and, like the manna, we have to feed upon Him first thing in the morning. It is those who are accustomed to begin their day on their knees who understand how to feed upon the heavenly Bread, by faith, according to their need.
The golden pot in the Ark reminds us that the proper preservation of the Bread is in a golden vessel. We have already seen that gold in the Bible is a symbol of the divine nature. Those who are not born again have not the divine nature, and no matter how many times they read the Bible they cannot retain what they read; it is soon forgotten. God's Word can never be kept in an unspiritual mind. But those who are born again become like the golden pot. Outside there is just the earthern pot, the flesh, but inside is the golden pot, the divine nature. Once you have been born again, whatever you learn from the Word you will have in your possession for all eternity. Even though you may forget it for a while, yet there are things written in your heart by the Holy Spirit which are of lasting value, and which He calls to remembrance in times of need.
God's Word must be made to dwell in us richly, so that there is manna in our pots. It comes into our hearts for a double purpose; to teach and to admonish. This is our duty: to allow it to teach and to admonish us, and then to help others by sharing with them what we have been taught by the Lord. A man does not become perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works until he himself is taught and reproved and instructed by all the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3.16 & 17). If God's Word lives in you, it will instruct and correct you, and others through you. Whenever you proclaim God's Word you have to “speak and exhort, and rebuke, with all authority” (Titus 2-15); and it requires a golden pot for this. Those who are trying to keep God's Word in unregenerate human vessels have no right to rebuke or teach or correct. They only try to find fault and their fault-finding does harm rather than good.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word. He became flesh so that the words of life might reign in you, and that is the reason why, when you are born again, you have a new appetite for the Bible. The manna was not tasty, but it was strengthening. Sometimes the Word of God is difficult to understand and does not please our natural senses, but it is given for our spiritual strengthening. We have become golden vessels in which the Word of God may dwell. Let us give that Word unquestioning obedience.
Secondly, in me Ark there was the rod of Aaron which had budded. We are told in Numbers 17 that Aaron's rod budded and blossomed and brought forth almonds, and it remained in that condition in the Ark. When the elders of Israel had murmured against Moses and Aaron and had questioned their authority (Num. 16.1-3), God had confirmed by this miracle of the blossoming into life of the dead rod that He had ordained them to the position which they held, and that it was by divine power and authority that they acted. It is only by divine resurrection power that people can become God's servants. Many claim to have divine authority for their work, but there is no sign of the blossom of the almonds.
The rod in me Ark, with its blossoms and fruit, was a reminder of the kind of service that God wanted. There were 250 princes who were ambitious to become like Moses and to lead the people. They thought they had every qualification to lead God's flock, but God could not use them. He chose only Moses and Aaron, because they had been proved and tested for long years in the wilderness before they were given this great responsibility.
And so it is with all God's servants. They have to be prepared through hardships and a wilderness experience, until they really know the power of resurrection in their lives. When we first come to God we are like an ordinary dry rod, and for long we may see little fruitfulness, but as we give ourselves wholly into His hands and allow Him time to work, we burst forth into new life.
There is a story of a beggar who for many years had played on a violin. People used to drop an anna or two into his box as they passed by. One day, a man who was passing asked for the loan of the violin and played such sweet music on it that very quickly he collected a good sum from the crowd that gathered, and gave it to the beggar. That old beggar had had the violin for many years but had only played squeaky notes and had never collected more than a few annas. When the real musician played it he played the beautiful sweet notes of a master. When you place your life completely in God's hands and are willing to die to yourself, then the power of resurrection can work in you to bring forth blossoms and almonds—everlasting fruit. This is the message of Aaron's rod to us
Thirdly, in the same Ark were two tables of stone. In Exodus 40.20 they are called “the testimony”. The original tables had been broken. Moses was a prophet of God, who spoke to God face to face. God gave him the commandments on two tables of stone, but, when Moses was carrying them down the mountain, he saw the congregation worshipping an idol and giving way to sin. In his anger, he smashed those tables of stone. The second time God called Moses up on to the mount. He wrote the commandments again on two other tables of stone and instructed Moses to go and put them into the Ark, for they were not safe in his hands. Even the greatest prophet could not preserve the Word of God; it had to go right into the Ark for safe-keeping. God was showing that it was not through great teachers or prophets that His Word would be preserved, but only through the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Lord Jesus is given the first place, then and then only does God's Word bring forth life.
Many people depend on teaching only. They love to attend many meetings, to have many books and many teachers, but they will not give the Lord Jesus the first place in their hearts. That is our danger. Even though we hear many good sermons, yet we may be living a defeated life. This can only be remedied when we learn the lesson that our life is hid with Christ in God (Col. 3.3). Let the Lord Jesus take control, and then hide in Him, and there will be abundant life.
When the tables of stone were in Moses' hands they were dropped and broken, but when they were in the Ark they were preserved. You have to learn the secret of hiding in the Lord Jesus. No doubt, God does use teachers to help you, but the Lord Jesus must have the first place in your heart, in your home, and in your business, so that He gets all the glory and all the honour. You must stay in the background so that others who see and talk to you may glorify Him. This should ever be your purpose. When you pray, you have to learn how to exalt Him. This is the object of our time of Worship on Sunday mornings that He may be magnified and adored. Then there will be increasing growth in your life. When you beg and ask constantly in prayer, there is no growth; but glorify Christ, and there is increase.
Are you hiding in the Lord Jesus wherever you go? Is He being magnified—and not you—through your conversation, your clothes, your way of life? Some times God uses painful experiences to bring you into that hiding-place. He begins to break your friendships; He may take away the home, the parents, the husband or wife, the children whom you love so much. He may upset the plans you have been making. The tables of stone in Moses' hand were broken. Yet at the time they were most precious to him. From that day, Moses' self-dependence was broken; that is why he became so meek. He always remembered the day when in a rage he broke those stones, and that incident made him truly humble. That is how God breaks you.
Some of you are very hard to break. It is so difficult for you to change your ways because you always want to go your own way. But Moses learned the secret of success through being himself broken. In the life of every believer there events which may be very humiliating to you, and you wonder afterwards why you behaved in such a manner; but in them God was breaking and humbling you, and making you meek like Moses. Then alone will you really hide in the Lord Jesus and find He is everything to you. From then on, you will depend not on others, nor on yourself, but on Him alone. Paul was taught this lesson in the wilderness, and God seeks to teach it to you too.
May God help you to know more fully what is the meaning of these things which were hidden inside the Ark.