Week 3 The Great Hope Chest !

This is week 3 of our Hebrews Class.

Heb 9:3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place,
Heb 9:4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.


A hope chest contains items of sentimental value that point to some event or person that has some special significance to the owner.

The Ark of the covenant is no different. It contained items that were very significant to the owner...God.

It contained 3 things. Aaron's rod that budded, The manna, and the stone tablets of the law.

Aarons rod that budded represents the truth that Aaron and his son's had exclusive rights to the priesthood. Read Numbers 17. Of all 12 tribes that lay their rods in the holy place only Aarons rod budded. How might this point to Christ? Wasn't He The Chosen of God? 1Pet 2:5 and Matt. 12:18 say that he was. A rod is a dead stick, yet it budded !!! Life from the dead. Do you see Jesus in that !

The manna represents the truth that God provided food to sustain the Hebrews when they were brought out of Egypt. It is the food that kept them alive. How do we see Jesus in this?

Joh 6:31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
Joh 6:32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
Joh 6:33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Joh 6:34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
Joh 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Jesus is the real bread....the manna pointed to Him !!

The Stone tablets were the second set of tablets given to Moses by God. Notice in the Ark are not broken tablets !! When man is trusted with the Law he breaks it...when the Law is kept in the Ark it is not broken. How do we see Jesus in this? We see in Jesus the Law kept perfectly!
1Peter 2:22 says that He did no sin. 2Cor 5:21 says He knew no sin. In Jesus the Law is kept. In the Ark the Law is kept and not broken.

As we stated the tabernacle is the greatest parable ever told. Each component speaks of a significant truth from the past as well as truth realized in Jesus. Each of the items in the Ark that pictures Jesus, point to some aspect of Jesus. And I feel that we are only scratching the surface.
Brother Steve