Posted on 05/29/2005 1:28:15 PM PDT by wagglebee
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" is one of my all-time favorite movies, filled with mystery and adventure. It focuses on the search for a biblical artifact and treasure called The Ark of the Covenant. What makes the movie particularly exciting is how closely it mimics (with some added Hollywood flair) the real life hunt for the lost Ark.
History has it that the original Ark was where God manifested His presence on earth beginning in the days of Moses. The Ark was designed as a chest made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. It had four golden rings. Each one attached to a corner. These rings provided a means to carry the Ark by inserting two wooden bars (also overlaid with gold) on either side. Atop the Ark were two golden cherubim spreading their wings over the Ark's cover also known as the mercy seat.
The Ark itself contained the Ten Commandments and was housed in the innermost room of the Jewish Temple called the Holy of Holies. Here it was the center of worship, although actual access to the Ark was permitted only once a year on the Day of Atonement called Yom Kippur. On that day, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of a goat to make atonement for the sins of the Israelites.
Other contents of the Ark included Aaron's rod and a golden pot of manna. Additionally, the Ark is renowned for its mysterious powers. According to the Bible, when the Ark was carried by the people of Israel into battle, it protected the Israelites, supernaturally defeating any adversaries that came before them.
This explains why in the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark" the Nazis were intent on obtaining it. Their theory (as the story line goes) was that they would be unbeatable if they possessed the Ark and could harness its mysterious powers. Of course, as both the movie and history would have it, things didn't quite work out for the Nazis.
But what of the Ark?
It is believed to have disappeared with the destruction of the First Temple by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon in 586 B.C. The exact whereabouts of the Ark have remained a mystery ever since.
One theory is that the Ark was taken from ancient Jerusalem by Prince Menelik of Ethiopia. Menelik was the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Menelik purportedly brought the Ark to his country for safekeeping where it currently remains housed in a church in Axum.
Another theory is that the Ark was hidden in a secret chamber housed beneath Jerusalem's Temple Mount. The alleged secret chamber was created by either King Solomon, who built the First Temple, or a subsequent king before the temple was plundered by Nebuchadnezzar.
One version of this theory suggests that in the early 12th century a group of nine Frenchmen known as the original Knights Templars excavated beneath the site of the old Temple of Jerusalem. They retrieved the true Ark of the Covenant and secreted it away.
A second more popular version suggests the Ark is still located in a vault somewhere in the miles of tunnels carved beneath the city of Jerusalem. It is believed the location of the Ark will be revealed when the time is right for the Jewish Temple to be built for the third time.
One famous adherent to this theory is Dr. Vendyl Jones. He is a modern-day explorer and teacher and the true inspiration for the Indiana Jones series. Startling the world, he announced last week on Israel National Radio that he actually knows the location of the Ark.
He says according to ancient documents the Ark is hidden in a secret passage that runs 18 miles south of the Temple Mount into the Judean Desert. Before dismissing his claim as a lark, it is worth noting that Jones published a book in 1959 predicting the precise outbreak of the Six Day War.
He calculated the war in 1967 by analyzing the sequence of events in the First Temple period and transposing them on the Third Temple period. The First Temple period began with its original construction in the days of King Solomon. The Third Temple period began according to Jones with the Jews founding an independent state in the land of Israel in 1948.
Now Jones is convinced that with the help of ancient documents found in Qumran, he has pinpointed the location of the Ark. And armed with the blessing of religious leaders, Jones hopes to reveal the location of the Ark by Aug. 14, which marks the Fast of Tisha B'Av. This holy day commemorates repeated tragedy in Jewish history including the destruction of both the First and the Second Holy Temples.
Jones' plan is simple. It is to drill a borehole into the chamber containing the Ark, drop a pin-camera in and reveal the historic treasure to a watching world.
If Jones is right, many predict this event will turn the world upside down. Jones says this will bring an end to the government's plan to uproot Jews of Gaza and northern Samaria. It also will bring the very idea of any Palestinian state to a screeching halt. In fact, Jones predicts quite the opposite will occur. With the discovery of the Ark, the Jewish people will have the greatest motivation of all time to return to Israel from around the world and rebuild the Temple to house this holy treasure.
Of course, whether Jones actually uncovers the Ark is not the sole issue. Equally compelling is proving once more through science that the Bible is more than just a collection of parables. Are you ready for this?
The Ark of teh covenant is a very specific THING constructed according to Gods Plan for a very specific purpose.
To use the same term (ark of teh covenant) to describe something else is to add confusion to the issuse and cause people to be led astray due to not knowing exactly what God requires as propitiation for sin, wht he makes a specific requirement, and how HE provided for that ultimate sacrifice to be made.
Unfortunately, the early Roman catholic church substituted it's own traditional holidays in place of the commanded feast days thereby causing people to lose the knowledge and understanding of Gods commands regarding the propitiation.
By ignoring the types of Christs sacrifice, the church itself caused the loss of understanding of exactly what Christ has done and why he did it.
Jeus accused the Jews of substituting their own traditions for the laws of God. The catholic church is guilty of exactly the same transgression.
Christ alone is the atonement for everyones sins, there is no co-redeemer or co-redeemtrix.
You don't know what you're talking about and I'm not going to discuss with you.
Exactly.
Would this also apply with the name Levin?
When referring to the Old Testament believers, I would defer from using faith in "Jesus" since the Promised Seed was not known by that term. In fact, "Jesus" is a reference to our Lord that is far too often used without deference. It certainly was/is His name but it was not tossed about freely and with the familiarity we tend to do today. The Lord was addressed with the honorific, "Lord," "Teacher," or "Son of David." In his martyrdom, Stephen used "Lord Jesus" in prayer. When "Jesus" by itself is used in the Scripture narrative, it is often referring to our Lord, in his humanity, doing something. But the days of His humility are past. He is in ressurrected glory -- and -- btw (for the blaspheming Mary worshippers) -- there is no other (ie. his saved mother) eclipsing that special divine status.
The location of Calgary is, I believe, already well-known.
"...as well as the site of Calgary."
I know exactly where Calgary is located - in Alberta south of Edmonton.
The Ark
10 "Have them make a chest of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. [a] 11 Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it. 15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. 16 Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 17 "Make an atonement cover [b] of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. [c] 18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.
I disagree. Let me post another scripture:
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
The bible says right here that Jesus Christ IS the mediator of the new covenant. The word translated "mediator" is:
mesites
Thayer Definition:
1) one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant
2) a medium of communication, arbitrator
In other words, Jesus the Christ was the one who ratified the new covenant.
A covenant is an agreement between two or more parties. The new covenant is between God the father and the houses of Israel and Judah:
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
The bible even defines exactly what the new covenant IS:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
The new agreement, the new covenant, is that God will write his laws in our hearts and minds. The terms of the old covenant, the ten commandments, were written on stone. The terms of the new covenant, the ten commandments, are written in our hearts and minds so that we are able to keep them spiritually and physically.
IF (and it's a big if) the ark of the covenant in Revelation 11 symbolizes any person then it symbolizes all Christians. The ark of the covenant carried the ten commandments, God's laws. Christians carry God's laws, the ten commandments, written within. But I think it symbolizes just how important are God's law.
Can somebody explain this?
(sarcasm), I thought Indiana Jones found it already.(sarcasm off)
"the sacrificial worship system will be terminated by the Prince of 9:26"
If you read Dan. Chapter 9 together to keep the context, it becomes very clear in Dan. 9:24-26 that the Prince of 9:26 is the Messiah. He came to terminate the sacrifices and that's what Jesus did. This prophecy has already been fulfilled.
"Jesus, why couldn't you have been a podiatrist?"
"I love you Ma, but we've been over this. I had a job to do."
"Well, couldn't you have been the Savior AND a podiatrist?"
"Ma, rescuing the world from sin and death is a full-time job."
"I should say so, bubbeleh! You didn't even take time to eat!"
On the upside, in heaven you never run out of knishes and schmaltz.
In all seriousness, what did you, Prod, think of Maya Morgenstern's portrayal of Mary in The Passion of the Christ? A very human Mary she was, and heartbreaking.
See? Modern archaeologists have that one knocked!
He could also dance the Polka if He so wished. He could write comic strips for an eternity. It doesn't mean He does or will. He, ALONE, is seated at the right hand of God. He, ALONE, is the Mediator. He, AlONE, interceds for believers on earth.
I do, however, try to maintain a sense of humor. Take a break and have a chuckle; it's good for you.
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