Nope, the bible is saying that. Ifit's not actually there then I would say it's symbolic.
Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
If it's symbolic then it's saying that God's covenants, both the old and the new, are based on the eternal law expressed in the ten commandments.
from 0717 (in the sense of gathering)
0717 'arah {aw-raw'}
a primitive root; TWOT - 158; v
AV - pluck 1, gather 1; 2
1) to pluck, gather
1a) (Qal) to pluck (grapes)
testament/covenant:
01285 b@riyth {ber-eeth'}
from 01262 (in the sense of cutting [like 1254]); TWOT - 282a; n f
AV - covenant 264, league 17, confederacy 1, confederate 1,
confederate + 01167 1; 284
1) covenant, alliance, pledge
1a) between men
1a1) treaty, alliance, league (man to man)
1a2) constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects)
1a3) agreement, pledge (man to man)
1a4) alliance (of friendship)
1a5) alliance (of marriage)
1b) between God and man
1b1) alliance (of friendship)
1b2) covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges)
2) (phrases)
2a) covenant making
2b) covenant keeping
2c) covenant violation
What was in the ark...
Hebrews 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Hebrews 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Hebrews 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Aaron's rod, a sign for the sons of rebellion (Numbers 17)
Pot of manna
Law
The manna and the Law were within the ark, which are symbols of that which should be within one's heart (bread of life, law written on the heart). I haven't done a study on Aaron's rod, but I did notice the similarity between Aaron's name (alef hei resh vav nun) and the word for the ark (aron - alef, resh, vav, nun).
If the ark (or perhaps only the contents of the ark) is still on earth (not discounting a heaveny ark, which could also mirror the symbolism of the contents of the hearts faithful to YHVH), then it/they might be where the ark (heart) has always been: in the Word, or Oracle; that is, the Holy of Holies or inner sanctuary. A multi-level play on words:
01688 D@biyr {deb-eer'} or (shortened) D@bir (Josh. 13:26 [but see 3810])
{deb-eer'}
the same as 01687;;
AV - Debir 14; 14
Debir = "sanctuary"
n pr m
1) the king of Eglon, one of the five kings hanged by Joshua
n pr loc
2) a town in the mountains of Judah west of Hebron and given to the
priests and a city of refuge
3) a place on the northern boundary of Judah
4) a town in the territory of Gad
the same as 01687...
01687 d@biyr {deb-eer'} or (shortened) d@bir {deb-eer'}
from 01696 (apparently in the sense of oracle); TWOT - 399g; n m
AV - oracle 16; 16
1) the holy of holies, the innermost room of the temple or tabernacle
1a) hindmost chamber, innermost room of the temple of Solomon, most
holy place, holy of holies
2) (TWOT) oracle
(cf. Strong's #1697)
***
Curiously enough, there is a researcher who proposes that the ark is in above town. If he is aware of this word play, he doesn't mention it anywhere on his site (I haven't seen it, anyway).
In the next part, we shall see that the Ark covered in Gold was taken by Shishak when he invaded at the time of Rehoboam. That is confirmed in the Talmud.
PESACHIM 87b. "The Great Treasure ( which Joseph had accumulated in Egypt and more) described in G-D's promise to Abraham ( Genesis 15:14 ) returned to Egypt."
The tales of an Ark being hidden under the Temple may very well have applied to the simple ark of wood containing the stones which Moses had taken up the mountain, but the Ark of Gold according to the Tanakh went to Egypt. The question is what happened to the contents? The broken stones which G-D had given to Moses?
We shall see that they could very possibly be in the place where the treasure was transferred to Shishak, a little village in the Judean Hills which the son of Shishak refers to in his records. The amount of corroborative evidence is quite impressive...
http://www.biblemysteries.com/library/arks.htm
http://www.biblemysteries.com/library/djaharya.htm
http://www.biblemysteries.com/library/ark.htm
From Easton's dictionary:
[Debir]
oracle town; sanctuary. (1.) One of the eleven cities to the west of Hebron, in the highlands of Judah (Josh. 15:49; Judg. 1:11-15). It was originally one of the towns of the Anakim (Josh. 15:15), and was also called Kirjath-sepher (q.v.) and Kirjath-sannah (49). Caleb, who had conquered and taken possession of the town and district of Hebron (Josh. 14:6-15), offered the hand of his daughter to any one who would successfully lead a party against Debir. Othniel, his younger brother (Judg. 1:13; 3:9), achieved the conquest, and gained Achsah as his wife. She was not satisfied with the portion her father gave her, and as she was proceeding toward her new home, she "lighted from off her ass" and said to him, "Give me a blessing [i.e., a dowry]: for thou hast given me a south land" (Josh. 15:19, A.V.); or, as in the Revised Version, "Thou hast set me in the land of the south", i.e., in the Negeb, outside the rich valley of Hebron, in the dry and barren land. "Give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs."
Debir has been identified with the modern Edh-Dhaheriyeh, i.e., "the well on the ridge", to the south of Hebron. <<<
Regardless of any possible literal earthly location of these relics, the symbolic meaning holds true: the Law and bread from Heaven (bread of life) is located in the hearts of those faithful to YHVH.
Matthew 6:19-21
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Revelation 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
If any of the original contents are to be discovered here on earth, Aaron's rod would be a likely candidate - being a sign for the sons of rebellion - as well as the broken tablets and manna that is stinky and wormy.
Exodus 16:19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
Numbers 17:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token [sign] against the rebels [b'nei meri]; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
Hmmm, and if the rod is withered...