The Christ in Prophecy Journal

Ark of the Covenant: A Suspect Discovery

The Ark of the Covenant

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It was in the mid-1980’s, and I was hosting a pilgrimage group on a tour of the Holy Land. We had made the long drive from the Sea of Galilee to Jerusalem and had arrived in “the city of the Great King” exhausted.

It seemed like I had hardly gone to sleep when I was jolted awake by the telephone. Assuming it was my wake up call, I lifted the receiver and mumbled, “Thank you.”

I was surprised to hear a familiar voice on the other end. “Hello, David, I’m calling from Texas!”

“From Texas!” I replied. “All the way from Texas?”

“Yep,” answered my friend, “and guess what? They’ve found the ark!”

“The what?”

“The ark!”

“Noah’s?”

“No, dummy, the Ark of the Covenant.”

Needless to say, that statement really woke me up.

My friend proceeded to explain that he had just read in the Dallas Morning News about the discovery of the lost Ark of the Covenant. It had supposedly been found on Mount Pisgah (Mt. Nebo) in Jordan by a religious group from Kansas.

It all sounded a little far out to me. I suspected that someone had lost touch with reality after having seen the currently popular movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Nonetheless, I rushed down to the hotel lobby to get the latest copy of The Jerusalem Post. Sure enough, there on the first page was the story. The writer evidently shared my skepticism because the headline read: “Thar’s an Ark in Them Thar Hills!”

The story was right out of Alice in Wonderland. Some end-time sect from Winfield, Kansas, calling itself the Institute for Restoring Ancient History International, had issued a statement claiming to have discovered the Ark in a sealed passageway inside Mt. Pisgah.

They offered no evidence, even though they claimed to have taken photographs. They also refused to reveal the exact location of their find.

The leader of the group, who had a reputation for being anti-Semitic, said he was going to prove his good will toward the Jews by turning all his evidence over to David Rothschild.

When asked why he had selected Rothschild, he replied that he considered Rothschild to be the leader of the Jews (an old anti-Semitic attitude!). He also explained that he felt Rothschild had the power to help his group in dealing with the Jordanian government and the Vatican.

The headlines have since subsided. The Kansas group has returned to its anonymity in the wheat fields. And the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, has become an adventure classic.

But the incident and movie motivated a lot of questions, some of which relate to end time events. What was the Ark of the Covenant? Why was it so important to the Jews? What happened to it? Will it be found again? Is it essential for the rebuilding of the Jewish temple?

We will begin looking for answers to these questions in the next installment of this series on the Ark of the Covenant.

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Dr. David Reagan

Dr. David Reagan is the Founder and Evangelist Emeritus of Lamb & Lion Ministries. He is a life-long Bible student, teacher, and preacher and he led over 45 pilgrimages to Israel. Dr. Reagan was the host of the radio then television program Christ in Prophecy for nearly 40 years.

33 CommentsLeave a Comment

  • hey everyone, i normally dont do this kinda think, in fact i really hate doing it. i find it ackward and embarrassing but can you all pray for me? my car wont start and have no idea whats wrong with it. all i know is i dont have several hundred dollars to have it fixed.

  • Dawg,

    Keep it in perspective. A broken car, though important, can be worked around via public transportation or a lift from a friend. When I was younger I got everywhere without a car (even in Souther California).

    Honestly and at the risk of sounding uncaring, if I were to answer a call for a prayer it would be for a broken (sick) person, not an object.

    Be thankful YOU are healthy even if your car isn't.

  • Billy – Do you think this is the response Jesus would give? Didn't He say that He knows the number of hairs on our heads & if He feeds the birds & clothes the lillies of the field, wouldn't he care about anything & everything in our lives?(Luke Chapter 12)

    Your comment made me very sad. Dawg, we are the body of Christ here to help, pray, support & encourage one another. The Lord promises if we will seek Him first "all things will be added unto you." (Luke 12:31)

    I lost my job last week & possibly my home & belongings will be next. God still reigns in my life & He knows what I 'need' even if I am temporarily bewildered. Like the Mercy Me song says 'I will praise Him in the storm'. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that the Lord told him, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

    We don't always understand why things happen the way they do or why people act the way they do but we have to remember that 'all things work together for good to those that love God & are called according to His purposes!'(Romans 8:28)

    Hang in there, we will be praying & standing with you! Juse as I know others are praying & standing with me!

  • Hartdawg
    What a pain! I agree with you in prayer for your need and for the Lord to intervene in this difficulty, and provide you with practical help and guidance. In Jesus name Amen!

  • Bryanne

    I have family close to what you are experiencing. If only they would do as you and 'stir up faith,hope and trust'. I add my amen to all the cries of your heart.
    With love in Jesus X

    EI

  • Bryanne,

    I was trying to get Hartdawg to focus on the positives in his life, not the negatives, and hopefully raise his spirits.

    If my truck broke down and I couldn't afford to fix it, yes, I would be upset and feel down but if I refocused on all the good in my life then perhaps I could more easily deal with the situation.

  • bryanne (sorry for bad spelling) hey, i`m very sorry bout your job. i been complaining bout my dead-end job lately. even more so since a better oppertunity fell thru. i asked God to close the door if it wasnt his will. psalm 37 forgot which verse "i have never seen the rightous forsaken or his seed begging for bread." God WILL provide. if not, he knows what he`s doing even when we dont.

  • billy
    i see your point as well, (tho perhaps you couldve used a little more tact, an area i struggle with as well) bryanne, keep us posted with your job situation.

  • Anyway, getting back on subject…

    The two things I am looking foward to are:

    1. The current location of the Ark (I think I know the answer).

    2. It is possible the Ark will be moved from it's current home to be discovered in the end times?

    Looking forward to the coming articles.

  • Dawg,

    I didn't mean to be tactless though I likely came across that way. I struggle with many faults and I may have displayed one today.

    Sorry.

  • concerning the ark, john saw it in revelation which leads some to believe thats where its at, but the ark moses built was patterned after the one in heaven. (the one john saw?) there are many viable theories, i tend to go with the one that its hidden(perhap some jews know where as they claim) and is to be revealed in its time. in the Gog/magog passage where it says "i will set my glory (in isreal? lost my bible so i cant quote it)" could be a reference to the ark. the remaining passages are about the millineal temple.

  • Dawg,

    We just got an e-mail at work this morning of a co-worker who died at age 50 from an illness he was fighting. So perhaps when I made my "keep it in perspective" comment and "not praying for an object" comment this was in the back of my mind.

  • Dawg,

    Yes, that (John saw it)is makes me think that I know where it is.

    But I never thought that maybe it was a different ark.

    If it was, will it be returned to be discovered? Will a new ark be made…or has already been made?

    Hope to find some answers in the coming articles.

  • Noah gave a sharp intake of breath, with eyes wide he cupped his hand to his ear and said to his family "'ark, it's raining".

    EI

    I don't care, I make no apologies it made me laugh! 😀

  • Ron Wyatt claimed he rediscovered the ark along with many other sacred items. he claims he found Sodom, Noah's ark, Mount Sinai, how the pyramids were built etc. Here is his wb site http://www.wyattmuseum.com/.

    Take it for what it is worth.

  • Ron Wyatt was a Seventh Day Adventist.

    Evidence of archaeologists and Israeli Antiquities shows that he told porkies to support his religious views, perpetuated by his widow. By forming a conspiracy theory, he pointed to that as the reason he was challenged about his false claims.

  • NKJ Zephaniah 3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, The daughter of My dispersed ones, Shall bring My offering.

    This line is believed by some to be a prophecy of Ethiopia bringing an offering to Jesus when He returns, this gift is widely believed to be the Ark of the Covenant which they do claim is in their possession and no one else in the world makes such a claim.

    The lid of the box is called the Mercy Seat, and would make a fitting throne, literally a seat for the only one worthy to occupy that seat: Our Lord Jesus! From wWhom all Mercy flows.

    This may not be the context of that verse, so take it for what it is worth.

  • i`m not sure exactly how accurate that interpratation is. the tradition behind that interpretation is that under solomons growing apostacy some of the priest made a repilica and swapped it with the real one and took the original down to ethiopia (to the queen of sheba) and its preserved til today.

  • yet others believe jeremiah had it buried shortly before nebudchadnezzer destroyed the temple and its buried under the temple mount and some of the jews know wher its at today. yet others believe its buried in the earth right under where jesus died and when he died his blood spilled onto the mercy seat.

  • Jeremiah 3:16 says clearly that:
    When ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done ANY MORE" (Jer.3:16)
    If words mean anything there wont be an ark in the Millennial Temple any more than there was one in the Temple in Jesus day.

  • Hartdawg and Bryanne, prayers go out for you.

    EI, right on about Wyatt. Guys like Randall Price and John Morris have issued caveats against him. Many porkies indeed!

    rg

  • Hello rg
    Where have you been? I didn't see you in the trenches with me dodging Postie bullets – were you on a mission? 🙂

    I was sent Wyatts stuff a long time ago by a friend. He didn't stay my friend after I gave him evidence of the fraud. I think the blood from the cross onto the 'ark' made me really cross!

    Two of my sons have been diving in the Red Sea (instructors), both said the currents were too powerful for wooden remains of chariot wheels to survive, iron would have coroded long, long ago.

    RW was a very naughty man!
    EI

  • Sorry, EI.

    I tend to take breaks from arguing. Is there anyone you want me to go set straight?

    I suppose I should start with myself first.

    I woulda thought Doc NoFog would have been plenty of back up. Anyhow, going back a few posts I see you've done pretty good on your own.

    rg

  • rg…

    EI is a wonder to behold! Her motto is -"Silly you… showin' up with a knife for a gun-fight!"
    She kinda reminds me of Neo [Matrix #1] when the security cop tells him to open his trench-coat…

  • DrNofog

    Reminds me of one of my favourite verses as a little un.

    "One fine day, in the middle of the night.
    Two dead men got up to fight.
    Back to back they faced each other,
    Drew their swords and shot each other". 🙂

  • hartdawg, I know how it feels to have a busted up car and no money. Those 6 months were pretty stressful, let me tell you. So you have my prayers, but I think it's worse that you lost your Bible.

    As for the Ark of the Covenant, if it's anywhere, I'd guess it's under the temple mount in an area called Solomon's Stables. But it's only a guess.

    Question, EI: Why do Brits call sausages "bangers"?

  • Son of Thunder

    I believe it goes back to the II World War when food was scarce and rationed. Butchers eked out the meat content with higher than usual ground cereal which retained more water. During frying, the water inside the sausage heated up and the steam pressure burst open the skin causing a loud 'crack' causing a stinging shower of fat and water. Much like a firework, the type that go 'bang'we also call 'bangers'.

    Perhaps you can explain to me what a 'red neck'is? 🙂
    EI

  • EI, Hope this helps:

    Redneck-Condos — A Must See! – http://www.highrises.com/test/redneck-condos/

    Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redneck] has a fairly in-depth, albeit somewhat misleading, description of "Redneck" where they start off with: "Redneck is a derogatory slang term to refer to poor white Southern farmers in the United States.[1] It is similar in meaning to Cracker (especially in Georgia), Hillbilly (especially in Appalachia) and White trash (especially among blacks)-…

    Urbandictionary has: "Mildly offensive term for a lower class white person from the southeastern states of the USA. Derives from someone who spent a lot of time on manual labor outside and so received a "red neck" from the sun." [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=redneck].

    However, much of this is written from a Northern Yankee point of view where it's mostly seen "as a pejorative used by outsiders", and there are some points that are missed, such as many of the colonists and later immigrants that settled in the south were from Ireland and they don't tan dark, they tan red, so plantation owners as well as the common folk had "red necks"…

    "The term "redneck" is often misunderstood by those north of the Mason-Dixon line. Many Yankees misunderstand this beloved term of endearment and treat the word as if it were some kind of insult. A true Southerner understands that achieving the state of Redneck is a noble pursuit."

    Southern comedian Jeff Foxworthy defines "redneck" as "a glorious absence of sophistication," stating "that we are all guilty of it at one time or another."

    Being a "real" Redneck is so much more than driving a pick-up truck and naming your dog (or son) Bubba.

    Typically, rednecks live in rural settings. They avoid urban settings. They are proud of their pick-up trucks or older cars and stick with them despite rising gas prices.

    True Rednecks do not respect man-made timelines. Their lives are lived one day at a time. Rednecks may put cars up on concrete blocks in their front and back yards for a decade before restoration even begins.

    Rednecks speak with a Southern accent and avoid using big words. They may know big words but it is not socially acceptable to use them. People who do are identified as outsiders.

    A true Redneck does not feel the need to impress people with the outward trappings of superficial wealth and a real Redneck is perfectly comfortable in an Armani suit or a stained t-shirt.

    Rednecks often are seen about in hunting attire even though they do not plan to hunt anything. Dressing up comprises of dockers and a tucked in polo shirt.

    Baseball hats on men are a must regardless of the occasion or whether indoors or not.

    http://www.dba-oracle.com/redneck.htm
    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=redneck

  • EI, This might help too…

    Redneck Test:
    You might be a redneck if:

    You only need one more hole punched in your card to get a freebie at the House of Tattoos.

    You want an estimate from your barber before you get a haircut.

    You keep a can of Raid on the kitchen table.

    Your truck tires cost more than your truck.

    You have flowers planted in a bathroom appliance in your front yard.

    The hood and one door are a different color from the rest of your truck.

    Santa Claus refuses to let your kids sit in his lap.

    You move your refrigerator and the grass underneath it has turned yellow.

    You mow your lawn and find your older car.

    You can spit without opening your mouth.

    Going to the bathroom in the middle of the night involves putting on shoes and a jacket and grabbing a flashlight.

    Your toilet paper has page numbers on it.

    You think mud rasslin' should be an Olympic sport.

    Your receptionist checks the rat traps at your place of business.

    Your coffee table is a used telephone cable spool.
    ;-D

  • DrNofog
    Many thanks for that vivid picture. For a while I thought it may apply to me as I generally get a red neck, nose, anything I don't manage to cover up. For a while my hubby left an old loo in the driveway and I was so embarrassed I put some geraniums in it to pretend it was on purpose. It was really heavy, but every day I managed to move it a little bit until I got it out of sight, then hubby swooped it up as if it was a feather and took it to the tip and he didn’t even flush! 😀

    The poem probably originated from the States during WW2, the ‘yanks’ used to give the kids chocolate and gum and tell them stories. My Nan and family hosted an Indian chief, we have a signed photo of him in his U.S. uniform sent to my Nan; I think he was named ‘Bald Eagle’ something like that? I know they all thought a lot of him.

    Big Brother doesn’t get it all his own way, there is plenty of opposition. The plans to label children are being challenged. We are coming up to an election, and I think it is playing for votes as there have been some horrendous crimes committed by children against children. One child murderer was let out of prison aged eighteen, and he has just re-offended so the country is up in arms over it. In truly violent behaviour, I can see why it may help to inform other schools what they may have to deal with for the safety of other children. Then again, children can be really silly for a while, and then grow out of it, it would be awful if a bad report became public knowledge, and they were unable to live it down with future employers. No doubt the antichrist will come up with a ‘good plan’?
    EI

  • EI, a loo in the driveway would have been very handy as an extra in case the other one was occupied.

    rg

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