Obs. VI. We are always to reckon that the efficacy and preva- lency of all our prayers depends on the incense which is in the hand of our merciful high priest.—It is offered with the prayers of the saints, Rev. viii. 4. In themselves our prayers are weak and imper- fect; it is hard to conceive how they should find acceptance with God. But the invaluable incense of the intercession of Christ gives them acceptance and prevalency.
The second thing in this part of the tabernacle mentioned by the apostle is the ark. This he describes, (1.) From its appellation ; “the ark of the covenant:” (2.) From one particular in its fabric; it was “overlaid round about with gold:” (3.) From the things that
VER. 3-5.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 205
accompanied it, and had no other use but to be laid up by it; “the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded:” (4.) From what was placed in it, which to preserve was its principal use; “the tables of the covenant.”
This vessel in the Hebrew is called 98; as the ark in the flood was called 729. But the Greeks render both by xCwrés, as the Latins by arca. This, with the mercy-seat where- with 1t was covered, was the most glorious and mysterious utensil of the tabernacle, and afterwards of the temple; the most eminent pledge of the divine presence, the most mysterious representation of the holy properties of his nature in Christ. This, as the heart of all divine service, was first formed; all other things had a relation unto it, Exod. xxv. 10,11. To treat of the fabric, that is, the materials, dimensions, and fashion of this ark, is not unto our present purpose. For these things the apostle himself here declines, as being no season to treat of them particularly. This he intends in these words, “Which we shall not now speak of.” And their mystical signification he gives afterwards.
(1.) The name of it is “the ark of the covenant.” Sometimes it is called “the ark of the testimony,” Exod. xxvi. 33, xxxix. 35, xl. 3, 5; most commonly “the ark of the cove- nant,’ Num. x. 33, xiv. 44, Deut. x. 8, etc.; sometimes “the ark of God,” 1 Sam. iii. 3, vi. 2, ete. “The ark of the testimony” it was called, because God called the tables of the covenant by the name of his “testimony,” or that which testified his will unto the people, and, by the people’s acceptance of the terms of it, was to be a per-
_petual witness between God and them, Exod. xxv. 16, xxxi. 18, ete. On the same account is it called “ the ark of the covenant,” namely, because of what was contained in it, or the tables of the covenant; which, as I have showed elsewhere, were usually called “ the cove- nant” itself. And so they are called “the tables of testimony,” Exod. xxxi. 18; that is, the covenant which was the testimony of God. And lastly it was called “the ark of God,” because it was the most eminent pledge of the especial presence of God among the people.
(2.). As to the fabric of it, the apostle observes in particular, that it was on every side “overlaid” or “ covered with gold,” Taped —évrobev, “ every way, within and without,’—with Avuptrny xdv- plates of beaten gold. This, as I said before, was the Kee most sacred and glorious instrument of the sanctuary ; yea, the whole sanctuary, as unto its use in the church of Israel, was built for no other end but to be as it were a house and habitation for this ark, Exod. xxvi. 33, xl. 21. Hence sanctification proceeded unto all the other parts of it; for, as Solomon observed, the places were holy whereunto the ark of God came, 2 Chron. viii. 11. And of such sacred veneration was it among the people, so severe was the ex-
Thy zibariy.
Ths diabjuns.
206 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP, IX.
clusion of all flesh from the sight of it, the high priest only excepted, who entered that holy place once a-year, and that not without blood, —as that the nations about took it to be the God that the Israelites worshipped, 1 Sam. iv. 8. And it were not difficult to evidence that many of the pretended mysterious ceremonies of worship that pre- vailed among the nations of the world afterwards, were invented in compliance with what they had heard concerning the ark and wor- ship of God thereby.
This was the most signal token, pledge, or symbol, of the pre- sence of God among the people. And thence metonymically it hath sometimes the name of God ascribed unto it, as some think; and of “the glory of God,” Ps. Ixxviii. 61. And all neglects about it or con- tempt of it were most severely punished. From the tabernacle it was carried into the temple built by Solomon, where it continued until the Babylonian captivity; and what became of it afterwards is altogether uncertain.
God gave this ark that it might be a representation of Christ, as we shall show; and he took it away to increase the desire and ex- pectation of the church after him and for him. And as it was the glory of God to hide and cover the mysterious counsels of his will under the old testament,—whence this ark was so hidden from the eyes of all men,—so under the new testament it is his glory to re- veal and make them open in Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 11. 18.