There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord (1 Kings 8:9–10).
The building of the Temple was Solomon’s first major task as Israel’s king. Nothing compared with the splendor and beauty of the Temple. Towards the completion of the Temple, Solomon had two pillars for the porch of the Temple made. These two pillars made of brass were 27 feet high, and 18 to 20 feet in circumference. The capitals atop the pillars added another seven feet to their height making them altogether 34 feet high. Those who approached the Temple would be awe-struck at the wonder of the Temple with its bronze pillars.
The Two Pillars
Two symbolic names were given to these pillars. To the right was Jachin, and to the left was Boaz. Jachin means “He will establish” and Boaz means “in Him is strength.” Both of these names were in reference to the Lord. First, He had established Israel as a nation, and confirmed the Davidic covenant through Solomon (2 Sam. 7:8-16). We can conclude that the pillar named Jachin looked back at God’s fulfilled promises. Next, Boaz represented confidence in God that He would continue to work on behalf of Israel.
These pillars are object lessons for the Christian believer. Consider what the apostle Paul said, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The Church is the pillar and ground of truth. The truth of the gospel is held up by the Church. If the Church doesn’t stand for truth, then it will inevitably fall, no matter how beautiful its facade might be.
Furthermore, Jachin and Boaz both represent the work and person of Jesus Christ. Just as Jachin signified God’s fulfilled promises to Israel and David, Jesus has fulfilled all the Old Testament Law (Matt. 5:17-20). Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law establishes a New Covenant through grace. If Jachin is the establishment and fulfillment of promises, then Boaz gives us strength that God is in control of the past, present, and future. In other words, Jesus’ fulfillment of Old Testament promises gives us confidence that He will continue to work on our behalf: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
A church without the pillars of truth is not a church at all, it’s nothing more than a social club built upon opinions and preferences. But the truth that the church is built upon is Jesus Christ.
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:20-21).
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (Jn. 14:6).
I’m thankful for the truth that is Jesus Christ!
The Ark of the Covenant
Solomon used the blueprint of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, and its furnishings for the Temple. The Ark of the Covenant was three and three-fourths feet long, two and one-fourth feet wide, and two and one-fourth feet high. It was made of wood, covered with gold. The Ark contained the written Law of Moses, a pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded. Sitting on top of the ark was the golden Mercy Seat which had two cherubim with their outstretched wings touching.
The Ark was a symbol of God’s throne and represented His power, presence, and mercy. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter this last room and sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat from the slain sacrifice. The broken law, which was housed in the Ark, needed mercy and shed blood to cover it. But it was here, at the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, that the Shekinah Glory of God would hover. The glory of God would dwell where the shed blood of redemption was applied. The broken law is covered by mercy and blood, because the Spirit of God would not dwell where blood wasn’t applied.
The Ark Brought In
Once the entire Temple was built, the priests positioned the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, and upon their exit, the glory of the Lord filled the Temple (1 Kings 8:6-11). This is the moment that the Temple became the House of the Lord. It was no longer just a beautiful edifice built by the hands of men, it was now the dwelling place of the Most High God.
Likewise, in the church there needs to be truth, but there also must be Spirit. Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24). The Spirit of God illuminates our inner man that we might behold the Truth of Jesus Christ. Our minds are transformed by truth, and the heart is filled with the Holy Spirit. But truth and Spirit work in tandem- the Holy Spirit teaches and guides us to all Truth (Jn. 14:26; Lk. 12:12; 1 Cor. 2:10-13).
Before God’s presence could fill the Temple, the Ark had to be in its rightful place. This same phenomenal event took place at the inauguration of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness (Ex. 40:34-35). Much time had passed since the initial erection of the Tabernacle, and consequently the Ark had moved around quite a bit since the time of Samuel. David, in the interim, had erected a tabernacle-like structure for the Ark to dwell in while he was king of Israel (2 Sam. 6:17). By the time the Temple had been built there was nothing in the Ark save the two tablets of stone upon which the Law was inscribed (1 Kings 8:9). Previously, a pot of manna and the staff of Aaron were included in the Ark (Heb. 9:4).
But let’s consider what was missing in the Ark – the pot of manna and Aaron’s budding rod.
The Manna and Aaron’s Rod
Israel had been complaining about not having anything to eat in the wilderness, so the Lord gave them manna from heaven (Ex. 16:1-30). A portion of the manna was to be placed in a pot and included in the Ark (Ex. 16:32-33). The pot of manna would serve as a reminder to future generations, when they came to worship, of God’s faithfulness in caring for His people.
In the Old Testament there came a time when the manna ceased to be given (Josh. 5:11-12). When we get to the New Testament, Jesus revealed that He was the True Bread that had come down out of heaven to fulfill humanity’s hunger (Jn. 5:26-51).
Later during Israel’s wandering through the desert, Korah rebelled against the leadership of Moses and Aaron (Num. 16:1-50). After God’s judgment upon Korah, the Lord had Moses take a rod from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Moses was to take those twelve rods and place them in front of the Ark inside the Tabernacle. God said that the rod of the man He had chosen would blossom over night. The next morning Aaron’s rod had not only blossomed, but it had yielded ripe almonds (Num. 17:1-13).
The budding rod indicated that Aaron was God’s choice for the office of High Priest. Following this amazing miracle, Moses was to place Aaron’s rod inside the Ark. Aaron’s rod in the Ark served as a reminder of God’s sovereign choice in leadership, and His judgment upon those who rebelled.
Moreover, the Aaronic and Levitical priesthood would become obsolete. What’s more, is that Jesus is our chosen High Priest perpetually, and He has taken our judgment upon Himself (Heb. 7-9)! Therefore, Jesus is the fulfillment of the pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded.
While the pot of manna and Aaron’s rod had be removed, all that was left was the Law of God.
The Word Made Flesh
Beloved, do you see the significance of what remained in the Ark? What remained was the Word of God! John recorded in his gospel, that Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh (Jn. 1:1-5,14).
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:1-2,14).
Jesus is the sum and substance of the Word of God, revealing God’s will and His very Person. As the glory filled the Temple when the Ark was positioned in its rightful place, Solomon said, “The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness” (1 Kings 8:12). God no longer dwells in a thick darkness, instead He has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6).
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Mt. 24:35).
What remains is the Word of God – which is Jesus Christ!
The manna might have ceased, but Jesus is still the Bread of Life fulfilling life’s greatest hunger. The Aaronic priesthood maybe rendered obsolete, but we have a High Priest that ever remains. And all of it is found in Jesus.