Where Is The Ark Of The Covenant?
By Dean Maxwell
There are many different claims as to the location of the Ark of the Covenant. Some claim Jeremiah brought it with him to Ireland and that it is buried in a large mound there along with other items that Jeremiah brought. Others claim that it is in Ethiopia where they claim that a custodian is appointed to look after it until his death and then another custodian is appointed. This claim believes that it was brought to Ethiopia by the son of Queen of Sheba and King Solomon on his visit to Jerusalem. There was also a claim that it is located beneath Calvary (in Zedekiah’s Cave) and that it had a sprinkling of Christ’s blood reach its Mercy Seat through the ground when Jesus was crucified (Ron Wyatt claimed to have seen it there, but then a cave in happened and no one has seen it since) completing the sacrificial system once and for all.
There is also an engraving in Rome on a victory arch (Arch of Titus) of various treasures being brought back from plundered Jerusalem in 70 AD. Perhaps the Ark of the Covenant (which was not depicted on the Arch of Titus) was one of the items brought back to Rome and that perhaps some of those treasures may have somehow ended up being with the legendary Cathar treasures buried in the Pyrenees mountains. Josephus states when describing the Holy of Holies at that time, that “in this there was nothing at all” (War of the Jews Book 5, Chapter 5, Part 5). No Ark of the Covenant engraving is on the Arch of Titus, so it appears that the Ark of the Covenant was not amongst the items that were plundered by the Romans. Which begs an interesting question as to what the High Priest each year at that time was sprinkling with the blood of the sacrifice, perhaps the floor. Regardless, we have a perfect sacrifice in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Praise be to Jesus.
There is also a story of the Templars digging under Solomon’s Stables (a building they were given during the crusades) and finding various treasures including perhaps the Ark of the Covenant and bringing everything back to Europe which they perhaps eventually shipped from Scotland to the mysterious underground hole on Oak Island in Nova Scotia.
Those are all interesting ideas and possibilities. In the case of the Ethiopian Ark, some have speculated that there may have been copies of the Ark (which served as a way of communicating directly with God) and that the Ethiopian Ark might be one of those copies. Certainly, interesting to speculate.
Though part of the Apocrypha, 2 Maccabees 2 seems to give an indication as to where the Ark is. It is not scripture but may well be historically accurate. Verses 1-8 are listed below:
2 Mac 2: 1 It is also found in the records, that Jeremie the prophet commanded them that were carried away to take of the fire, as it hath been signified: 2 and how that the prophet, having given them the law, charged them not to forget the commandments of the Lord, and that they should not err in their minds, when they see images of silver and gold, with their ornaments. 3 And with other such speeches exhorted he them, that the law should not depart from their hearts. 4 It was also contained in the same writing, that the prophet, being warned of God, commanded the tabernacle and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the mountain, where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God. 5 And when Jeremie came thither, he found a hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door. 6 And some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it. 7 Which when Jeremie perceived, he blamed them, saying, As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy. 8 Then shall the Lord shew them these things, and the glory of the Lord shall appear, and the cloud also, as it was shewed under Moses, and as when Solomon desired that the place might be honourably sanctified.
The mountain, where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God is believed to be Mount Sinai (which also appears to be referred to as Mount Horeb in the Bible) where the Ark of the Covenant was created. An alternate view is that mountain referred to is Mount Nebo from which Moses was allowed to see the promised land though not enter (Deut. 32:49). This view does not seem to fit as well as bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to the mountain where it was created (in the encampment around it) (from which God also showed Moses the land promised to Abraham (Deut. 1:8)).
The issue then, is where is Mount Sinai? The mountain we call Mount Sinai today has a chapel at Saint Catherine’s Monastery which was built about 330 AD, about the time Constantine’s mother, Helena, went to the Holy Land to discover various Christian relics (there being some debate about the authenticity of some of these discoveries). There doesn’t appear to be much archaeological evidence for this site other than it was designated as such.
There has also been a claim that Mount Sinai is in the area of Petra and a claim that the Templars found the Ark of the Covenant in one of the caves there and brought it back to central England before they were persecuted and disbanded by the Catholic church.
The Bible, however, does give us various clues as to the location of Mount Sinai, such as Galatians 4:25 which tells us that Mount Sinai is in Arabia.
In Arabia there is a site that seems to fit. Jabal Maqla, which means burnt mountain, (about 7km from Jabal al-Lawz and sometimes confused with it) in Saudi Arabia has been put forth as the possible site of Mount Sinai. It was visited by Ron Wyatt, Bob Cornuke and others who held this belief and presented a fair amount of evidence supporting their view. It has many relics (and a split rock) around it which can arguably be claimed to be left by the Israelite encampments around the mountain. It also has a blackened top from volcanic rocks which seems to fit the Exodus 19:18 description, “And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly”.
It may not be, as mainstream archaeologists for the most part disagree with it being Mount Sinai. However, to myself, it seems like this is the most likely site. When people had tried to visit it in the past, it wasn’t allowed by the Saudi government due to it being an archaeological site and may still be somewhat restricted to this day. So, to find a hidden cave there, is difficult.
This kind of fits with the last 2/3rds of 2 Mac 2:7: “As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together and receive them unto mercy”.
If the timing for the revealing of where the cave is, is when God “gathers” his people together and receives them unto his mercy means at His return, then we will have to wait until then. After the tares are removed this may well be the time that God does this. Matthew 13:30 states, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”
If this is a correct understanding as to the timing (and if the prophetic statement in 2 Mac 2:7 is correct) and the place (Mount Sinai as opposed to Mount Nebo) then it makes sense for the location of the Ark of the Covenant to remain hidden until this event happens, and to me the most likely place is in a sealed cave of Jabal Makla (aka Mount Sinai). Though I guess it doesn’t really matter where it is now as in the end it appears that the Bible tells us in Rev 11:19 (in the NASB) that it will be found in the Temple of God in heaven (having been taken there likely after the gathering of His people): Rev 19 “And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple.”
It could be argued that it will return to Earth again when New Jerusalem comes to Earth (Rev 21:1-3). Some even argue the Ark of His Covenant which is in heaven is the original from which the Earthly Ark is a copy; but if that is the case, then the heavenly one would be what is important at that point. Either way it will be as Rev 19 describes and likely coming back to earth as implied in Rev 21.
