So tonight we'll just read the first 10 verses in the first book of Kings and the eighth chapter. The first book of the Kings and reading chapter eight.

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark, and they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.

And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. For the cherubims spread forth their two wings, over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark, and the staves thereof above, and they drew out the staves, and the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without, and there they are unto this day.

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. God showed very clearly by that last statement that that cloud, that glorious cloud, filled the house of the Lord. It was very similar to that time when the tabernacle had been completed. And we can read in the book of Exodus about that occasion. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation. And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon. And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys.

And as we know that cloud in those days was the cloud that Israel followed night and day, a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. to lead and direct them when the cloud moved they moved. What a wonderful blessing it is to have a God who was gracious and led them and we still need that same God today to lead us.

But the time had come and as you may remember King David was very keen to build a house for God himself but God told him that he wasn't able to because he'd fought many wars and he was a man of blood but he told him that Solomon thy son will be the one who will build this house and so it came to pass and Solomon was given this tremendous assignment to build a place for the house of God and when it was completed there was something missing and what was missing? the centre part and that was the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant had been in the city of David in Mount Zion for some time and David therefore assembled the people together and the priests went and fetched the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was very significant You may say, why was it very significant? It was very significant because it really represented the Lord Jesus Christ in all his glory. And we have the wonderful evidence, of course, that in the Ark was the two tables of stone on which were written the Ten Commandments, the law, And what a glorious covenant that was that God gave to Israel. And there it was then, and there was this ark, and it was brought into the Holy of Holies.

You may remember that in the temple there was the Holy of Holies, which was the central point, and then that was separated from the holy place with a gloriously embroidered veil. but the actual Holy of Holies was really a cube it was the same length and breadth and height and therefore the priest brought the Ark and placed it central in the Holy of Holies there wasn't anything else there there was no candlestick there and yet there was light and that was the Light of God who shone forth from above the mercy seat.

The mercy seat was the top part of the ark. It was a slab of solid gold and it was on the mercy seat, over the mercy seat, where God in his gracious and glorious love met with the high priest every year on that great day of atonement where the high priest was to come in and to confess the sins of the people unto God

well my friends that was the picture that Israel had and of course they had it for many years many years right up until that time in the upper room when the last Passover was partaken of and introduced by the Savior himself And that's when he introduced what we refer to now as the Lord's Supper. And the Lord's Supper took the place of the Passover. And there was therefore then no more need for the Ark of the Covenant.

And people have wondered, what happened to the Ark of the Covenant? It's a very interesting consideration. We can read in the book of Revelation, I'll just read this verse and rest it with you and see what you might consider. It says this, 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.

So it would seem most likely that the Ark, that very solemn and sacred and holy object was taken into heaven, not by man, but by God. What a wonderful thought that is. And then to think, that as the ark when it was on the earth was central in that holy of holies and that holy of holies represented heaven in a perfect cube and now to think today there is a heaven and central in heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ whoever will be the centre of attraction, the centre of worship.

What a blessing, therefore, to look forward in our little lives so we have faith to believe that as the Lord has touched our hearts and called us out of our nature, that sinful nature, into the glorious light of the everlasting Gospel, And we should only arrive in heaven, not because of our own ability, not because of our own good, but because of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done. And now today, he sits on the throne in heaven, on the right hand his father in that holy place there to intercede for us

so we can see just in a small way how this wonderful picture was displayed in the tabernacle and also in the temple and therefore we can understand this must have been a glorious day and as we go through this eighth chapter and you'll find that first of all Solomon addresses the people And after that, he prays to his God. It's a wonderful sequence, really. It's wonderful for us to meditate upon and to see how good, kind and gracious our God has been and is. To think that he, in his love to his church, has gone to prepare a place for us. And he tells us, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also.

And the great theme and the great object is none less than the Lord Jesus Christ. simply signified by the Ark of the Covenant set forth the Saviour. And there now today, He is in glory. And what a blessing to look forward to that time when God gives us that grace and faith to believe that through His love and mercy, we will be around that throne of God in heaven to worship the ever-living and true God.

Well, may God bless these A few comments. We'll speak about the tables of stone, God willing, in the ark next week. But may these thoughts rest in our spirit and give us reason to consider the greatness of God in bringing together this situation. Many years have passed. It took many years to build the temple, but there was no wasted time. appointed time came when it was finished, the appointed time came when the Ark would be once again put in that central position.

Well may the Lord bless his word and help us to worship him in the beauty of holiness. Let's now join