What is significant about the Ark of the Covenant? What is it?

TL;DR:

The ark of the covenant served as a tangible symbol of God’s relationship and covenant with His people. Today, the location of the ark of the covenant is unknown; however, we have access to God’s presence and relationship with Him through Jesus.

what does the bible say?

The ark of the covenant is significant in biblical history and theology. Housed in the tabernacle and later in Solomon's temple, the ark served as a symbol of God's tangible presence and covenant relationship with Israel. The ark of the covenant was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold and it featured a mercy seat with cherubim, where God's presence could be experienced. While its physical whereabouts are unknown today, its legacy endures as a testament to God's desire for intimate relationship with His people. The ark of the covenant symbolized God's presence in ancient times; today, our understanding of the ark challenges us to approach God with reverence and humility, seeking intimacy and communion through faith in Christ. The ark's disappearance marks a shift from physical symbols to a spiritual reality where God's presence dwells within believers, reminding us of our covenant relationship with Him through His indwelling Spirit.

from the old testament

In Exodus, God gave Moses instructions to create an ark, not like the one Noah made. The ark of the covenant was not a statue meant to represent the physical manifestation of a god. It was not a container for God—it was to be respected but not worshiped. It was a place where God and man could meet. Both literally, as God would hover over the ark when the priests approached it, and figuratively through the law that was kept inside. That law was the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written (Deuteronomy 10:2). These commandments were key in the covenant for which the ark was named. If Israel followed the Ten Commandments and, as they represented, the rest of the Law God gave to Moses, God would always be in their presence.
In Exodus 16:32–33, Moses told his brother Aaron to take a jar of manna and place it before the ark as a remembrance of how God provided for the Israelites.
In Numbers 17:1–11, as a way of validating the choice of Aaron for high priest, God made Aaron's staff grow buds, flowers, and almonds. God then told Moses to put Aaron's rod "before the testimony."
The ark of the covenant was made of acacia wood, overlaid with gold. Four cast gold rings were fastened to the feet. Long poles fit through the rings so the priests could carry the box—the only method of transport authorized (1 Chronicles 13:7–10). (Of course, pure gold could not have held the weight of the ark, but if refining techniques were more primitive, the gold would not have been as pure.)
The lid of the ark was called the "mercy seat." On the lid were two gold cherubim, facing each other, with wings spread upward and covering the seat. God's presence hovered above the seat, between the cherubim, when He talked to the priest. It's possible that God used the wings to protect the priest from seeing His glory (see Ezekiel 1).
Moses had the ark of the covenant built while the Israelites were still wandering in the desert. When the priests weren't carrying it, it was held in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. That being said, the ark was captured for a time by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3—6:21), resided for about twenty years in the house of Abinadab at Kiriath-jearim (1 Samuel 7:1–2), and resided for about three months at the home of Obed-edom the Gittite (2 Samuel 6:1–11). The ark also sometimes accompanied the Israelite army (1 Samuel 14:8; 2 Samuel 11:11). However, once the temple was built, the ark remained there (1 Kings 8:1–11).
At some point the ark disappeared, and by the time the Babylonians took the Jews into captivity, the record of its location was lost.
Jeremiah 3:15–18 talks about a time when the ark will no longer be needed or missed. At that time, the Jews will freely and completely follow God. Jerusalem, itself, will be God's throne. We will no longer have to hide from God's presence behind angels' wings, real or gold.

from the new testament

The writer of Hebrews mentions the ark (Hebrews 9:1–5).
The apostle John recorded in Revelation 11:19 that he saw the ark in the temple in heaven.

implications for today

Just as the ark of the covenant symbolized God's presence and covenant in ancient times, it reminds us that God desires a personal relationship with each of us now. In our modern lives, this connection is not bound by physical objects but by our hearts and spirits. Like the ark was revered and approached with reverence, we can approach God with humility, reverence, and a desire for intimacy. When we realize our need for salvation—that we are sinners and that we are saved by God’s grace when we trust in Christ’s death and resurrection—the Holy Spirit dwells within us (Ephesians 1:3–14; 2:1–10; Hebrews 9:1–28).

God desires a relationship with us. He desires for us to know Him intimately, not in a superficial sense, but in a way that transforms our hearts and lives. This relationship is characterized by grace, where God extends His unconditional love and forgiveness, inviting us into His presence to experience His peace, guidance, and purpose. Through this relationship, we find fulfillment, identity, and a sense of belonging as children of God, called to walk in fellowship with Him and reflect His love to the world around us. We no longer need an ark of the covenant to remind us of our relationship with Him. His Spirit living within believers is a reminder of that relationship we have with Him (Ephesians 1:13).

understand

The ark of the covenant was a symbol of God's presence and covenant with Israel.
The ark of the covenant was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold and had a lid called the mercy seat with two cherubim.
Originally housed in the tabernacle, and later in Solomon's temple, the ark of the covenant eventually disappeared and is seen in a vision in Revelation 11:19.

reflect

How does understanding the biblical significance of the ark of the covenant impact your perception of God's desire for relationship with you today?
In what ways can we approach God with reverence and humility in our daily lives, similar to how the Israelites revered the ark?
Reflect on the mercy seat of the ark as a place of God's presence. How can we cultivate a deeper sense of God's presence in our lives through prayer and meditation?

engage

Hebrews 9:4 is a bit confusing. It appears to say that the manna and the rod were inside the ark. Looking more closely, however, it could be that the passage says the manna and the rod were inside the Holy of Holies (verse 3), which 1 Kings 8:9 confirms. There are a few other possibilities for how to reconcile these verses as well, discussed in our article "What was inside the ark of the covenant?"
We still do not know where the ark is to this day, although there are rumors. Second Maccabees 2:4–10 says that Jeremiah hid the ark in a cave. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to have the ark in a treasury that they keep behind locked doors. There are also legends that the Knights Templar or Freemasons have it, but none of these stories are likely. Neither is it true that Indiana Jones found it in Tanis, Egypt, and brought it to America where the government stored it in a warehouse.
How does the mystery of the ark of the covenant challenge or reinforce faith in God's providence and presence throughout history?