The Ark of the Covenant of the Old Testament vs. The Tabernacle of Today (Chapter 10, Question 1)

As children of God, we are called to listen to his Word in the Bible and to learn from individuals such as the early prophets who provide examples for us through their successes and failures. We can learn from them because they are like us. They, like us, each had fallen natures and faults of their own. King David, “a man after God’s own heart”, was one of these individuals; a good man profoundly loved by God, but a man like us, who made mistakes, because he too had a fallen nature. In 2 Samuel 6, David tries to have the Ark of the Covenant brought to Jerusalem, but because he did not prepare properly, disaster came out of it. The Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament is the Tabernacle of today, because God dwells within it. Therefore, the Ark needs to be treated with great respect. What special sacrament did God provide us with so that he might be present within us and what signs of respect should be shown towards that sacrament, whether it be in a Church or during the Mass?

2 Samuel 6 begins with David’s first attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. His preparation is poor; a new cart pulled by oxen is their (David, and all the house of Israel) means of transportation for the Ark and the journey is arduous going over unstable terrain. “And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.” (2 Sam. 6:6) Uzzah died on the spot, for God had given specific instruction that no one who was unclean must touch the ark. The people of Israel had not prepared properly for the journey in that they had not cleansed themselves beforehand.

This story holds great meaning for Catholics, especially because of the great gift that God has given us in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. When receiving this sacrament, we are actually consuming the body, blood, soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ in his entire being. He becomes truly present within us and because he is complete within each one of us, we become one body in Christ. It is one of the most important and precious mysteries in the Church.

Jesus is God and God is perfect. Therefore, when receiving Jesus, who is so great that no words could describe his greatness, it is important that we are in his good favor. When David decided to bring the Ark into Jerusalem, he failed to prepare the people. They were still unclean and when Uzzah touched the Ark he died. When communicants who are in a state of mortal sin receive Jesus in the Eucharist, it is an act of immense disrespect against God. This is a mortal sin in itself, and when we are in this state, we lose all sanctifying grace. We die spiritually and no longer are in communion with God. And if we physically die in this state, we are forever damned and separated from God. Before receiving the Eucharist, we must cleanse our souls by means of Confession.

When we enter a Church, the presence of the Tabernacle, or when we attend Mass, it is critical that we show respect for the presence of God in these places. For example, before entering a pew or receiving Jesus, we might bow or genuflect. In Queen Elizabeth’s presence we do these things as a sign of respect for her royal status. It would be considered very rude and inconsiderate if we forgot to bow, curtsy, or turned our back on her. She’s just the queen of England. God is King of all creation; the entire universe. Our respect for him should be one hundred times greater than for the queen of England.

The Ark of the Covenant from the Old Testament and the Tabernacle of today have similarities with one another. Both are dwelling places of God and they are two types of houses for Him in the midst of his children. Inside the Ark of the Covenant dwell three things: the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod, and the manna which was used to feed Israel for forty years in the desert. The manna is crucial when comparing the Tabernacle with the Ark. The manna was a flake like substance which tasted of honey and God commanded Moses to fill a container with the manna and to keep it as a memorial of how God fed the people of Israel in the wilderness. In the Tabernacle, we keep a container which holds the Eucharist in the appearance of unleavened bread (flat wafer-like substance). The Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with gold and made of the finest wood. The Tabernacle is also made with gold. The Bible also says that the Ark of the Covenant was like a tent. When the Tabernacle doors are opened, the priest draws aside a fine cloth.

As with the rest of the stories in the Bible, we can learn from the story of David’s journey with the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament and why it is so relevant to the Eucharist and the Tabernacle today. Since the Eucharist is indeed the entirety of Jesus Christ present in the most holy sacrifice of the altar, it is critical that we pay Him the respect that he deserves through our actions and by cleansing our souls. Otherwise, we will doom ourselves to an eternal fate of separation from God. We can also learn about the Tabernacle by reading this story, because there are so many similarities between the Ark and the Tabernacle. The story of the Ark traveling to Jerusalem holds many underlying meanings for us as Catholics and only if we meditate on it, will we find the messages that God is trying to convey to us.