Our church (Richland Baptist) started a Bible reading plan for 2026. We started in 1 Samuel, and will go through 2 Samuel as well.
1 and 2 Samuel, as well as 1 and 2 Kings tell about the rule of Israel by kings.
Starting in 1 Samuel 3 we see that Samuel became a priest after his mother dedicated him to the work of the Lord even before he was born.
In the first part of 1 Samuel we see that Samuel served God and because he listed to what God said he became a prophet to Israel. He also was passionate about honoring the ark of the covenant.
I had heard about the ark of the covenant and thought I knew it, but I dug in deeper to discover this about the ark.
Ark of the Covenant
Moses had the ark of the covenant made as a conditional covenant between God and the children of Israel. If Israel followed God and obeyed His laws then He would protect them.
The ark was roughly 45" x 27" x 27" made from acacia wood that was covered in gold on both the outside and the inside.
It had 2 rings made on both sides for rods to go through so when it was carried the box itself was not touched. Because if they did they would die instantly.
On top was the mercy seat made of pure gold that had two angels facing each other on each side with their wings touching. It was the place where God could sit. A high priest would sprinkle blood on the mercy seat once a year to atone for their sins.
Inside there were three things:
- 2 stone tables that God wrote the 10 Commandments
- jar of manna
- the budded rod of Aaron
The Israelites knew the importance of the ark, but did not always show it or follow God as He told them to. As a result, they enjoyed times of joy and times of heartache. The difference - their obedience to God. Which is a lesson for us even today.
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