Daniel Molyneux's Blog - Posts Tagged "tabernacle"
EGYPTIAN ORIGIN OF THE ARK
In the Book of Exodus, God commanded Moses to build an ark. The Ark of the Covenant may seem unique and unusual - to have a decorated “box” as the central object inside the Tabernacle’s Holy of Holies. But the Ark has precedence within Egyptian Temples.
The Bible is the revelation of Yahweh to human-kind. God repeatedly utilizes things familiar to people, to reveal aspects of God’s true nature, and plan of salvation.
To discover the origin of the Ark, one must remember the Hebrews lived in Egypt for more than four-centuries, where they were immersed in Egyptian culture, including Egyptian religion.
Boats (arks) were a central part of Egyptian religious practice. Egyptians primarily lived on the eastern side of the Nile, but the Pyramids and tombs were on the western side of the river. A person’s coffin (sarcophagus) would be carried across the Nile in a boat. When reaching the western bank of the Nile, the boat would be pulled on a sledge to the place of burial. Boats were frequently buried with the pharaohs and other people, for use in the afterlife. Boats were a symbol of salvation from death.
Furthermore, Egyptian gods had boats (arks) that stood on pedestals in their temples’ Holy of Holies. During religious festivals, these boats were carried in procession by priests, using poles attached to the god’s boat. An example of this can be seen today in the Holy of Holies of the Edfu Temple, where there is a small wooden boat having poles protruding by which it may be carried. This is similar to the wooden poles inserted through rings to carry Yahweh’s Ark of the Covenant.
Yahweh borrows aspects of Egyptian culture that the Hebrews are familiar with, empties them of anything idolatrous, and then redefines these things to reveal Yahweh’s true nature and plans.
The Ark of the Covenant shares traits with the “sacred boats” that sat in the Holy of Holies of Egyptian Temples. But the Ark of the Covenant is not an idol. Rather God uses the Ark, this sacred boat or chest, as a reminder of God’s covenant with the Chosen People – and the Ark is a “footstool” over which the Spirit of God hovers.
Yahweh repeatedly “stoops down” to the cultural level of God’s People, to reveal the true nature of God and salvation. The ultimate expression of this is when God stooped down to take on human flesh, as Jesus of Nazareth. By doing this, God was revealed physically and intimately. And by Jesus death on the cross, God defeated evil and death.
Judas Son of Simon
The Bible is the revelation of Yahweh to human-kind. God repeatedly utilizes things familiar to people, to reveal aspects of God’s true nature, and plan of salvation.
To discover the origin of the Ark, one must remember the Hebrews lived in Egypt for more than four-centuries, where they were immersed in Egyptian culture, including Egyptian religion.
Boats (arks) were a central part of Egyptian religious practice. Egyptians primarily lived on the eastern side of the Nile, but the Pyramids and tombs were on the western side of the river. A person’s coffin (sarcophagus) would be carried across the Nile in a boat. When reaching the western bank of the Nile, the boat would be pulled on a sledge to the place of burial. Boats were frequently buried with the pharaohs and other people, for use in the afterlife. Boats were a symbol of salvation from death.
Furthermore, Egyptian gods had boats (arks) that stood on pedestals in their temples’ Holy of Holies. During religious festivals, these boats were carried in procession by priests, using poles attached to the god’s boat. An example of this can be seen today in the Holy of Holies of the Edfu Temple, where there is a small wooden boat having poles protruding by which it may be carried. This is similar to the wooden poles inserted through rings to carry Yahweh’s Ark of the Covenant.
Yahweh borrows aspects of Egyptian culture that the Hebrews are familiar with, empties them of anything idolatrous, and then redefines these things to reveal Yahweh’s true nature and plans.
The Ark of the Covenant shares traits with the “sacred boats” that sat in the Holy of Holies of Egyptian Temples. But the Ark of the Covenant is not an idol. Rather God uses the Ark, this sacred boat or chest, as a reminder of God’s covenant with the Chosen People – and the Ark is a “footstool” over which the Spirit of God hovers.
Yahweh repeatedly “stoops down” to the cultural level of God’s People, to reveal the true nature of God and salvation. The ultimate expression of this is when God stooped down to take on human flesh, as Jesus of Nazareth. By doing this, God was revealed physically and intimately. And by Jesus death on the cross, God defeated evil and death.
Judas Son of Simon
THE HEBREW TABERNACLE VS. EGYPT’S TEMPLES
God wants to be with God’s people. This is a crucial thing we learn from the story of Moses and the Hebrew Exodus from Egypt. God leads the Hebrews, like a shepherd leading his sheep - God leading the people as a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire at night.
When Moses is commanded by God to build a tabernacle, it is entirely unlike the temples of Egypt. Egypt’s temples do not convey intimacy or give any importance to the people, priests, or worshipers, but rather emphasize the might, power, and awe of Pharaoh, and the Egyptian gods - conveying the message that the average man or woman is nothing in comparison to Pharaoh and the gods. When entering the Great Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, at Abu Simbel, a man or woman is dwarfed by the huge statues of Ramses, one’s head not even reaching above Ramses’ footstool. This is a continuing theme of Egyptian temples, and an obvious intent of the pyramids, as well, showing people how small and unimportant they are.
But the Tabernacle YHVH commands Moses to build is entirely different. It is small and mobile, merely a modest tent. The only items in the Tabernacle that are in any way impressive, are the Ark of the Covenant, and the other furnishings. But even they are small and mobile. There is nothing present in the Tabernacle to bring glory to Moses, or to any other human leader. And what is the Tabernacle called, not a temple, but rather, “the tent of meeting,” the place were God’s people and YHVH meet.
God never commands a temple be built for him, nor does the Bible call it a temple. In the Bible, the Jerusalem “temple” is called “the House of God”, “Bet Av” in Hebrew. Yes, sin and evil separated us from God. But it is always God’s intention that this “barrier of separation” be breached, that human beings and God would once again enjoy perfect fellowship with one another. This is the story of the Bible - God restoring the broken relationship between us and our Creator.
To Learn more about Daniel Molyneux and his books go to: https://www.angelofa.com
The Angel of Antioch
When Moses is commanded by God to build a tabernacle, it is entirely unlike the temples of Egypt. Egypt’s temples do not convey intimacy or give any importance to the people, priests, or worshipers, but rather emphasize the might, power, and awe of Pharaoh, and the Egyptian gods - conveying the message that the average man or woman is nothing in comparison to Pharaoh and the gods. When entering the Great Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, at Abu Simbel, a man or woman is dwarfed by the huge statues of Ramses, one’s head not even reaching above Ramses’ footstool. This is a continuing theme of Egyptian temples, and an obvious intent of the pyramids, as well, showing people how small and unimportant they are.
But the Tabernacle YHVH commands Moses to build is entirely different. It is small and mobile, merely a modest tent. The only items in the Tabernacle that are in any way impressive, are the Ark of the Covenant, and the other furnishings. But even they are small and mobile. There is nothing present in the Tabernacle to bring glory to Moses, or to any other human leader. And what is the Tabernacle called, not a temple, but rather, “the tent of meeting,” the place were God’s people and YHVH meet.
God never commands a temple be built for him, nor does the Bible call it a temple. In the Bible, the Jerusalem “temple” is called “the House of God”, “Bet Av” in Hebrew. Yes, sin and evil separated us from God. But it is always God’s intention that this “barrier of separation” be breached, that human beings and God would once again enjoy perfect fellowship with one another. This is the story of the Bible - God restoring the broken relationship between us and our Creator.
To Learn more about Daniel Molyneux and his books go to: https://www.angelofa.com
The Angel of Antioch
