The Ark of the Covenant was a chest made of acacia wood covered with gold. Inside the Ark were the memorial jar of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the Covenant—the Ten Commandments. A copy of the Law of Moses was placed beside the Ark.

When the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Temple of Solomon, all that remained in the Ark was the Covenant, the Ten Commandments.

The Ark of the Covenant represents the Character of Jesus Christ. The Ark represents also the character of those who are transformed into the image of Christ.

The copy of the Law of Moses placed beside the Ark means that when we begin as a Christian we do not have much of Christ in us. We must obey the commandments of Christ and His Apostles as well as we can in our natural strength, praying always to God to strengthen and guide us.

This is why the adamic nature of the believer must have integrity. If we do not have personal integrity we can get nowhere as a Christian. The Seed must fall into an honest and good heart.

If you wait for Christ to do it all for you, you will paddle around aimlessly in your lagoon.

The memorial jar of manna portrays the total dependence on the Lord's provision that each true Christian learns. We receive grace for the day. We live by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God until we become an integral part of that Word.

Aaron's rod that budded reveals two facts. First, each member of the royal priesthood is to live by the incorruptible, indestructible resurrection Life of Christ, and that Life comes only as we are crucified with Christ.

Second, the members of the priesthood are chosen. No individual can take this honor to himself. Holiness proceeds from God in concentric circles. Aaron was more holy than the Levites who were more holy than the congregation. The Most Holy Place was more holy than the Holy Place which was more holy than the Courtyard.

Only the Lord can call us into a circle of holiness closer to God. To attempt to seize the priesthood, as did Korah and his friends, is to invite disaster.

The fact that only the Ten Commandments remained in the Ark when it was brought into the Most Holy Place of Solomon's Temple shows us that the end of all of God's working is perfect righteousness, perfect holiness, and perfect obedience to God.

Jesus Christ is perfectly righteous, perfectly holy, and perfectly obedient to God. As Christ is formed in us we too are brought to this stature, not to some small extent but absolutely.

How can this be seeing we are dust of the ground?

If it were up to us to meet God's standard of righteousness—forget it!

Go out at night and consider the mass and energy of the universe. Then embrace the fact that the Creator of all of this declared you are to be made in His image.

Then go to bed and get a good night's sleep.