Transition in the Old Testament and the Ark of the Covenant

There seems to be a transition in the Old Testament in regards to the Holy Ark of the Covenant.

Recall that the exact construction details of the Ark are given in the scriptures and also its contents… the ten commandments carved in stone, a container of manna and Aaron’s staff that budded.

We also know from the scriptures that only priests could transport the Ark and if anyone else, even by accident, touched it they would die instantly.

Early in the scriptures we see that the Ark is used by the Israelites to separate the river Jordan so the Israelites could cross over to the promised land.

The Ark was also taken into battle (Jericho) to help conquer enemies.

Hophni and Phineas took the Ark into battle against the Philistines and after the defeat of the Israelites the Philistines had it in their possession for seven months. They finally gave it up because the Lord struck them with disease and caused them a lot of trouble.

In 1 Kings 8:9 the scriptures state that the only thing in the Ark were the tablets of stone.

At some point King Manasseh removed the Ark from the Temple and replaced it with Idols.

King Josiah restored it to the Temple and that’s the last record we see of it in the scriptures (2 Chronicles 35:1-6).

About 40 years later King Nebuchadnezzar attacked and conquered Jerusalem and took all the Temple relics including presumably the Ark of the Covenant.

When those items were eventually restored to Jerusalem and the Temple there is no mention in the inventory that the Ark of the Covenant was ever returned.

See what I mean? In the early years only the Levites could handle it. In later years Philistines, Babylonians and King Manasseh handled it.

In the early years people died if they touched it. In later years people were struck with disease (hemorrhoids) or in the case of the Babylonians no distress or consequence is even mentioned.

In the early years the Ark was used to conquer enemies. In the later years it was not used in the huge and desperate battles against the Assyrians and Babylonians.

I really don’t know what all this means but as Bible students we should think about it and what it might mean.