The Story of Mosaic Law and the Ark Is True

Unlike the whole Exodus story (which is basically a fairy tale inspired by still unknown historical events), the story of God providing the Jews (via Moses) with The Law and ordering them to build the Ark appears to be true to a ‘t’.

One of the most interesting passages (if not the most interesting) in this story is Exodus 19:6 (Douay-Rheims Bible):

“And you shall be to me a priestly kingdom, and a holy nation”

This is a loud and clear statement of the fact that God, indeed, chose the Jewish people to be a conduit of Divine Grace (every priest is such a conduit) to the whole world. And, thus, a genuine savior of the whole humanity from Hell on Earth.

Now God begins to prepare Moses and the Jews to receive The Law (Exodus 19:9 - Didache Bible):

“And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you for ever”

Sounds authentic to me – that’s what I would have expected from God.

Another interesting passage is Exodus 19:10-13:

“And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, and be ready by the third day; for on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

And you shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, 'Take heed that you do not go up into the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death; no hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.”

Sounds like severe radiation poisoning to me. Not surprisingly, God delivered on His promises (Exodus 19:16-22 – Didache Bible)

“On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.

Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God; and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. And Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.

And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze and many of them perish. And also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out upon them”

Sounds like severe radiation warning to me… well, if emission of Divine Grace is sufficiently powerful, it might affect a human being just like gamma rays. When Moses did what he was told by God, the latter gave Moses Ten Commandments and the rest of Mosaic Law for transmission to the Jews.

And then, of course, gave Moses something physical – Tablets of the Law (Exodus 24:12; 15:18 – Didache Bible):

“The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tables of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.

Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; and on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the sons of Israel. And Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.”

Very impressive, I must admit.

Now it was time to give orders to build the Ark of the Covenant… but first God ordered Moses to create a sanctuary for Him (Exodus 25:8):

“And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst”

In practical terms, it means that the sanctuary will become an immensely powerful source of Divine Grace – vital salvific energy for the Jews and the whole mankind.

Instructions for building the Ark of the Covenant were predictably quite detailed (Exodus 25:10-22):

“They shall make an Ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. And you shall overlay it with pure gold, within and without shall you overlay it, and you shall make upon it a molding of gold round about.”

In modern units, the size of the Ark of the Covenant is estimated at approximately 52;31;31 inches (130;80;80 centimeters). Its weight is estimated at being about 200 pounds (90 kg) which does make it possible to be carried by four strong men on their shoulders.

Acacia wood was chosen for its durability: experts estimate that laden with gold, it will last for at least 5,000 years. Rabbinical Judaism calculated a lifespan of Moses corresponding to 1391–1271 BC; consequently, the Ark was build sometime in late 13th century BC and so will last for 1,700 more years or so.

“And you shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.

And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. And you shall put into the ark the covenant which I shall give you.

Then you shall make a mercy seat o of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat.

Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.

And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark; and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the covenant, I will speak with you of all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.”