Under the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was made of acacia wood (a very durable wood) and overlaid with gold. The combination of these two materials (wood and gold) points us to Jesus who was both human and divine. The word was made flesh, and we beheld his glory. Wood and gold express the divine and human nature of Christ in one.

Within the Ark, Moses placed the Ten Commandments, a pot with some of the manner which came down from Heaven, and Aarons rod, or staff which blossomed as a sing to the people of Aarons’s authority as the one God had chosen as Priest. Jesus is the Ark of God, for in him the law is fulfilled, he is the bread from Heaven and he is the chosen one with all authority and power as our Great High Priest.

The Ark also had the crown of pure gold and no wood, because the Kingship of Jesus is based on his divinity. He is the King from above. Seated inside of the crown was the covering of the Ark which was called the Mercy Seat. The Mercy Seat was made of pure gold and had two cherubims (angels) made of beaten work on its two ends.

18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten workshalt thou make them,in the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end:even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. ~ Exodus 25:18-19

Beaten work is actually hammered work in the Hebrew. As Jesus was making his way to the cross he could have asked the Father for more than twelve legions of angels to deliver him, but such a request would not have fulfilled the scriptures.

52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? ~ Matthew 26:52-54

The scriptures would not have been fulfilled if the angels had delivered Jesus from the cross. Jesus had to die on the cross by nails being hammered through his hands and feet, and on the morning that he was raised from the dead, Mary weeping, looked into the tomb where the body of Jesus had been laid. To her astonishment she did not see the Lord’s body, but she did see two angels – one at the head, and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been laid. She saw the fulfilment of the mercy seat.

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ~ John 20:11-12 

God’s words to Moses regarding the cherubims were, “thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten workshalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end:even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.” ~ Exodus 25:18-19 

What God gave to Moses as the pattern of Heavenly things, Mary saw in its fulfillment.

The Psalmist tells us that God dwells between the Cherubims.

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. ~ Psalm 80:1

The resurrection of the crucified, bloodied body of Jesus, is the shinning forth of God’s mercy, bringing hope and salvation through the risen Christ!