The Ark of the Covenant - Is it still around somewhere?

In honor of the new Indiana Jones movie that's coming out, I decided to start this thread about the Ark of the Covenant.

Let's assume that the Ark was indeed a real object (and there is really no reason to believe that it wasn't, although the popular trend is to discount anything in Bible). It would have been constructed in the time of Moses, and was carried around to various cities in Judea until Solomon finally put it into his Temple.

When the first temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, it disappeared from the historical record. The common belief among historians is that the Ark was probably destroyed (melted down, most likely, since it was constructed of gold). Of course, there is no record to show conclusively whether the Ark was destroyed or hidden before the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem. Further complicating matters, in a few places in the Talmud, it does mention that in fact two Arks were originally constructed.... so if this is true, it is possible that one was stolen/destroyed by the Babylonians, and one might have been saved.

Assuming the Ark was saved from the Bablyonians, there are several theories about where it might now be:

1). In Ethiopia, or some other location in Africa.
2). Still buried under the ruins of the 1st and 2nd temples, and under the Dome of the Rock.
3). Somewhere in Europe, possibly recovered and moved by the Knights Templar. (I find this theory particularly improbable, because I would assume that the Catholic Church would have wanted to advertise that it possessed the Ark).

I personally have no opinion on whether or not it still exists, and if it does, where it is... but I think it would be interesting to discuss. I am sure we have some people here on this forum that know a lot more about the various theories than I do, and I'd love to hear about it!

Melted with a very slight chance it was was buried or otherwise hidden successfully

Some say it is in Africa.
We may never know.

That is the rumor However I don't find it creditable.

Quite a bit of 'so called' evidence points to St Mary of Zion Church, Axum, Ethiopia.

This site seems to be
steadfast with the idea.



They even have picture of the supposed priest that guards it

I read the guys book on his search for it.

A lot of creative thought went into that book. Considering the number of wars that have occurred in that area. I'd find it difficult to believe it would have survived or that the custodians wouldn't let people see it (as it was used publicly by the Isrealites).

Sounds bogus to me. But I stand by ready to be amazed.

The Germans probably had it at the start of WW2 but then it was captured by the Americans.....just like the movie

Its my belief the true ark of the covenant is on display in plain sight being passed off as a replica, to keep it 100% safe.

Just need to get close enough to touch it and find out.......

i'll bet if we could get under the dome on the rock with a metal detecter we could find alot of interesting things

You will have found the true Ark of the Covenant when you see a cloud above it that never moves. At night the cloud will light up. I don't think anyone has seen a cloud behaving in this fashion lately.

Exodus 25:22
Leviticus 16:2
Numbers 10:33,34

I think when the Babylonians ransacked Jerusalem the Ark of Covenant no longer had the power it was first given.

I think the most interesting story about the Ark is when it was captured by the Philistines. They placed the Ark next to their god Dagon. In other words it was a statue of their god. I think Dagon is half fish and half man. Every night Dagon's head would fall off when it was in the presence of the Ark.

[edit on 5-5-2008 by lostinspace]

[edit on 5-5-2008 by lostinspace]

The gold from it probably still exists - in jewelry, ingots and coins all over the world.

Can I throw in the suggestion that the Ark could have very well been a highly advanced machine and probably has been taken back by whoever built it in the first place?

i thought it was in the warehouse

STORAGE

I believe the bible states who and how it was built.

Numbers 10:33; Deuteronomy 10:8, etc.

reply to post by JustMe74

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We need proof it existed before we can even start to guess whether it's still around. It's a "popular trend" because the bible is not an accurate document. It's claimed a lot of things that are clearly incorrect, so it has lost a lot of its credibility. And rightly so.

Very true!

Yes. According to Laurence Gardner in his book Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark, the Ark resides in Chartres Cathedral. It is there, but not here,

threory The Ark is under the spot were Jesus was crucified .His blood dripped down though the cracks and fell on the mercy seat so it was the perfect sacrifice.
the garden of gethsemane. was a dump or trash heap and became off limits to the bible thumpers that with thier equimpment say it is.Also there is a rumer that there is 2 or 3 of them .Also if u touch them u die right them

reply to post by JustMe74

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i saw on a tv show once that there's a little village somewhere in africa, where they believe the ark is. it's in a little temple surrounded by a tall fence, and only one special person is allowed in, until he dies, when his son takes over. it has an alarm system that allows the current keeper to summon all of the village in case of emergency, who are willing to protect it with their lives, using everything from rocks to machine guns. i'll try and find the show and episode and post it.

I'm guessing the Ark was destroyed a long time ago. There were certainly plenty of invading forces that had a shot at it, so either the Egyptians, the Babylonians or the Romans probably stripped the gold from it an burned it for good.

It was God's way of telling the Jews that they were no longer his chosen people.