According to the Bible and Christianity, after God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, the Israelites built the Ark of Covenant to house the two stone tablets. It is believed that the Ark was made of wood and covered in gold. Unfortunately, this sacred relic was lost somewhere between the reigns of King Solomon and Ezra. Ever since, many theories have explained the fate of the lost Ark. Today, we’ll dig through historical and biblical texts and try to figure out what happened to the lost Ark of Covenant.
When Was The Ark of Covenant Lost?
The Ark of Covenant disappeared in 586 BC when the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem. Prior to its disappearance, the Ark had been moved several times. However, it was finally set up in Jerusalem at the Temple that had been built by King Solomon. In the book of 2nd Samuel, the Ark was brought to Jerusalem by King David around 1004 BC, where it stayed for about 400 years. There is no text that highlights what the Babylonians took when they conquered Jerusalem. However, people can only assume that the Ark was one of their loot because that’s when it vanished.
Theories Explaining the Whereabouts of the Ark of Covenant
As mentioned earlier, there are many theories regarding what happened to the Ark. For instance, in the book of Maccabees, Prophet Jeremiah hid the Ark in a cave on Mount Nebo. Afterward, the prophet mentioned that this place shall remain hidden until God brings his people together and shows mercy on them.
Still in Jeremiah’s prophecy, there is another theory that is acknowledged in Islam. It claims that Jeremiah got a hold of the Ark of Covenant before the Babylonians seized the Temple in Jerusalem. He then crossed River Jordan and hid it on Mount Nebo.
The Islamic version goes deeper into this story and talks about how some of Jeremiah’s followers tried to follow him and identify where he had hidden the Ark. However, Jeremiah rebuked them and warned them that the Ark would remain hidden until the end of time.
Another theory is that the Ark was secretly ferried to Ethiopia and kept at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, located in Aksum. However, this theory comes with some weaknesses. To begin with, the Ark can only be viewed by its guardian. Secondly, a scholar allegedly saw the Ark in Ethiopia during World War II and claimed it was a fake.
Interestingly, the church has never permitted anyone to authenticate this particular Ark of Covenant. This theory has been confirmed by an ancient text known as the Kebra Nagast, which talks about the origins of King Solomon’s dynasty.
The Location of The Ark of Covenant According to Scholars
Regarding the theory of the Ark of Covenant being moved to Ethiopia, Graham Hancock has a book titled The Sign and the Seal: The Quest for the Lost Ark of Covenant. It talks about how the Ark was moved from Judah to a Jewish colony in Egypt. The Jewish colonists were then attacked by Egyptians and fled to Ethiopia with the Ark.
According to a text called the Treatise of the Vessels (Massekhet Kelim) published in the book Emek Halchah, the Ark of Covenant will be revealed after the coming of the Messiah. This text, translated by a professor from the University of St Andrews, narrates how Solomon’s treasures were hidden in different parts of Babylonia and Israel.
Unfortunately, it does not give an exact location of the Ark of Covenant. The only clue it leaves behind is that the Ark of Covenant will be revealed when the Messiah comes. The Treatise of the Vessels compliments another ancient text called the Copper Scroll, found near the Qumran. This latter text also talks about Solomon’s lost treasures but is not specific.
Conclusion
There are plenty of other theories about the lost Ark of Covenant. Some claim that it was hidden in a chamber under the Temple. Others claim the Babylonians destroyed it during the fall of Jerusalem. More theories narrate how the Ark is hidden outside Jerusalem or New Guinea.
Even though many people seem to have something to say on the matter, it remains highly unlikely that we will ever know the exact location of the Ark of Covenant. Archeologists have yet to discover this ancient relic despite thorough searches of the above destinations. There isn’t even a guarantee that the Ark of Covenant still exists. It could have been destroyed with the Temple in Jerusalem in 587 BC.