የአዲስ ኪዳን ታቦት (The Ark of the New Testament): EOTC Perspective – Part V

This concluding essay completes our exploration of የአዲስ ኪዳን ታቦት (The Ark of the New Testament) from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) perspective. Over the previous four parts, we examined the biblical evidence for the Ark's importance and reverence. This final part focuses on honor and respect due to the Ark or Tablets (ጽላት) in line with scripture and EOTC traditions.

The Honor Due to the Ark/Tablets

The Holy Bible provides abundant testimony to the reverence due to the Ark. If the Ark of the Old Testament was honored with such high respect, how much more should the New Testament Ark or Tablets be revered—now serving as the Altar of Mercy (የምሕረት መሰዊያ), where the priest transforms the holy bread and wine into the true (አማናዊ) body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ?

The Scriptures offer ample evidence concerning the honor given to the Ark and Tablets:

1 Samuel 4:5: “የእግዚአብሔር የቃል ኪዳን ታቦት ወደ ሰፈር በገባ ጊዜ እስራኤል ሁሉ ታላቅ እልልታ አደረጉ፥ ምድሪቱም አስተጋባች።" In the EOTC, this verse serves as the basis for believers to joyfully celebrate with loud voices and clapping when the Ark is carried out from its place during holidays.

2 Samuel 6:16, 23: “የእግዚአብሔርም ታቦት ወደ ዳዊት ከተማ በገባ ጊዜ የሳኦል ልጅ ሜልኮል በመስኮት ሆና ተመለከተች፥ ንጉሡም ዳዊት በእግዚአብሔር ፊት ሲዘልልና ሲዘፍን አየች፤ በልብዋም ናቀችው:: የሳኦልም ልጅ ሜልኮል እስከ ሞተችበት ቀን ድረስ ልጅ አልወለደችም።" This passage serves as a warning against disrespecting the Ark or Tablets, drawing parallels to those like Michal (ሜልኮል) who disregarded the sacredness of the Ark. Conversely, those who honor the Ark, as demonstrated by King David, receive blessings.

Joshua 3:3: “ሕዝቡን፦ የአምላካችሁን የእግዚአብሔርን ቃል ኪዳን ታቦትና ሌዋውያን ካህናት ተሸክመውት ባያችሁ ጊዜ፥ ከሰፈራችሁ ተነስታችሁ ተከተሉት።" The ancient practice of following the Ark, as seen in this verse, is still observed by the EOTC, as a symbol of obedience and reverence for God's presence.

Joshua 7:6: “ኢያሱም ልብሱን ቀደደ፥ እርሱና የእስራኤልም ሽማግሌዎች በእግዚአብሔር ታቦት ፊት እስከ ማታ ድረስ በግምባራቸው ተደፉ፤ በራሳቸውም ላይ ትቢያ ነሰነሱ።” This tradition of bowing (መስገድ) and humbling oneself before the Ark continues in the EOTC, reflecting the deep respect given to the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ's name upon it.

Additionally, the following verses illustrate the profound respect owed to the Arks.

Joshua 6:6: “የነዌም ልጅ ኢያሱ ካህናቱን ጠርቶ፦ የቃል ኪዳኑን ታቦት ተሸከሙ፥ ሰባትም ካህናት ሰባት ቀንደ መለከት ወስደው በእግዚአብሔር ታቦት ፊት ይሂዱ አላቸው።”

1 Chronicles 13:7: “የእግዚአብሔርንም ታቦት በአዲስ ሰረገላ ላይ ጫኑት፥ ከአሚናዳብም ቤት አመጡት፤ ዖዛና አሒዮም ሠረገላውን ይነዱ ነበር። ዳዊትና እስራኤል ሁሉ በቅኔና በበገና በመሰንቆና በከበሮ በጸናጽልና በመለከት በእግዚአብሔር ፊት በሙሉ ኃይላቸው ይጫወቱ ነበር።”

1 Chronicles 15:1: “ዳዊትም በከተማው ላይ ለራሱ ቤቶችን ሠራ፤ ለእግዚአብሔርም ታቦት ስፍራ አዘጋጀ፥ ድንኳንም ተከለለት።”

In conclusion, both the Holy Bible and EOTC traditions show that the reverence for the Old Testament Arks extends to the New Testament Ark or Tablets. This essay series has demonstrated that the EOTC upholds biblical foundations, ensuring the Ark remains central to worship, reflecting God's presence and glory.