Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret -It's Glorious Climax! -Behold the Ark of the Covenant - Continue

 Now, after more than 2,500 years, the Ark is seen once more. But in John's vision the Ark in not in an earthly temple. It appears in the heavenly sanctuary of God. Once again, Jehovah rules by means of a king in the royal line of David. This time, however, the King, Christ Jesus, is enthroned in heavenly Jerusalem-the exalted vantage point from which he executes Jehovah's judgments. (Hebrews 12:22) The following chapters of Revelation will unveil these to us. 

In ancient earthly Jerusalem, the Ark was not seen by the Israelites in general, nor even the priests serving in the temple, for it was within the Most Holy which was screened off from the Holy Place by a curtain.  (Numbers 4:20; Hebrews 9:2, 3) Only the high priest got to see it when he entered the Most Holy on the annual day of Atonement. Nevertheless, when the temple sanctuary in the heavens   is opened, the symbolic ark is visible not only to Jehovah's High Priest, Jesus Christ, but also to his underpriests, the 144,000, including John. 

Next time: Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret -It's Glorious Climax! - Behold the Ark of His Covenant - Continue 

From the jw.org publications