The Ark exists?

Kompressor · 03-23-2005, 09:08 AM

Logbook entry from a member of the Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration Institute.

A three-and-a-half-hour boat ride took us to the shores of Tana Kirkos Island, where I encountered the most mysterious and primitive culture I have experienced in all my travels around the world. We were met by a colony of monks who live a life entirely isolated even from Ethiopian civilization, dedicated to a life of prayer, meditation, and worship - all dating back to a time when they believe the Ark of the Covenant was safeguarded on their island. Recruited from the villages surrounding Lake Tana, they dedicate the rest of their lives to worshiping on Tana Kirkos, where they grow their own food, grind their own corn, and make their own clothes.

The monks of Tana Kirkos escorted us to a high plateau where they showed us several large, moss-covered stones which they said had previously been used in sacrificial ceremonies when the Ark of the Covenant was on the island. They also told us that the rock surface on which we were standing had been the location of a tabernacle-like tent that had housed and protected the Ark.

Intrigued that a tent had been on the rock surface, I excavated some loose topsoil and discovered four hand-carved socket holes, spaced to create a 13' by 13' square, oriented in a north-south, east-west configuration, apparently to emulate the original Holy of Holies.

The monks then asked me if I would care to see implements from Solomon's Temple. Intrigued by their statement, I waited expectantly while a monk approached a large mud-brick building, unlocked a heavy latch and lock (the only signs of modern society present on the island), entered and then emerged with four large, heavy artifacts. I first was shown two large metal forks, which they claimed were meat forks used for burnt offerings in Solomon's Temple. They were about 4-1/2 feet long and bore the ancient symbol of a budding almond flower on the top of each one.

Next the monks showed me a large, bronze bowl that was approximately 22" across and 2" deep. They referred to the bowl as a "gomer," and described it as a vessel in which priests placed animal blood during temple ritual, stirring it occasionally to keep it from coagulating. Finally, the monks showed me a metal stand, approximately 3' high, designed to hold the bronze bowl, though extreme age had caused the metal of the stand to fatigue and droop.

I asked the monks why these items remained on the island, and they told me that in 338 AD King Ezana was converted to Christianity by a Syrian monk named Abba Salama. Since Christianity was then decreed the new religion of the country, blood sacrificial ceremonies were no longer used, and the implements were rendered obsolete.

My next question was key: If the implements of sacrifice were left with the monks, what happened to the Ark of the Covenant? I was told the Ark itself was taken to Axum, where today it is kept in absolute isolation at St. Mary's of Zion Church.

LOG BOOK ENTRY: ETHIOPIA (Axum)
We next journeyed to Axum, the purported resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, and made our way to St. Mary's of Zion Church. There I was introduced to a man referred to as "The Guardian of the Ark of the Covenant." This man reportedly lives his entire life inside a fenced-off area in which is St. Mary's of Zion. He will not leave this fenced-off compound until he dies and is replaced by the next Guardian of the Ark. In the chapel of the church, 30 robes from 30 previous guardians are on display - and every one of the 30 professed that the object they protected was the Ark of the Covenant.

I was able to speak through an interpreter with the Guardian of the Ark, who told me that no other man besides himself could lay eyes on the Ark, that it was an absolutely holy object, and that the world would not pollute it by looking at it. He added that he and the villagers would protect the Ark with their lives if necessary.

Interestingly, we were shown two silver trumpets that bore a remarkable similarity to the trumpets pictured on the arch of Titus in Rome, commemorating the Roman conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. Trumpets like these were an essential part of the implements used in Temple worship.

Subsequent to this initial investigation, we located and interviewed two people who have claimed to have seen the object resting in St. Mary's of Zion. The first was a 105-year-old priest who once was the administrator at St. Mary's of Zion. On two occasions, he said, when the Guardian of the Ark died and a new guardian was trained in the worship rituals, he was able to gaze upon the relic. He described it as a gold box with two winged angels on top.

In his detailed inventory of the treasury, he described the Ark as a gold box with two winged creatures on the top. He described 24 smaller angelic-type figures forming a molding around the top, with two green stones (not described in the Bible) at either end. Is this the Ark of the Covenant described in the Bible? At this juncture we cannot say with certainty that it is - or that it isn't. What we have concluded is that St. Mary's of Zion church in Axum, Ethiopia, is the resting place either of an incredible replica of the biblical Ark of the Covenant; or of the actual Ark of the Covenant itself.

A Final Note:
Is the Bible entirely silent on the subject of the Ark of the Covenant's current resting place, or of its existence between the present day and the eternal kingdom? Some argue that Scripture is indeed silent, and that the Ark is a moot point now that Messiah has suffered and died for the whole world. Others, however, suggest that there may yet me a role for the Ark to play during a period of time following a real and triumphant victory by Messiah over the armed forces of the world system, before He institutes His eternal kingdom on a new earth.

In Isaiah 18, the prophet records a message from God concerning Ethiopia. It deals not only with Ethiopia's past, but also with the future of God's Messiah. Verses 3-4 read, "All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth, when he [Messiah] lifts up a banner on the mountains, you see it; and when he blows a trumpet [of victory], you hear it. For so the Lord said to me, 'I will take My rest, and I will look from My dwelling place."

If this and the verses that follow describe Messiah's triumph over the armies of the world, what happens next is very interesting. Verse 7 reads: "In that time a present will be brought to the Lord of hosts from a people tall and smooth of skin [Ethiopians, according to verse 1] . . . to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, to Mount Zion." What might the present be that is brought from Ethiopia to the "place of the name of the Lord" - to the Holy of Holies? Only the future will tell.

Koery · 03-23-2005, 09:13 AM

I'm sure there was a large boat of some sort made within that time.

Ego Tripping · 03-23-2005, 09:36 AM

The Ark is like Atlantis. They find it every year.

Meth0d · 03-23-2005, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ego Tripping

The Ark is like Atlantis. They find it every year.

Indeed I'ce personally seen 3 "Discovering The Ark" Documentaries. All of them showing different places and supposed remains. Good article thought Kompressor, good read in any event. Who knows perhaps this discovery was THE discovery of the Ark. Guess we'll have to wait a few months to see if they "find" it again.

Meth0d · 03-23-2005, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ego Tripping

The Ark is like Atlantis. They find it every year.

Indeed I've personally seen 3 "Discovering The Ark" Documentaries. All of them showing different places and supposed remains. Good article thought Kompressor, good read in any event. Who knows perhaps this discovery was THE discovery of the Ark. Guess we'll have to wait a few months to see if they "find" it again.

Ego Tripping · 03-23-2005, 10:30 AM

If one reads the Bible as a metaphor and doesn't take any literal translation out of it...the search for the Ark is foolish.

funky_unkle · 03-23-2005, 04:08 PM

The story of the flood and the ark is common to several ancient texts, not only biblical ones, so that supports the story. If they find it, or remains on it, the only thing that will happen is the catholic church will build a church on the site and bury it like they've done with "holy" places in Israel and elsewhere. Much like they've done to Jesus.

Meth0d · 03-23-2005, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funky_unkle

The story of the flood and the ark is common to several ancient texts, not only biblical ones, so that supports the story. If they find it, or remains on it, the only thing that will happen is the catholic church will build a church on the site and bury it like they've done with "holy" places in Israel and elsewhere. Much like they've done to Jesus.

Errr wrong Arc think box not boat.

joekidd11 · 03-23-2005, 06:10 PM

Maybe the bible is meant to be taken literally...

funky_unkle · 03-24-2005, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meth0d

Errr wrong Arc think box not boat.

Ahh fuck man. I didn't even bother to read it. I stumble over news like those too often. Hey but anyway I stand by my comment about the catholic church. So there.

snapshot · 03-24-2005, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joekidd11

Maybe the bible is meant to be taken literally...

So what you're saying is maybe the bible isn't meant to be taken literally.

You're absolutely right.

Meth0d · 03-24-2005, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funky_unkle

Ahh fuck man. I didn't even bother to read it. I stumble over news like those too often. Hey but anyway I stand by my comment about the catholic church. So there.

Opinion noted

And not for something completely different....

03-23-2005, 09:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
Kompressor Voice of Reason Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Illinois Posts: 8,361 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3,068 Times in 1,634 Posts	The Ark exists? Logbook entry from a member of the Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration Institute. A three-and-a-half-hour boat ride took us to the shores of Tana Kirkos Island, where I encountered the most mysterious and primitive culture I have experienced in all my travels around the world. We were met by a colony of monks who live a life entirely isolated even from Ethiopian civilization, dedicated to a life of prayer, meditation, and worship - all dating back to a time when they believe the Ark of the Covenant was safeguarded on their island. Recruited from the villages surrounding Lake Tana, they dedicate the rest of their lives to worshiping on Tana Kirkos, where they grow their own food, grind their own corn, and make their own clothes. The monks of Tana Kirkos escorted us to a high plateau where they showed us several large, moss-covered stones which they said had previously been used in sacrificial ceremonies when the Ark of the Covenant was on the island. They also told us that the rock surface on which we were standing had been the location of a tabernacle-like tent that had housed and protected the Ark. Intrigued that a tent had been on the rock surface, I excavated some loose topsoil and discovered four hand-carved socket holes, spaced to create a 13' by 13' square, oriented in a north-south, east-west configuration, apparently to emulate the original Holy of Holies. The monks then asked me if I would care to see implements from Solomon's Temple. Intrigued by their statement, I waited expectantly while a monk approached a large mud-brick building, unlocked a heavy latch and lock (the only signs of modern society present on the island), entered and then emerged with four large, heavy artifacts. I first was shown two large metal forks, which they claimed were meat forks used for burnt offerings in Solomon's Temple. They were about 4-1/2 feet long and bore the ancient symbol of a budding almond flower on the top of each one. Next the monks showed me a large, bronze bowl that was approximately 22" across and 2" deep. They referred to the bowl as a "gomer," and described it as a vessel in which priests placed animal blood during temple ritual, stirring it occasionally to keep it from coagulating. Finally, the monks showed me a metal stand, approximately 3' high, designed to hold the bronze bowl, though extreme age had caused the metal of the stand to fatigue and droop. I asked the monks why these items remained on the island, and they told me that in 338 AD King Ezana was converted to Christianity by a Syrian monk named Abba Salama. Since Christianity was then decreed the new religion of the country, blood sacrificial ceremonies were no longer used, and the implements were rendered obsolete. My next question was key: If the implements of sacrifice were left with the monks, what happened to the Ark of the Covenant? I was told the Ark itself was taken to Axum, where today it is kept in absolute isolation at St. Mary's of Zion Church. LOG BOOK ENTRY: ETHIOPIA (Axum) We next journeyed to Axum, the purported resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, and made our way to St. Mary's of Zion Church. There I was introduced to a man referred to as "The Guardian of the Ark of the Covenant." This man reportedly lives his entire life inside a fenced-off area in which is St. Mary's of Zion. He will not leave this fenced-off compound until he dies and is replaced by the next Guardian of the Ark. In the chapel of the church, 30 robes from 30 previous guardians are on display - and every one of the 30 professed that the object they protected was the Ark of the Covenant. I was able to speak through an interpreter with the Guardian of the Ark, who told me that no other man besides himself could lay eyes on the Ark, that it was an absolutely holy object, and that the world would not pollute it by looking at it. He added that he and the villagers would protect the Ark with their lives if necessary. Interestingly, we were shown two silver trumpets that bore a remarkable similarity to the trumpets pictured on the arch of Titus in Rome, commemorating the Roman conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. Trumpets like these were an essential part of the implements used in Temple worship. Subsequent to this initial investigation, we located and interviewed two people who have claimed to have seen the object resting in St. Mary's of Zion. The first was a 105-year-old priest who once was the administrator at St. Mary's of Zion. On two occasions, he said, when the Guardian of the Ark died and a new guardian was trained in the worship rituals, he was able to gaze upon the relic. He described it as a gold box with two winged angels on top. In his detailed inventory of the treasury, he described the Ark as a gold box with two winged creatures on the top. He described 24 smaller angelic-type figures forming a molding around the top, with two green stones (not described in the Bible) at either end. Is this the Ark of the Covenant described in the Bible? At this juncture we cannot say with certainty that it is - or that it isn't. What we have concluded is that St. Mary's of Zion church in Axum, Ethiopia, is the resting place either of an incredible replica of the biblical Ark of the Covenant; or of the actual Ark of the Covenant itself. A Final Note: Is the Bible entirely silent on the subject of the Ark of the Covenant's current resting place, or of its existence between the present day and the eternal kingdom? Some argue that Scripture is indeed silent, and that the Ark is a moot point now that Messiah has suffered and died for the whole world. Others, however, suggest that there may yet me a role for the Ark to play during a period of time following a real and triumphant victory by Messiah over the armed forces of the world system, before He institutes His eternal kingdom on a new earth. In Isaiah 18, the prophet records a message from God concerning Ethiopia. It deals not only with Ethiopia's past, but also with the future of God's Messiah. Verses 3-4 read, "All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth, when he [Messiah] lifts up a banner on the mountains, you see it; and when he blows a trumpet [of victory], you hear it. For so the Lord said to me, 'I will take My rest, and I will look from My dwelling place." If this and the verses that follow describe Messiah's triumph over the armies of the world, what happens next is very interesting. Verse 7 reads: "In that time a present will be brought to the Lord of hosts from a people tall and smooth of skin [Ethiopians, according to verse 1] . . . to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, to Mount Zion." What might the present be that is brought from Ethiopia to the "place of the name of the Lord" - to the Holy of Holies? Only the future will tell. __________________ Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

03-23-2005, 09:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ego Tripping Are you in? Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 13,468 Thanks: 229 Thanked 665 Times in 443 Posts	The Ark is like Atlantis. They find it every year. __________________ God appears, and God is light, To those poor souls who dwell in night; But does a human form display To those who dwell in realms of day.

03-23-2005, 10:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ego Tripping Are you in? Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 13,468 Thanks: 229 Thanked 665 Times in 443 Posts	If one reads the Bible as a metaphor and doesn't take any literal translation out of it...the search for the Ark is foolish. __________________ God appears, and God is light, To those poor souls who dwell in night; But does a human form display To those who dwell in realms of day.

03-23-2005, 04:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
funky_unkle free Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: ) Posts: 1,737 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	The story of the flood and the ark is common to several ancient texts, not only biblical ones, so that supports the story. If they find it, or remains on it, the only thing that will happen is the catholic church will build a church on the site and bury it like they've done with "holy" places in Israel and elsewhere. Much like they've done to Jesus. __________________ A communist officer told a Christian he was beating, "I am almighty, as you suppose your God to be. I can kill you." The Christian answered, "The power is all on my side. I can love you while you torture me to death."

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03-23-2005, 06:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
joekidd11 Old School Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 167 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Maybe the bible is meant to be taken literally...

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