Ethiopia Won’t Show Ark

Depiction of Levites Carrying the Ark of the Covenant

In an expected move, representatives of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church have now stated that they will not show what they have long claimed to be the Ark of the Covenant:

Ethiopian church speaks out on Ark of the Covenant
Statement says Ten Commandments box won’t be displayed…

There was considerable confusion last week when the leader of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church apparently told an Italian news agency of an upcoming announcement about the possible public display of the Ark of the Covenant – the box holding the Ten Commandments – and then the prescribed time passed with no word.

However, there was no equivocation today in an e-mail received by WND from the webmaster of a church website in response to an inquiry about the truth of the matter.

“It is not going to happen so the world has to live with curiosity,” said the statement, signed only “Webmaster” in response to the WND inquiry.

The webmaster statement described the tempest as being caused either because of a translation mistake or “a slip [of the] tongue from the patriarch.”…

Ark hunters and Bible enthusiasts had been buzzing for days on the report from the Italian news agency Adnkronos that Patriarch Abuna Pauolos, visiting in Italy last week for a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, was quoted, “Soon the world will be able to admire the Ark of the Covenant described in the Bible as the container of the tablets of the law that God delivered to Moses and the center of searches and studies for centuries.”…

He apparently had suggested the possibility the artifact might be viewable in a planned museum.

“I repeat (the Ark of the Covenant) is in Ethiopia and nobody … knows for how much time. Only God knows,” he said in the Adnkronos report available online…

“The Ark of the Covenant is in Ethiopia for many centuries,” said Pauolos in the report. “As a patriarch I have seen it with my own eyes and only few highly qualified persons could do the same, until now.”…

“The Ethiopian royal chronicles suggest that for 3,000 years, they had been guarding the ark, knowing that it had to go back to Israel eventually,” Jeffrey said.

The usual story about when the Ark supposedly came to Ethiopia is biblically false as it was still in Judah long after all of Solomon’s sons would have died (cf. 2 Chronicles 35:1-3). However, other reports suggest that Ethiopia has only had it for 2000 years (which at least is not in conflict with the account in 2 Chronicles 35:1-3)–but simply making a claim, or even having something, does not make the claim true (I saw what was supposed to be Moses’ staff in an Istanbul museum last year and douby its authenticity even though the Turks have had it for many centuries).

And while the Bible shows that the Ark will be seen in heaven (Revelation 11:19), this does not mean that it is impossible to be on the earth or impossible to be in Ethiopia.

Whether or not the Ark is on the earth, there are Islamic as well as Catholic prophecies that seem to require that it “be found” before the end. And this could be fulfilled by someone simply claiming to have it, as opposed to actually having it.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? What does the Bible teach about the temple in the end-times?
Solomon’s TempleThis is a a 5 minute animated film that shows one artist’s understanding of the details about Solomon’s temple.
Africa: Its Biblical Past and Prophesied Future What does the Bible teach about Africa and its future? Did the early Church reach Africa? Were there Sabbath-keepers in Ethiopia? Will God call all the Africans?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?