1 The Ark of covenant

2 Since the fall of man, God has always entrusted His recovery plan (to fill the earth with His glory) to a specific man, or group of people; people with whom He would cut covenant. These covenant people, who would take God’s dream forward – He raised them up, directed and protected them by means of an “Ark Plan”.

3 Take Noah for instance; Noah and his family – who were the carriers of the “new creation” plan at that moment – was protected and directed (steered) by the ark, from the one season into the next. In the case of Moses and Israel, God cut covenant with them and raised them up, directed and protected them by means of the “Ark-plan” / the ark of covenant.

4 The word ARK means: chest/coffin/box/vessel.Eventually Jesus Christ became the anti-type of the Ark of covenant, when God entrusted His new creation/creature plan to him. Since his baptism, when he became part of the Spirit plan, his body would serve as the “ark”, the carrier of the Christ plan… Christ in him, the hope of glory.

5 Christ was never an example for us, but rather of usRom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

6 We as covenant people of God, brothers of Jesus Christ, would finally also serve as the “ark” of God, the vessel in which God would place His dream – a covenant people to whom He would entrust His glory. Col 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 2Cor 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (:7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (arks), that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

7 Important: The function or purpose of the ark was always to protect God’s plan and to direct/steer it from one era to the next. It wasn’t necessarily about the ark itself but rather about its contents whether it was: 1. the creation/creatures in the ark, as was the case with Noah, or 2. the stone tablets with its laws and commandments with Moses and Israel, or the glory of God with Jesus Christ…and eventually us The ark always served as the security plan that would protect and represent God’s dream, from generation to generation and era to era.

8 to be learned for this DAY we find ourselves in… Day 7When we look at the different types that played their parts in history (the ark of Noah, the Ark of covenant and now us, the covenant people of God) – there are precious parallels and relevant lessons to be learned for this DAY we find ourselves in… Day 7

9 The Ark of Noah Gen 6:5-14 (5) Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (6) And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. (7) So the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." (8) But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (9) This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. (10) And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

10 (11) The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(12) So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. (13) And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. (14) "Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.

11 Gen 6:18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark--you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. Gen 6:22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. Gen 8:10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. (11) Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth.

12 Noah: H5146 = rest (Day 7) Ararat: H780 = the curse reversed Dove: H3123 = Dove H3196 = Wine (covenant) Olive: H2132 = Olive H2099 = Brightness (2014) Noah (the rest of God… type of the Day7 plan) was in the ark. The ark came to rest on Mount Ararat (the curse reversed) and he stepped out of the ark, into the new creation plan – after the sign of the dove (wine/covenant) and the sign of the olive branch (anointing)

13 Jesus Christ brought forth the Day 7 plan, as the ark (carrier of the glory/Christ)After the “ark” (body of Jesus) came to rest on mount “Ararat”/cross/curse reversed, the new creation plan of God began in this earth with HIS Church Since 2014, God entrusted this “Ark plan” to CiM International when we as God’s covenant people became the carriers of His Glory in this DAY 7 plan

14 Noah: H5146 = rest (Day 7) Ararat: H780 = the curse reversed Dove: H3123 = Dove H3196 = Wine (covenant) Olive: H2132 = Olive H2099 = Brightness (2014) Olive: In the beginning of the year 2014, the year of light (brightness) God cut covenant with CiM International Noah: This was also the year when God revealed His DAY 7 plan to us Ararat: With the revelation of the complete and finished work of Jesus Christ with the ability to distinguish between Jesus and Jesus Christ and the understanding that Jesus in his body served as the sin offering and Jesus Christ as the pass over to sonship, we now bring true revelation to “the curse reversed” Dove : 13 May 2014…

15 The Type of the dove and the wineOn 13 May 2014 God released a prophetic word of “the sign of the dove” from Psalm 68 through me…(Neels Labuschagne, an antitype of John the Baptist) to Xandré Strydom (an antitype of Jesus Christ) The beauty of this prophecy is that it was prophesied over Xandré exactly three days before he turned 31, thus still the same age as when Jesus received his “sign of the dove” manifestation, as well as exactly 8 years after he got born again on 13 May 2006 That same evening, at the Pretoria East Branch Moreleta Park), I also cut covenant with Xandré since I didn’t do it with the CiM International Leadership on our first covenant evening (the type of the wine/dove) Indeed we at CiM International serve as an antitype of the day of Noah

16 The Ark of covenant in the days of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas1Sam 2:12-17 (12) Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord. (13) And the priests' custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling. (14) Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. (15) Also, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, "Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw."

17 (16) And if the man said to him, "They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires," he would then answer him, "No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force." (17) Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. 1Sam 2:22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. (23) So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. (the same words that Jesus Christ many times used when he rebuked the religious leaders of his time)

18 1Sam 2:24 No, my sons. For it is not a good report that I hear1Sam 2:24 No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord's people transgress. Transgress H5674 עבר ‛âbar BDB Definition: 1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress (25) If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?" Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father…

19 1Sam 3:11-13 (11) Then the Lord said to Samuel: "Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. (12) In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. (13) For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. (no grace, instruction and correction)

20 1Sam 4:2-11 (2) Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. (3) And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies." (4) So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. (5) And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.

21 1Sam 4:6-11 (6) Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. (7) So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp!" And they said, "Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. (8) Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. (9) Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!" (10) So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. (11) Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

22 …a messenger was sent to Eli to break the news to him…1Sam 4:17-18 (17) So the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured." (18) Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

23 1Sam 4:19-21 (19) And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. (20) And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken… What a sad day… the Ark of God departed from Israel… because of their unrighteousness.

24 1Sam 5:2-5 (2) When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon. (3) And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. (4) And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon's torso was left of it. (5) Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

25 1Sam 5:11-12 (11) So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. (12) And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumours, and the cry of the city went up to heaven. 1Sam 6:1-2 (1) Now the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. (2) And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place."

26 1Sam 6:7-12 (7) Now therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them. (8) Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. (9) And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us--it happened to us by chance." (10) Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. (11) And they set the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumours. (12) Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing (crying) as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

27 1 Samuel 2 - 6…a prophetic type of this dayAs in the days of Eli and his sons, the Church with its worldly religious systems alienated God’s people from Him through their evil and corrupted ways. They use and abuse the “Temple worshippers”, the Bride of God for their own desires and lusts. The Ark of God that carries His Glory, His view judgement and opinion, fell into the hands of the enemy, the “Philistines” (meaning immigrants, foreigners) The plan of God, His word and His ways, His dreams and desires have become foreign to His people. CiM International was appointed by God as “a new cart”, a new vehicle to carry the Ark of God back to His Church so that the Glory of God, His view, judgement and opinion can once again be returned to His covenant people.

28 As it was the case with returning the Ark to Israel in those days, the way that theGlory of God will be returned to His true Israel in these days will again be “strange, different and unfamiliar” To move this cart with the Ark of covenant on it, two milk cows needed to be hitched to the cart and their calves taken away from them. For us (CiM International, the chosen cart of God to carry this Ark with the Day 7 Plan, the earth to be filled with His glory), to move this plan forward, we also, as “milk cows”, (with the pure milk of the word of righteousness, restoring man to the state as they ought to be), need to be hitched to this plan. As in the case of the calves, this plan will also require of us to leave some things behind that are precious to us, things that will keep you from moving forward.

29 1Sam 6:12 Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing (crying) as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. H1053 בּית שׁמשׁ bêyth shemesh BDB Definition: Beth-shemesh = “house of the sun” or “sun-temple” As we as CiM International proceed forward with this plan of God to “the house of the sun”, even lowing like the cows, let us not turn aside to the left or the right but let’s stay focussed on the “let there be light (2014)” Day 7 plan of God.

30 1Sam 6:14 Then the cart came into the field of Joshua (Jehovah is salvation) of Beth Shemesh, and stood there; a large stone was there (a type of Christ)… Hebr 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Mat 16:16-19 (16) Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (17) Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (18) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock (Christ plan) I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (19) And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

31 1Sam 6:14… So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.It’s not the cart that is of so much importance but the Ark it carries. CiM International is only the cart/vehicle that carries the Ark. It’s all about the returning and restoring of God’s dream, the earth to be filled with the glory of God. We're giving ourselves to this dream as a living sacrifice Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

32 1Sam 6:2 "What shall we do with the Ark of the Lord?“We as His “Arks”… Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. -the end-