Where are you getting the idea that the ark contained anything other then the 10 commandments?
1Ki 8:9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
Here is an article on this topic a friend of mine wrote...
In the Pentateuch, we read about the 10 commandments being a separate set of guidelines written by the finger of God himself on two stone tablets, and being placed inside the ark of the covenant. Once again, these 10 commandments, the first of several commands given through Moses, were written on stone tablets and placed INSIDE the ark by themselves. Here are the supporting scriptures for this:
Exo 34:28 And he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Deu 4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
Deu 10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Jehovah spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Jehovah gave them unto me.
Exo 24:12 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them.
Exo 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
Deu 9:11 And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that Jehovah gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. As we can see clearly from these aforementioned texts, the Decalogue was clearly written by itself on the stone tablets that were placed by themselves within the ark of the covenant. This is Yahweh's testimony. These texts would normally be quoted from the ISR (Scriptures 98') but some email recipients cannot receive Hebrew letters, so I have gone with the ASV, which at least makes some attempt at keeping the name of Yahweh instead of "THE LORD".
In the following texts I will show how the ten were placed within the ark of the covenant alone.
Exo 25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
Exo 40:20 And he (Moses) took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark:
1Ki 8:9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. Now it is apparently clear from the text of scipture that these commandments written on stone tablets were placed inside the ark of the covenant and are with God to this very day. We have a text in Revelation that proves this rather simple fact. They are not a curse, they are not a weak beggarly thing, they are not "rudiments of the world", and they are certainly not traditions and doctrines of men!
Rev 11:19 And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail. Might I suggest that a great deal of Christians are misled? Might I suggest that when Paul speaks of certain things, we are not entirely sure what he is saying? To this day, many of his statements baffle me. But one thing I am certain of, is that no matter how misunderstood his truths are, he is speaking the truth, and it is in agreement with Yahweh and his commands. I would like to now consider a text from Galatians that is not often deeply studied I am sure. I have discovered something that I myself never bothered to look at in depth:
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. At first glance, and even the second, third and fortieth glance, many Christians assume that this verse is talking about the 10 commandments. But I suggest the possibility that it is not. I suggest that it is talking about the whole "book" of the law which does include the 10 commandments, but is not the 10 be themselves. In other words, the 10 are also part of the book, but are also separate as well.
Let's look at some texts in Deuteronomy and then I will try to elaborate on this in detail:
Deu 28:58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, JEHOVAH THY GOD;
Deu 28:59 then Jehovah will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.
Deu 29:20 Jehovah will not pardon him, but then the anger of Jehovah and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him, and Jehovah will blot out his name from under heaven.
Deu 31:24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
Deu 31:25 that Moses commanded the Levites, that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, saying,
Deu 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
Deu 31:27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against Jehovah; and how much more after my death? Now I am no theologian, or scholar, or expert in exegesis, but I do think I have something here that is making more sense to me and many others then most of what the Christian world has to offer for an explanation to Paul's words.
IF the curse of the law is found within the book of the law of Moses, and not in the ark of the covenant itself, since the book is placed outside the ark of the covenant, and not within it, could we safely assume that there is a possibility that the 10 commandments are still very much alive to this day and are in fact a requirement for us? If love is the fulfillment of the law, and the 10 commandments summarize love for Yahweh and love for each other, then the 10 are spiritual.
I also see small parallels in the significance of separating Israel into a "10 tribe Kingdom" and a "2 tribe Kingdom" and the way the 10 commandments were summarized by the Messiah into 2 basic concepts. Although this was also done in the Hebrew bible as well. (Love Yahweh and Love neighbor)..
I have found many parallels like this that indicate that Yahweh's physical to spiritual parallel is amazing and wonderful. For instance, one can safely say that the reason Dan might not be included in the list of Israelite tribes in the book of Revelation Chapter 4 might have to do with the parallel of Judas being cast out and replaced with Matthias.
I plan to comment on many more things like this as the word of God is always fascinating for me to study and accept, all of it, every word of Yahweh is inspired and beneficial for us to LIVE BY...
Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
2Ti 3:16 Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness.
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.
1Jo 5:2 Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments.
1Jo 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
