The Ark of the Covenant was built by Dr. Terry Harman, in 2022
I knew the title would get your attention! The Tabernacle Man, aka Dr. Terry Harman, lives in the state of Indiana.
In June of 2021, I was commissioned by Apostle H. Daniel Wilson of Valley Kingdom Ministries Internation in Chicago Illinois to build an Ark of the Covenant for a special service one year later. We've been covenant brothers for more than twenty years. "The Valley" and Apostle Wilson are dear to me. He was instrumental in encouraging me to teach on the tabernacle. When I was struggling to find a way to teach about the tabernacle in churches, my brother invited me to speak at the congregation's midweek service called "Digging Deep." Over the years I have been privileged to be a teacher for his congregation. When he introduces me, he says I am "his brother from another mother." He is a man of integrity! He is a man of faith. He is a gifted preacher. Most of all he is my brother. The ark of the covenant I constructed in his honor is pictured in this blog.
The ark would be presented to the congregation in honor of his thirty-seven years as pastor during the transition ceremony inducting the new pastor, Ray Bady who had served the Windsor Village Church in Houston Texas. The passing of the torch was on June 26, 2022.
Apostle Wilson's vision was the ark would "inspire the people of God" during the transition ceremony. He insisted the ark be built to the biblical dimensions of Exodus 25:10-22, overlaid with genuine 24K gold leaf and with the staves in the biblically correct position on each "side of the ark" rather than the front and rear as often depicted in most pictures of the ark of the covenant. Pictured below on the left is the ark I constructed for Apostle Wilson. On the right is a picture of the Indiana Jones-style Ark of the Covenant that I had crafted for my displays in 2008.
"Sides of the Ark"
The staves or the poles of the Ark of the Covenant are often depicted incorrectly. The first time I noticed this was when I was watching the movie released in 1951 "David and Bathsheba." You will notice the poles are attached to the front of the Ark of the Covenant. This depiction may have inspired the placement of the staves on the Ark made famous by "Indiana Jones."
What is the correct position of the staves?
And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it and put them in the four feet thereof, and two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. (Exodus 25:10-22 JPS 1917)
The English word translated as "side" in Exodus 25:12 is tsay-law'. This same Hebrew word is used in Genesis 2:21-22 to describe the creation of "woman." from the "ribs" of Adam.
"God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept, and He took one of his ribs (tsay-law') and closed up the place with flesh instead thereof. And the rib (tsay-law'), which the Lord God had taken from the man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man."
Our ribs are on our sides, not the front and back where our stomach and spine are. Notice the staves, overlaid with gold, are placed near the feet or bottom of the ark as stated in Exodus 25:12.
"And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it and put them in the four feet thereof."
Pictures of the Building of the Ark
I spent months gathering the materials and crafting the ark. I was fortunate to acquire genuine 24K gold leaf during the height of the Covid pandemic. The merchant needed business and I needed affordable gold leaf. I applied approximately 3,000 sheets (3" x 3") of 24K gold leaf to cover the Ark of the Covenant.
If you are interested in acquiring an Ark of the Covenant like the Ark, I constructed for Apostle Wilson, please contact me by email at, terryharman@thetabernacleman.com. All proceeds are reinvested in The Tabernacle Man ministry. No one receives a salary. This is a labor of love.
Building the Ark of the Covenant is not a rush job. I need several months' advanced notice to acquire the materials, build the Ark, prime the wood, and complete the gold leafing.
The Ark can be gold painted, imitation gold leaf, or 23-24K gold leaf.
