The Ark of the Covenant is directly responsible for the advent of God’s Word in this world, investigative archaeologist, Biblical Ark expert and author of The A.R.K. Report Harry H. Moskoff declared earlier this month at the inaugural “Prophecy in the News Conference” hosted by Breaking Israel News. “There can be no prophecy without the Holy Ark playing a central role, and there is an intrinsic connection which cannot be denied,” he said.

“The Ark is where it all began, where prophecy has its roots. We know from the Torah, the Old Testament, as well as other scriptural sources that the highest levels of prophecy simply cannot be reached unless the Ark is found and revealed. At that point it can act as the proper conduit it was intended to be.”

Biblically, the Ark had many functions, including its main purposes, which were to store the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments as well as an indestructible weapon of war that could fell fortified cities. However, one of the Ark’s lesser known functions was to act as a channel, a type of matrix, between God and man.

“In fact, all prophetic inspiration actually runs via and between the two Cherubim (angelic figures) that are on top of the cover of the Ark, just like when Moses originally stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle to receive prophecy that issued forth from the Ark.”

Moskoff explained that the word of God would come down from the Cloud of Glory to the Holy of Holies between the Cherubim. From there, prophecy would travel outwards towards the entranceway until it was received there by Moses or further outside to the appropriate prophet.

And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the ark-cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. Exodus 25:22

Moskoff’s proof that the Ark is needed for prophecy is based on the Biblical chronology. As soon as the Ark was returned to its intended location in the Holy of Holies in King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem (approximately 990 BC – 586 BC), prophecy greatly increased in the world – so much so that the Talmud states there were over 1 million prophets at the time of the First Temple period alone and even prophecy “schools” that abounded all over the Holy Land.

However, the majority of prophetic visions at that time were of a personal nature. They guided the individual towards achieving his or her higher goals in life, rather than providing messages intended for the masses, the people of Israel, or the world at large.

“This plethora of prophecy, both individual and otherwise, unfortunately ended when the Ark was hidden in its secondary chamber, directly underneath the Holy of Holies, where it is to this day,” stated Moskoff.

After the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BC and the disappearance of the Ark, the Divine Presence and prophecy left this world. “This is the reason why prophecy stopped,” Moskoff explained. “The Ark was ‘hidden off-site’ and therefore did not have the same power for enabling clear prophecy. This has lasted until today when we no longer have prophecy.”

Moskoff noted that now is an auspicious time to teach the importance of the Ark and its connection to prophecy. Taking his cue from the Bible, he explained that before the Messiah comes, prophecy is destined to return to Israel first and then to the whole world through those who merit to receive it.  

There are many levels of prophecy and Divine inspiration. “Because, today, there seems to be an increase of claims from people who appear to have prophetic abilities, this may be a sign that prophecy will indeed return to the world,” suggested Moskoff. “This will ultimately be confirmed with the arrival of Elijah the Prophet, whose mission is to announce the coming of the Messiah, restore peace between father and son as well as between tribe and tribe, and also to bring back the missing Temple vessels, including the Ark itself.”

Moskoff believes that the increase in prophetic experiences may be proof that the Ark will soon be revealed. “God willing, since the highest level of prophecy and the Ark are reliant upon each other, we are working to find its exact location,” said Moskoff. “Each small step in this regard is very significant in its own right. I believe that the increase of people having small prophetic moments might indicate a signal that the time for the Ark to come back into a revealed state is approaching.

“After all, how could it be that for over 2,700 years the Ark has been buried beneath the Temple Mount (and not under the Dome of the Rock as many believe) with no or extremely limited prophecy in the world, and people have yet to make a correlation between the two? The time for this to happen is now.”