Many people know that the late Adventist, Ron Wyatt, claimed to have found the ark of the covenant under what he believed was the crucifixtion site. Google for it, and you'll even find a picture supposedly showing an angel he found guarding the ark. Well, apparently, his "followers" are back on the trail as evidenced in the following article:

For centuries, many have wondered whatever happened to the Ark of the Covenant, the box the Bible says contained the Ten Commandments of God.


Ark of the Covenant depicted in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (Paramount Pictures)

Now, a new quest is underway for the legendary chest featured in the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark," trying to prove the claim the Ark is buried below the purported site where Jesus Christ was crucified.

An international team has just completed what it calls its first stage of exploration, spending two weeks beneath Mount Moriah outside the walls of ancient Jerusalem.

Some 30 explorers from the U.S., Australia, Norway and Estonia have been in a cave system north of the city's Damascus Gate to try to determine if the Ark is indeed located there.

The group is trying to verify the claim made by relic hunter Ron Wyatt who said he actually saw the Ark there two decades ago after tunneling through a small passageway.


Chariot in Red Sea? (wyattmuseum.com)

Wyatt died of cancer in 1999 after years of searching for biblical antiquities, claiming to have found Noah's Ark near Mount Ararat in Turkey, the remains of Pharaoh's chariots that chased Moses through the Red Sea, and the "true" location of Mount Sinai in Arabia.

"I just want to know the truth, whatever it is," says Richard Rives, president of Wyatt Archaeological Research in Cornersville, Tenn., which is spearheading the latest effort.


Explorers dig in cave system for Ark of the Covenant (wyattmuseum.com).

While members of his group are not archaeologists by trade – they're doctors, nurses, structural and construction engineers, and businessmen – they are teaming with professional archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority, which has sanctioned the dig.

In 1982, Wyatt entered the caves from a location since sealed, but believed there was an alternate passageway used by the prophet Jeremiah to protect the Ark from invading Babylonians some 600 years before the birth of Christ.

Ironically, during his Ark quest 21 years ago, Wyatt and his crew decided to take a break and go to the movies. Unaware of what was playing, they were surprised to see "Raiders of the Lost Ark," which had just been released.

This summer's research team used ground-penetrating radar to peer below the surface, trying to pinpoint the alleged tunnel of Jeremiah.

Rives believes they met great success while taking samples behind a man-made wall.


David and Richard Rives at man-made wall that could conceal passageway to Ark (wyattmuseum.com).

"We found a void where Ron said there would be a passageway," Rives said.

It's at the end of that passageway where Wyatt believed the sacred container rests.

But once the diggers started excavating beneath the wall, they encountered a problem forcing a halt to the hunt.

"We lost our ceiling to prevent collapse," Rives said. "The people in the antiquities department insisted we stop and do more architectural engineering to determine what it would take to continue safely."

The group is now studying the situation with experts and hopes to be back in business within the next six months.

This latest search effort reignites debate over whether or not the Ark is even located there, since many theories have sprouted concerning the container's whereabouts.

Some claim it's currently in Ethiopia, having been brought there after a visit to Solomon's Temple by the ancient Queen of Sheba. Others have suggested the box is hidden in Spain, Canada, Elephantine Island in Egypt, the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm and even somewhere in America near Utah.

The Bible's final mention of the Ark recounts King Josiah's order to return the chest to the temple:

Put the Holy Ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders. (2 Chronicles 35:3)

Spiros Zodhiates, editor of the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, expounds on the Ark's possible fate subsequent to that verse.

"It may have been carried away by [Babylonian King] Nebuchadnezzar along with the other saved articles, when he plundered the temple," Zodhiates writes.

"Since no reference is made to the Ark by Ezra, Nehemiah or even [Roman historian] Josephus after the capitivity, it is believed that there was no Ark in the second temple and that the Holy of Holies [where the Ark was situated in the temple] stood empty."

Biblical scholar and modern-day relic hunter Mike Sanders, who has gained notoriety with his Biblical Mysteries programs, believes the original Ark was destroyed by a different pagan king, and a replica was constructed to replace it.

"The Ark was certainly taken by the Egyptian King Shishak," Sanders told WorldNetDaily. "There were obviously subsequent copies made as there were of all the other temple accoutrements which were also looted many times over the centuries. This has enabled the myth makers to come up with many wild and wonderful scenarios."

Sanders believes the Ark's contents – the stone tablets etched by God with the Ten Commandments – are located in the foundation deposit of an Egyptian temple he discovered in the Judean hills.

"Hopefully we will extract the contents live on the Internet and on television sometime early next year when the situation in Israel is somewhat safer," he says.

Sanders is among those critical of Wyatt's assertions about the Ark.

"When he was alive, I spent some time asking him questions and asking for evidence [regarding] his claims. None was ever forthcoming to me or anyone else," Sanders said. "In those areas where I have done some investigations, he has proven to be a charlatan."

Just days before his death, Wyatt granted an interview to WorldNetDaily, and addressed such criticism from his detractors.

"There's nothing [that] can be done to prevent ridicule that I'm aware of," Wyatt said. "I don't think it would be appropriate to deny people the opportunity of using ridicule because I think that's part of showing their true character."

During the interview, Wyatt explained he found an earthquake crack directly below the place where the wood on which Jesus was crucified would have been. The cleft extends down through the rock to the resting place of the Mercy Seat representing God's throne atop the Ark of the Covenant. The blood of Christ would have flowed through that crevice after his death and after his side had been pierced by a soldier's spear.


Sketch of Ark of the Covenant based on Wyatt's description (wyattmuseum.com)

The Bible teaches the concept of sacrifice of animals, symbolic of the actual blood sacrifice Christ would make. The act of Christ, regarded by some as the great High Priest, permitting himself to be sacrificed and placing his own blood upon the Mercy Seat was the great and final act in the process of blood sacrifice, according to Wyatt's writings.

And while Wyatt believed the Ark itself would never be moved from its current location, he thought the laws of God inside it would eventually be removed and put on display as a testimony to the world.

"This last revelation is for the inhabitants of the Earth who don't have a clue, as well as for those of us who do have a clue and have been commissioned by Christ to reach out to help bring these people who don't have a clue into the fold," Wyatt told WorldNetDaily.

"So these are tools that God has given the believers to strengthen their faith and to reach out with. They are tools that will be extremely effective in these the last pouring out to the entire population, all inhabitants of the Earth."

Rives says from a biblical standpoint, it makes perfect sense the Ark would be located where Wyatt claimed and be covered with Christ's own blood.

"What's important about the Ark is what's inside of it – the Ten Commandments, the Covenant," said Rives.

While many people talk about sin in the modern world, Rives points out the Bible defines sin as breaking the law recorded on the tablets inside the Ark.

"For sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4)

"The first four Commandments teach us who our Creator is and how he wants us to worship Him," said Rives. "There's an adversary, Satan. He wants to be God if he can get us to break those first four Commandments. Many aspects of religion today are in violation of the first four Commandments."

Some interesting quotes from the White Estate about the Ark - http://www.whiteestate.org/issues/ark.html#The%20Law%20Kept

quote:

---

"Before the temple was destroyed, God made known to a few of His faithful servants the fate of the temple, which was the pride of Israel, and which they regarded with idolatry, while they were sinning against God. He also revealed to them the captivity of Israel. These righteous men, just before the destruction of the temple, removed the sacred ark containing the tables of stone, and with mourning and sadness, secreted it in a cave where it was to be hid from the people of Israel, because of their sins, and was to be no more restored to them. That sacred ark is yet hid. It has never been disturbed since it was secreted."--4SG 114, 115 (1864);1SP 414 (1870); SR 195.

quote:

---

"The holy law of the ten commandments, written on tables of stone by the finger of God, and placed in the ark, is the standard of righteousness. Before the obedient and the disobedient it will appear in the last great day, and all the wicked will be convicted. They will see that their actions proceeded from a depraved character. They will see that the part they acted served to carry on the rebellion begun in the heavenly courts. They will see all the cruelty and all the wickedness that have dishonored their Creator and brought about the wretchedness that fills the world."--Ms 5, 1904 (13MR 381).

---

---

quote:

---

"The precious record of the law was placed in the ark of the testament and is still there, safely hidden from the human family. But in God's appointed time He will bring forth these tables of stone to be a testimony to all the world against the disregard of His commandments and against the idolatrous worship of a counterfeit Sabbath."--Ms 122, 1901 (1BC 1109).
"When God's temple in heaven is opened, what a triumphant time that will be for all who have been faithful and true! In the temple will be seen the ark of the testament in which were placed the two tables of stone, on which are written God's law. These tables of stone will be brought forth from their hiding place, and on them will be seen the ten commandments engraved by the finger of God. These tables of stone now lying in the ark of the testament will be a convincing testimony to the truth and binding claims of God's law."--Letter 47, 1902 (7BC 972).

---

Sister White seems to say that the commandments contained within the earthly ark will not be revealed until after the close of probation, when God Himself holds them open in the sky for all to see. I doubt finding them ahead of this time would have any impact on Sunday keepers. They already know what is written on them, but they believe the sabbath was changed to Sunday.

GC 639
While these words of holy trust ascend to God, the clouds sweep back, and the starry heavens are seen, unspeakably glorious in contrast with the black and angry firmament on either side. The glory of the celestial city streams from the gates ajar. Then there appears against the sky a hand holding two tables of stone folded together. Says the prophet: "The heavens shall declare His righteousness: for God is judge Himself." Psalm 50:6. That holy law, God's righteousness, that amid thunder and flame was proclaimed from Sinai as the guide of life, is now revealed to men as the rule of judgment. The hand opens the tables, and there are seen the precepts of the Decalogue, traced as with a pen of fire. The words are so plain that all can read them. Memory is aroused, the darkness of superstition and heresy is swept from every mind, and God's ten words, brief, comprehensive, and authoritative, are presented to the view of all the inhabitants of the earth. {GC 639.1}

Even if one is raised from the dead, you will not believe.

Except ye see signs and wonders, you will not believe.

The Sabbath is too great of a restriction for most people especially in an age where churches can be so dynamic and alive. Why would people want to get tangled up in that sort of legalism.

As Mountain Man says, the finding of the arc wouldn't make a difference. It's too bad that God doesn't send an angel to visibly appear to convert everyone like shows like "Touched by and Angel" show. He wants us to feel our need of him. His people need to exalt the law so the honest in heart my see their need of a savior.

You know what would be cool? Maybe we should try burning our tortillas in a way that the two plates of the ten commandments appear, then sell them on Ebay, make the news, and enlighten the world to the present truth.

It's not a bad idea.

in the last video I saw of Ron Wyatt he had just seen the outside of the ark of the covenant and then fainted and did not go back. To my understanding no one had opened that ark that was under where the cross was.

The Ten Commandment Day emphasis is bringing the Ten Commandments to the forefront in which we have an opportunity to present the Ten Commandments like never before.

I am glad to see that 3ABN is doing a weekend emphasis on the Ten Commandments.

Answers in Genesis is a well respected orginization dedicated to Creation research. They have several articles about Ron Wyatt.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/search/default.aspx?qt=Ron%20Wyatt

And while you are at their site take some time to explore it a bit. Then email it to your non literal six day creation (non Bible believing)friends. It's a good site in which you can spend countless hours reading research and articles supporting Creation.

Redfog

Hi, I just found this forum through Google, and have been interested in the comments made. Please permit me to add a few thoughts from my first-hand experiences.

I first heard of Ron Wyatt in the 1980s through others, and became personally aquainted with him when we invited him to Australia on two occasions to present his findings in public meetings. I stayed in his home for several weeks not long before he passed away in 1999. Since then, I have been on 6 visits to the Middle East, specifically to investigate his claims and further document and research them.

Everything that can be checked out is exactly as he says, and when considered carefully, is exactly what one would expect to find based on the details in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. Specifically: - The coral encrusted chariot remains in the Red Sea, the ashen remains of the cities of the plains, the outline of the remains of a huge ship in the mountains of Urartu (Ararat). I have friends who have been to Jebel El Lawz in Saudi Arabia, confirming it is exactly what one would expect to find at the Biblical Mt Sinai, and exactly as per Ron's presentations.

Even more importantly, when compared with Inspiration, each of these findings are what should be found, given the details written under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and allowing for the length of time since the events took place.

And regarding the Ark of the Covenant, everything that can be currently investigated in Jerusalem fits with Ron's presentations on the Ark of the Covenant.

Based on my experiences, the evidences bring me to the conclusion that he was used to by God to locate the hiding place of the Ark, in preparation for the fulfillment of 1BC 1109.2, when the Tables of the 10 commandments written by God at Mt Sinai (not the original set in Heaven) will be brought forth as part of the witness for the immutability of God's law at the time Sunday Laws are being pushed.

If anyone has any specific questions, I'd be glad to respond and share what I have learned.

Regards

Ross Patterson

Welcome Ross,

As I read it in 1BC 1109.2-5, God will bring forth these tables of stone to be a testimony to all the world, but in the great judgment day, after probation is closed and all cases are decided. Is this your understanding? This is a critical distinction.

Have you come across any giant skeletons in your travels so far?

Is Dogubayazet off limits now with the U.S. intervention in Turkey and the imminent (nuclear) attack on Iran? Is the Ark site (Noah's) still open?

Hope to hear more from you,

Regards,

Gordon B