Exodus 25:10 says, “They shall make an ark of acacia wood.” The ark was not made of gold. It was made of acacia wood, which signifies Christ’s humanity, strong in character and high in standard. Christ’s humanity is the basic element, the basic substance, for Him to be God’s testimony. Christ became the embodiment of God’s testimony in His humanity.
The acacia wood is a type of Christ’s humanity. Christ was a genuine human being. He was born of a human mother, He partook of human blood and flesh, He had a human name—Jesus—and He lived on earth as a man. His humanity was the basic substance for Him to be God’s testimony.
Christ’s humanity was strong in character and high in standard. No other person in history has had a humanity as strong in character and high in standard as that of the Lord Jesus. The learned Chinese appreciate Confucius. Yes, Confucius did have a strong character, and his standard was quite high, but there is no comparison between him and the Lord Jesus. In the Gospels of Mark and Luke we see the character and standard of Christ’s humanity. The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes the kingdom, and the Gospel of John emphasizes life, whereas Mark and Luke emphasize the Lord’s humanity with its character and standard. These books record the life of a Person who has a strong character and a high standard related to His humanity.
The acacia wood used to make the ark also signifies that Christ’s humanity is the basic substance for expressing God. In order to be God’s testimony, His expression, Christ needed a humanity with a strong character and a high standard.
Exodus 25:11 says, “And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside you shall overlay it.” This pure gold signifies Christ’s divinity. Other metals may rust or decay, but the substance of gold does not change. Hence, it signifies God who is eternally unchanging.
Christ is one Person with two natures, a human nature and a divine nature. Because He is man as well as God, He can rightly be called a God-man.
Today some oppose our use of the term God-man to describe Christ. Some even go so far as to charge us with heresy concerning the Person of Christ. Those who make this accusation do not have the full knowledge of the truth. Their theology is superficial, traditional, natural, religious, inadequate, and even superstitious. They have not touched the depths of God’s revelation concerning Christ.
Certain Bible teachers claim that, although Christ was both God and man in His human living, after His resurrection He was no longer a man. They actually believe that Christ is now no longer a man, that as the resurrected One He no longer possesses a human nature. Some of the outstanding teachers among the Brethren fought the battle for the truth concerning Christ’s humanity after His resurrection and ascension. Stephen’s experience at the time of his martyrdom proves that the Lord Jesus is still a man. According to Acts 7:55, “looking intently into heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Then he testified, “Behold I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (v. 56). This proves that, after His resurrection and ascension, Christ is still a man. On the day of His resurrection the Lord showed His disciples His hands and His pierced side. This also proves that He still has a human nature.
We need to turn from superficial theology to the full revelation in the Scriptures. According to the Bible, for eternity Christ will be both God and man. He is typified by the ark made of acacia wood overlaid with pure gold.