Mary -
The Immaculate Ark of the New Covenant
Exodus 25:11-21 - the ark of the Old
Covenant was made of the purest gold for God's Word. Mary is the ark of
the New Covenant and is the purest vessel for the Word of God made
flesh.
2 Sam. 6:7 - the Ark is so holy and
pure that when Uzzah touched it, the Lord slew him. This shows us that
the Ark is undefiled. Mary the Ark of the New Covenant is even more
immaculate and undefiled, spared by God from original sin so that she
could bear His eternal Word in her womb.
1 Chron. 13:9-10 - this is another
account of Uzzah and the Ark. For God to dwell within Mary the Ark,
Mary had to be conceived without sin. For Protestants to argue
otherwise would be to say that God would let the finger of Satan touch
His Son made flesh. This is incomprehensible.
1 Chron. 15 and 16 - these verses
show the awesome reverence the Jews had for the Ark - veneration,
vestments, songs, harps, lyres, cymbals, trumpets.
Luke 1:39 / 2 Sam. 6:2 - Luke's
conspicuous comparison' between Mary and the Ark described by Samuel
underscores the reality of Mary as the undefiled and immaculate Ark of
the New Covenant. In these verses, Mary (the Ark) arose and went /
David arose and went to the Ark. There is a clear parallel between the
Ark of the Old and the Ark of the New Covenant.
Luke 1:41 / 2 Sam. 6:16 - John the
Baptist / King David leap for joy before Mary / Ark. So should we leap
for joy before Mary the immaculate Ark of the Word made flesh.
Luke 1:43 / 2 Sam. 6:9 - How can the
Mother / Ark of the Lord come to me? It is a holy privilege. Our Mother
wants to come to us and lead us to Jesus.
Luke 1:56 / 2 Sam. 6:11 and 1 Chron.
13:14 - Mary / the Ark remained in the house for about three months.
Rev 11:19 - at this point in history,
the Ark of the Old Covenant was not seen for six centuries (see 2 Macc.
2:7), and now it is finally seen in heaven. The Jewish people would
have been absolutely amazed at this. However, John immediately passes
over this fact and describes the "woman" clothed with the sun
in Rev. 12:1. John is emphasizing that Mary is the Ark of the New
Covenant and who, like the Old ark, is now worthy of veneration and
praise. Also remember that Rev. 11:19 and Rev. 12:1 are tied together
because there was no chapter and verse at the time these texts were
written.
Rev 12:1 - the "woman" that
John is describing is Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant, with the moon
under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Just as the
moon reflects the light of the sun, so Mary, with the moon under her
feet, reflects the glory of the Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ.
Rev. 12:17 - this verse tells us that
Mary's offspring are those who keep God's commandments and bear
testimony to Jesus. This demonstrates, as Catholics have always
believed, that Mary is the Mother of all Christians.
Rev. 12:2 - Some Protestants argue
that, because the woman had birth pangs, she was a woman with sin.
However, Revelation is apocalyptic literature unique to the 1st
century. It contains varied symbolism and multiple meanings of the
woman (Mary, the Church and Israel). The birth pangs describe both the
birth of the Church and Mary's offspring being formed in Christ. Mary
had no birth pangs in delivering her only Son Jesus.
Isaiah 66:7 - for example, we see
Isaiah prophesying that before she (Mary) was in labor she gave birth;
before her pain came upon her she was delivered of a son (Jesus). This
is a Marian prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
Gal 4:19 - Paul also describes his
pain as birth pangs in forming the disciples in Christ. Birth pangs
describe formation in Christ.
Rom. 8:22 - also, Paul says the whole
creation has been groaning in travail before the coming of Christ. We
are all undergoing birth pangs because we are being reborn into Jesus
Christ.
Jer. 13:21 - Jeremiah describes the
birth pangs of Israel, like a woman in travail. Birth pangs are usually
used metaphorically in the Scriptures.
Hos. 13:12-13 - Ephraim is also
described as travailing in childbirth for his sins. Again, birth pangs
are used metaphorically.
Micah 4:9-10 - Micah also describes
Jerusalem as being seized by birth pangs like a woman in travail.
Rev. 12:13-16 - in these verses, we
see that the devil still seeks to destroy the woman even after the
Savior is born. This proves Mary is a danger to satan, even after the
birth of Christ. This is because God has given her the power to
intercede for us, and we should invoke her assistance in our spiritual
lives.
(Source:
http://www.scripturecatholic.com)
