Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant

Whereas the symbols of God’s word were contained in the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament, Mary actually carried God himself – the Word – in her womb in the New Testament.  And, whereas the Old Testament Ark had to be made of pure materials and blessed and undefiled, how much more pure and undefiled would the vessel that actually carried God have to be? 

Non-Catholics say that Mary didn’t have to be sinless to give birth to the Messiah – that Jesus could have been born from anybody, even a harlot. Yes, Jesus could have been born of a harlot – but in order to fulfill all righteousness, his coming had to be more glorious than the Old Testament type.  He chose Mary out of all of the women in history to be his mother.

Without exception, New Testament fulfillments of Old Testament Old Testament are always more perfect and glorious than the type itself: Adam & Jesus, Moses & Jesus, Jonah &Jesus, Manna & Jesus (the Bread of Life), Eve & Mary, Ark of the Covenant & Mary, Joseph & Jesus, Melchizedek & Jesus.

The following Scriptural comparisons show that the Ark was a type of Mary:
The Ark traveled to the house of Obed-Edom in the hill country of Judea (2 Sam 6:1-11). 

Likewise, Mary traveled to the house of Elizabeth and Zachariah in the hill country of Judea(Lk 1:39)

David, dressed as a priest danced and leaped in front of the ark. (2 Sam 6:14) similarly, John the Baptist (of priestly lineage) leaped in his mother’s womb before Mary (Lk 1:41)

David asks, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?“ (2 Sam 6:9) whereas, Elizabeth asks, “Who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk 1:43)

The ark remained in the house of Obed-Edom three months (2 Sam 6:11) likewise, Mary remained in the house of Elizabeth three months (Lk 1:56)

The ark contained the urn of manna, the bread from heaven. Similarly, Mary’s womb carried Jesus, the Bread of Life.