40 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the [a]tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3 You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. 4 You shall bring in the table and [b]arrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and [c]mount its lamps. 5 Moreover, you shall set the gold altar of incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the veil for the doorway to the tabernacle. 6 You shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 7 You shall set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water [d]in it. 8 You shall set up the court all around and[e]hang up the veil for the gateway of the court. 9 Then you shall take the anointing oil andanoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall consecrate it and all its [f]furnishings; and it shall be holy. 10 You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. 11 You shall anoint the laver and its stand, and consecrate it. 12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me. 14 You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; 15 and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will [g]qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.” 16 Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did.
The ark of the covenant was put in the most holy of places, where only the high priest could enter. It contained the law that God gave to Moses. While it wasn’t the only copy, the common man was not literate, and only the priests (and possibly levites) had access to the book(s) of the law that Moses would hand down to the nation of Israel. This is in stark contrast to our lives today. Most of us are literate, and the Word of God is available to almost the entire world. It has been translated into almost every language, and is readily available. Indeed, it is not uncommon for someone to have multiple copies of God’s Word. What a blessing to be able to read the very words of God, and study them for oneself. It is a privilege that ought not to be taken lightly.