Later in Israel's history, what was the only thing left in the Ark of the Covenant?
Later in Israel’s history, the only thing left in the Ark of the Covenant was the tables of stone, including the Ten Commandments. The rod that budded and the sample of manna were no longer present. The context notes that the exact time they were removed is not found in the record.
Les explains that the Ark of the Covenant originally contained three items: the tables of the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a sample of the manna. But later in Israel’s history, it is just as plain as day that the only thing in the Ark of the Covenant were the tables of stone, including the Ten Commandments. Les raises questions about when it stopped containing the rod that budded and the sample of the manna, and when the Ark of the Covenant disappeared from view. He notes it was still there at the time of the Babylonian invasion, but he cannot find that Nebuchadnezzar took the Ark with them. He also describes the mercy seat above the box as pure beaten gold, the area of the Holy God Himself, not Christ and His humanity.