THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
The ark served as a foreshadowing of Him. Consequently, He went ahead of the Israelites in the desert, standing in the stead of God, as He was the guide for the people. The Psalmist affirms this by stating, “O God, when Thou didst precede Thy people, when Thou didst pass through the wilderness, the earth was shaken, for the heavens also were melted” (Psalm 67:8). Despite the ark consistently leading the way, it is explicitly noted here that it was God who went before them. This can be demonstrated clearly upon examination. God once instructed the Israelites through Moses to approach Mount Seir with confidence and confront the Amorites (Deuteronomy 1:7, 19).
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However, those who received this directive succumbed to fear, believing they must rely on their own strength rather than the divine assistance above, and thus “sat down weeping” near the mountain, as recorded (Deuteronomy 1:45). This provoked just indignation from the Lawgiver, who ultimately threatened not to guide them into the promised land. Paying little heed to this warning, and displaying a misguided sense of repentance, they foolishly attempted to ascend, defying the Lord yet again and arming themselves against the Amorites. However, God, speaking through Moses, warned them of their fate, saying, “Do not go up, and do not fall in the sight of your enemies, for I am not with you” (Deuteronomy 1:42). Despite their persistent struggle with the affliction of disobedience, they aggressively tried to climb the mountain, as written. Yet, the ark of God was said to remain behind in the camp and did not accompany them (Deuteronomy 1:43). This clearly illustrates that although God declared, “I am not with you,” the ark did not accompany the disobedient, indicating that it served as a representation of God's guidance.