THE ARK OF THE COVENANT (KAABAH): A MORPHOLOGICAL SYNTACTICAL STUDY

Abstract

This article examines the object popularly referred to in Indonesian Christian discourse as kaabah in relation to the biblical Ark of the Covenant, through a detailed morphological–syntactical analysis of the Hebrew and Greek terms employed in Scripture. It argues that the term kaabah is not biblically derived but represents a later symbolic and cross-cultural adaptation. By analyzing the Hebrew ʾārôn and the Greek kibōtos, the study demonstrates that the Ark functions as the theological center of covenant, divine presence, and atonement within the sanctuary system. The article further situates the Ark within Seventh-day Adventist sanctuary theology, showing its typological fulfillment in the person and heavenly ministry of Christ, as articulated especially in Hebrews 8–9 and Revelation 11. Interaction with major scholarly voices (Milgrom, Beale, Attridge, Lane, and Davidson) supports a Christological and eschatological reading consistent with Adventist theology.