Interestingly, the Babylonians invaded during that time and were reputed to have plundered Israel completely. It was assumed that the Babylonians had taken the Ark. But if they had it, then why is it still missing today?
If anyone had it, why is it still missing today?
Most likely, the Babylonians stripped the gold off and left the wood in their general plunder. The Ark may have been very holy to the Jews, but to the Babylonians it would have been just so much valuable scrap metal wrapped around an inconveniently bulky wooden thing.
As well, they have in their possession something known as a "gomer," which is an all bronze basin used to collect the blood of sacrificed animals in Judaism. What's interesting about this is that Judaism has ceased animal sacrifice for over 2,000 years. How would a group of Ethiopians have an authenticated piece of antiquity, such as a gomer, unless it really was brought to them by Levitical priests on an odyssey to save the Ark?
But why should they have been "on a mission to save the Ark" particularly?
Does the actual Ark of the Covenant reside in Akksum, Ethiopia to this day?
Wouldn't it be nice if they'd let archaeologists see it?
™ Version 4.2