The CIA, Psychics, and the Ark of the Covenant

By John Cloud | Posted April 07, 2025

Recently declassified CIA documents reveal a surprising fact—the U.S. government tried to locate the Ark of the Covenant in 1988 using psychics. The project, named Sun Streak, experimented with “remote viewing” techniques to locate the lost artifact.

Psychic remote viewers claim the ability to perceive and describe distant people, places, or objects without being in their physical presence. This is supposedly done through extrasensory perception (ESP) after the viewer enters a meditative or trance-like state, aiming to “tune in” to a target without prior knowledge. 

The Jerusalem Post reports, “In one of these experiments, a person identified as Remote Viewer No. 032 was tasked with finding an unknown target, which was, in fact, the Ark of the Covenant. Without prior knowledge of the target, Remote Viewer No. 032 described a container made of wood, gold, and silver, adorned with images of six-winged angels, and similar in shape to a coffin.”

The article goes on to state, “The CIA’s Project Sun Streak, initiated in the 1980s, sought to employ individuals with purported psychic abilities to locate distant targets using only geographical coordinates. The project's findings fueled debates among historians, archaeologists, and conspiracy theorists alike.”

Perhaps the CIA was inspired by Raiders of the Lost Ark, the highest-grossing film of 1981. In it, the protagonist, Indiana Jones, embarks on a quest to find the Ark of the Covenant.

What else do the CIA files reveal? Remote Viewer No. 032 reported the target to be hidden underground in a dark and wet location, also noting that it was “protected by entities and can only be opened by those who are authorized to do so—this container will not/cannot be opened until the time is deemed correct.” Read the full report by downloading the declassified documents for yourself.


The Ark’s Origin and Purpose

The Ark of the Covenant is described in Exodus 25:10–22. God gave instructions to Moses concerning its construction. It was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. The lid, called the Mercy Seat, was made of one solid piece of gold and adorned with two cherubim. The entire Ark measured about “45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high” (Exodus 25:10 NLT).

The Ark was a sacred receptacle that housed the stone tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments with His finger. It was kept in the innermost shrine of the Hebrew tabernacle, known as the Most Holy Place. 

God told Moses, “There I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel” (Exodus 25:22).

The Mercy Seat served as God’s throne in His temple, and the Ark contained His law, the foundation of His government. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the children of Israel were judged by God’s holy law. Everyone who had confessed and repented of their sins received pardon and cleansing on that day of judgment (Leviticus 16:30). Anyone who had neglected confession and repentance was “cut off” from the people of God (Leviticus 23:29).


Disregarding God's Law

It’s ironic that in its search for the Ark, the CIA violated the law of God contained within it. The Bible expressly forbids consulting those who claim to have supernatural ability, such as psychics, mediums, and fortune tellers (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10–12). We are reminded of Israel’s first king: “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance” (1 Chronicles 10:13, 14).

It’s unwise to seek knowledge in ways that God has forbidden. The Scriptures warn, “When they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” (Isaiah 8:19).

Psychics and mediums attempt to contact the dead, but the Bible tells us that “the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5), and when a person dies, “his spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish” (Psalm 146:4 NASB95). 

One might argue that psychic remote viewers don’t necessarily claim to be contacting the dead. While that is true, the knowledge they are receiving has to come from somewhere. 

So, who are psychics communicating with if not the dead? We have been warned: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). When psychics and mediums seek supernatural knowledge from a source other than God, they open themselves up to being misled by these deceiving spirits. The information from them cannot be trusted. 

Learn more about this dangerous deception in our free Study Guide.


The Final Judgment

While we can’t say whether the Ark and the Commandments from the Hebrew tabernacle will ever be recovered, one thing is sure, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). 

In other words, we all must stand before the actual throne of God that the Ark with the Mercy Seat and Ten Commandments represented. The apostle John saw in vision a time when “the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail” (Revelation 11:19).

And again, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. … And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. … And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:11, 12).

Have you committed yourself to our only hope and “Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”? (1 John 2:1).

Dig deeper into the details of the judgment with this insightful Study Guide.

John Cloud
John Cloud is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Arkansas. He is passionate about Bible study and family.
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14 Comments
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Rebecca
This absolutely does not surprise me AT ALL.
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Mel_H
Do you not know of Ron Wyatt, a seventh day adventist that has already discovered the ark? He has also discovered the original Mount Sinai and Noahs ark. Why do you deny him? Why would he lie if you think he isnt telling the truth?
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BuckoFive
I've heard of Ron Wyatt. He's done a lot of fascinating work. I do have a question mark in my mind though about his comments on finding the Ark of the Covenant. I heard him share his testimony about it. He said that when he saw it, there were 4 angels there protecting it. The part that I question is when he said that one of the angels opened it and told him to take out the stone tablets. The ten commandments. Also he said that he took a blood sample from off of the Ark itself which he purports to be the blood of Jesus. To do this, he would have had to touch the Ark.

From what I've read in Scripture, if he had truly touched the Ark, he would have instantly been struck dead. He is not a Levite as far as I'm aware. And even if he was, he would have had to be from the direct lineage of Aaron to have close contact with the Ark outside of carrying it. The sons of Kohath, Merari, and Gershon were Levites but they had different duties in regards to the Ark. (See Numbers chapter 4)

Read the story of Uzzah in the Bible. He touched the Ark and died (2 Samuel chapter 6). Also read the story of the men of Bethshemesh who ventured to open the Ark after the Philistines returned it to Israel. Over 50,000 people died for that presumptuous sin.

So I don't believe that Ron Wyatt actually touched the Ark to take a blood sample. Neither do I believe that he took out the stone tablets. If he had've, he would not have lived to tell the story. Did he see and touch something? Possibly. But according to Scripture, it could not have been the Ark of the Covenant.
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Mel_H
You speak as if God is restrictive and can only do according to what the bible says. Come on! He is the Almighty! Who are you to say that just because the bible said those who were struck down from touching the ark will still continue to do so. Our almighty father has the power to do whatever he wishes and here you are restricting him. Why? Why did the assistant who was with Ron suddenly get spooked and couldnt go back in the cave? Why was Ron allowed to go in there? to see the angels? to go back in there to retrieve the bodies of those that mysteriously died in that cave? Again, why would Ron Wyatt lie about this? He has no reason to lie. What would be his purpose to lie?
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BuckoFive
So you're saying that we should toss aside Bible history and take this individual's experience over that? God now wants us to disregard lessons and history that played out in the past and give Ron Wyatt's account precedence? What other things in Scripture should we do that for?

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. - 1 Corinthians 10:11
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Mel_H
Oh I did reply but i see its no longer there. No Im not saying you should toss the bible. Im saying that you shouldnt discredit Gods power to use people. Anyway, thank you for saying you dont believe him (in your first post). I am willing to move on and accept that you dont believe Ron Wyatt.
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Mel_H
Ok. We'll have to accept that you think Ron Wyatt is lying and I believe him.
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Nabarde Afkar
This was interesting. I remember EGW has talked about this. Adding her written inspiration would have been interesting.
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Rebecca
yes she has said it is hidden i think possibly in a cave, as I cannot remember the exact quote. No doubt the demonic beings that the cia and their psychics use know full well that God has protected this ark which is and was very real. He will only allow it opened if and when he judges right.
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DAN
Ran out of room with my below comment. Food and drink nowadays is all contaminated with toxins from many sources and that affects purity of nutrients (nutrient interference). Biblical foods were "poison" free. I am assuming that these receptors now empty were developed 300 plus years ago with "clean" nutrients. Why empty now??? YOU see where I'm headed? My heart is aching for these nutrient orphans!
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DAN
My comment started with an investigation into Orphan receptors after a visit from Jesus in a dream state and in the dream some of my interests as an MD for 40 years. These thoughts kept coming with more ideas and possibilities. In simple talk I came with the possibility that Orphan receptors ( "GPR55 protein is one of many)Which sit empty in humans my have come from biblical food sources which are no longer consumed(and were toxin free).,thus they are "orphans". Recent research suggests these food sources are now targets for healing or modifying cancer, neuro disease etc.Most likely folks NEVER consume untainted food. Orphan receptors activated soon? Dan E. Chesnut, MD (ret)
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Patrick
Outstanding! How much more evidence do we need to know that JESUS CHRIST is LORD!!!
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Anita2026
I am familiar with this particular remote viewer. I find the process interesting and yes i do track their monthly forecasting @ Future Forecasting Group. They are correct a very large percentage.
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Reply
I would exercise caution. We know that the source of such information is demons from the Bible and testimonies of those who were involved in such practices.
It is no wonder that they are able to give accurate information. It is well within their abilities. However, it should be considered that their chief aim is the destruction of men, and even this seemingly innocuous usage serves this sinister purpose.

I advise you to remove yourself from any and all such activity, for its ultimate aim is surely your destruction.
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