Crash Course

Tonight several members of our church experienced 50 chapters of the bible in approximately 25 minutes. Green Valley Baptist Church (in St. Joseph) built a reproduction of the Mosaic Tabernacle Moses built using the instruction plan God gave him on Mt. Sinai. The only scale down of this reproduction was the outer walls...they were not built 150'x 75' , but the inner court was built to scale. Below are photos of the tour.

On the van on the way (left)...A quick dinner and off to the tour (right).

Inside the church, this poster showed the layout of the camp of Israel along with the tribes on each side (left).

We headed to the tour from the north...This would have been where the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali were camped (right).

The only entrance into the Tabernacle was to walk through the Tribe of Judah. The colors of the gate were white, blue, scarlet, and purple, signifying royalty and sacrifice, stood out against the pure white linens of the court fence (left ).

The Brazen Alter (right) was made of acacia wood and covered with bronze, the alter that consumed the sacrifices was located directly inside the embroidered gate.

The Laver of Bronze (left) was located between the alter and the Tabernacle. Made from the freewill offering of mirrors, the reflecting basin was used by the priests in an ongoing act of cleansing before entering the holy place.

The front of the Tabernacle (right) had five pillars signifying the first five books of the old testament and words in Hebrew.

Inside the Tabernacle and the holy of holies was a place only the priests could go. The holy place housed the Golden Lampstand (below left) and the Table of Showbread ( right). The Lampstand was made of pure solid gold and was the only source of light within. The table was constructed of wood, overlaid with gold. The 12 loaves of bread represented the 12 tribes of Israel.

The curtain in front of the holy of Hollie's (left) with the Horned Alter of Incense (wood covered with gold) sitting in front.

Two cherubims above the ark of the testimony inside the Most Holy Place (right).

The Ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place. The garments of the priests also required special materials that had great significance. All the colors, precious metals and jewels, fabrics, had meaning that represented God's character, pointed to Christ, and represented a picture of heaven. Each offering, a blood sacrifice, was brought to the alter by the high priest, to make atonement for the people (acceptance always based on atonement). Jesus atoned for our sins by dying on the cross so we could be accepted by God. In old testament times the Tabernacle was a means for God to meet with man. When Jesus died for our sins this physical tabernacle with its rituals were no longer needed. With Jesus as my High Priest it makes it possible for me to meet intimately with God and have a personal relationship with His son Jesus.

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For a related story, see Michelle's Blog titled: Tabernacle experience.