Last night David and I got to go on a date. We heard from some friends that BYU was hosting an exhibit that was a full-sized replica of the Tabernacle that the Israelites took with them on their 40 year journey in the wilderness. We didn't have tickets, but we went anyway and were were able to get in on standby. I'm so glad we went because it was really cool. I wish that I had taken more pictures, but at the time we were just soaking everything in and we only snapped a few on our way out.
We started by looking at a display in the Joseph Smith Building lobby that had interesting diagrams of the portable tabernacle compared to the temple of Solomon. (And compared size wise to the temple of Herod, the Nauvoo Temple, and the Salt Lake Temple.) One of the displays talked about how we don't know exactly how the people worshiped in the tabernacle, but the Psalms may give us an idea: Psalms 132:7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. Psalms 43:4
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. Psalms 276 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
It's just cool to think about how the tabernacle was such a source of joy. Sometimes I think of the Israelite religion as being very serious but one of the things that David and I took away is that although culturally things were very different, when you take away the cultural scaffolding the focus was very much the same - to bring peace to life, make changes to self, and draw closer to God.
We then went on a guided walk-through of Tabernacle replica. which as described in the Bible was a portable Israelite temple, originally constructed at Mount Sinai. The Bible depicts the Tabernacle as sacred space, the primary place of Israelite worship. They taught us about the symbolism of each area and what that might have meant to the Israeli people and what it might mean to us. It was interesting to learn about the symbols that are accepted in the Christian world as pointing to Christ and we liked the idea that even before Christ came to earth, He was woven throughout the very core of the religion. Also interesting to see the symbols that He used when he came - to teach the people and to fulfill all things. For example, in the tabernacle there was a plate of shew bread and a pitcher of wine. This didn't represent the sacrament, obviously - rather it represented the intimacy of sharing a meal with the Lord. Sharing a meal was something very special, you didn't just share a meal with anyone. (You didn't pick up takeout on and eat in the car, you know?) That's one of the reasons that Christ was mocked: for sharing a meal with the publicans and sinners. Who you shared a meal with reflected on you, and the symbol of sharing a meal with the Lord was very important. Christ then took those same symbols when he literally sat sharing a meal with the apostles and turned them into a new set of symbols: the sacrament.
A few other things we thought were cool:
-All of the items that couldn't be packed away had big rings on the sides for long poles to slide through enabling the Israelites to carry them as they traveled.
-The animal sacrifices that were made didn't just consist of piles of animal carcasses burning. The individual would initiate the sacrifice and kill the animal, but then the priests would take the animal to tables and section the animal - some parts being burnt on the alter, others being given to the poor or to the priests, and even some parts being sent home with the individual for their family. We liked the thought that the sacrifice was used to bless so many people, and also that the person offering sacrifice then took their sacrifice home into their lives as well.
-There was no light in the Holy of Holies - presumably because when the High Priest was in there on the Day of Atonement, the light of the Lord was the only light needed.
So educational, and definitely increased my understanding of the Israelites and of my God - the God of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and also of Joseph Smith and Thomas S. Monson.
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