Tabernacle Wk 15

The tabernacle was first erected in the wilderness exactly one year after the Passover when the Israelites were freed from their Egyptian slavery (circa 1450 B.C.). It was a mobile tent with portable furniture that the people traveled with and set up wherever they pitched camp. The tabernacle would be in the center of the camp, and the 12 tribes of Israel would set up their tents around it according to tribe. The instruction on how to build the tabernacle was first given to Moses in the wilderness, who then gave the orders to the Israelites.

“…make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” (Exodus 25:8)

“Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them.” (Exodus 29:45-46)

And so God dwelled among His people in the tabernacle in the wilderness. He appeared as a pillar of cloud over the tabernacle by day and a pillar of fire by night in the sight of all Israel. The people would not set out on their journey unless the cloud lifted. 

It was an unmistakably powerful visual statement indicating God’s presence among them.

::OUR TABERNACLE::

My students decided to recycle a cardboard box from the all the Christmas shipments we received to make the model of the tablernacle. We figured it reminded us of how the Israelites recycled all of their jewelry and precious materials in order to gather the materials for the building of the tabernacle and all the furniture inside of it.

We found this model of the Tablernacle for inspiration. It would be cool to own the pieces to be able to put this together but it's not practical for us.

 We worked with what we had ( boxes, cutouts, felt, lego people, and fisher-price animals).  

You just have to close your eyes use your imagination!

The box is the surrounding tent; the milk carton is the tabernacle itself containing the Ark of the Covenant inside the Holy of Holies;  the Lampstand, Altar of Incense and the Table for Bread offering.

Every detail about the tabernacle has spiritual significance and points to Jesus.  BY studying the tabernacle, we can see how Jesus fulfilled each and every requirement that the tabernacle stood for therefore allowing us to be in the presence of God through his Son.

Harper (2nd grade) drew the Ark and wrote a little description of the more fascinating features according to her.

 First week back after Christmas break and we are getting deep into  the  significance of our faith in Christ!

Where is the Ark of the Covenant now you might ask. Oddly enough, according to Wikipedia.......

"The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess the Ark of the Covenant in Axum. The object is now kept under guard in a treasury near the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, and used occasionally in ritual processions. Noone has seen or can verify that it is the original as there are accounts of it leaving and traveling south from there."

Maybe while we are over there..........