Building a Model Tabernacle

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What is the tabernacle?

This lens shows a model of the tabernacle of the Israelites. It provides background information on the tabernacle and instructions for building your own model.

Tabernacle Background Information

After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, they camped in the wilderness at Mt. Sinai. Moses met with God on the mountain and received the tablets with the 10 Commandments. He also received the pattern for the construction of the tabernacle.

The tabernacle was to be God's dwelling place among His people. It was the place of sacrifice and it's structure and furnishings foreshadow the ultimate sacrifice and atonement of Christ.

Tabernacle Resources on Amazon

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Text of Exodus

Read about the tabernacle in Exodus on-line

Exodus 19
The Israelites camp at Mt. Sinai.
Exodus 20
The 10 Commandments.
Exodus 25
Instructions for ark of the covenant, table of shewbread, and the lampstand.
Exodus 26
Instructions for curtains, vail, and wooden structure of the tabernacle.
Exodus 27
Instructions for altar of sacrifice and the courtyard.
Exodus 30
Instructions for altar of incense.

YouTube videos on the Tabernacle

The Tabernacle Bible Animation from the iLumina Bible
by iLuminaBible | video info

55 ratings | 100,253 views
curated content from YouTube

Which is your favorite?

Tabernacle--Shadows of the Messiah, The: Its Sacrifices, Services, and Priesthood by David M. Levy

Tabernacle--Shadows of the Messiah, The: Its Sacrifices, Services, and Priesthood by David M. Levy

Fresh, new, and amply illustrated! A simple, syste more...0 points

Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles by David Brickner

Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles by David Brickner

The author is the current president of Jews for Je more...0 points

Tabernacle, The by M.R. DeHaan

Tabernacle, The by M.R. DeHaan

The pages of this book discuss the similarities in more...0 points

Tabernacle by Rh Value Publishing

Tabernacle by Rh Value Publishing

Microsoft PowerPoint users will love this easy-to- more...0 points

Tabernacle Furnishings

The tabernacle consisted of a tent and its surrounding courtyard. The courtyard was enclosed in curtains. In the courtyard were 2 main articles: the altar of sacrifice and the laver. The altar of sacrifice was the place where the sacrifice was burned. The laver was a wash basin for cleansing of the priests before entering in to the Holy Place. The tent had 2 parts: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (also called the Holy of Holies). In the Holy Place was the Table of Shewbread where fresh bread was placed daily as a sacrifice to the Lord. Also in the Holy Place was the Altar of Incense where a particular blend of spices was burned for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Finally in the Holy Place was the Lampstand. It burned olive oil continually. At the back of the Holy Place was a curtain or veil, that led to the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place was only to be entered 1 time per year by the High Priest to make atonement for the sins of the people. The Most Holy Place held the Ark of the Covenant with the Mercy Seat as the lid. Inside the Ark of the Covenant were the tablets of the 10 Commandments, Aaron's rod that budded, and a jar of manna.

Tabernacle Models

Gospel Hall
Here is a free printable tabernacle model.
The Tabernacle Place
Model tabernacle furnishings to purchase.
e-Bible teacher
More tabernacle model kits to purchase.

Our Tabernacle Model

The tabernacle from above

Instructions for our model

Although there are several great tabernacles for sale and a free paper model available on-line, we chose to design our own model.

Here are the basic materials and methods we used to construct our tabernacle model.

Materials:
Lid to a copy paper box
60 old fashioned clothespins
Fabric scraps in off-white, blue, purple, and red
Paper lunch bag
Craft sticks (regular and mini)
Gold paint
Bronze paint
Tacky glue
Gold pipe cleaner
Assorted wood pieces for the tabernacle furnishings
Small box with lid for Ark of the Covenant

We purchased all the wood pieces from A.C. Moore.

Assembly:

Altar: 1-3/4 in wood cube painted with bronze paint

Laver: A wooden drawer knob painted bronze, and then blue on top to represent water.

The altar and the laver

Table of showbread: 1 cm cube with a mini wooden sign glued on top and painted gold.

The table of shewbread

Altar of incense: 1 cm cube with a wooden wheel glued on top and painted gold.

Lampstand: Cut a gold pipe cleaner into 4 pieces. Wrapped 3 of the pieces around one straight piece in the center. Stuck gold beads on 7 ends of pipe cleaner. Stuck in wooden wheel (painted gold) for a stand.

The lampstand

Ark of the Covenent: Painted a small lidded box gold. Inside are 2 wooden tablets painted gray (could make out of clay), a Tinker toy end piece for the jar of manna, and a small twig from the yard for Aaron's rod.

Inside the ark of the covenant

Tabernacle: Constructed a frame from craft sticks. We glued a mini stick at the top between 2 regular sticks which were at an angle. We made 4 of those, then attached them together by gluing mini craft sticks along the top. We glued fabric on top of the frame and in the front making a doorway.

The outside covering of badger skins

Courtyard: 60 wooden clothespins were painted gold and attached to the box. (20 to each long side, and 10 to the short sides). Glued fabric strips around the inside and outside of the clothespins.

The tabernacle from the front

We spent about a week on the project but not a lot of time on it each day. We spent most of the time painting pieces (especially the 60 clothespins!).

Blog Posts

The Daniel Academy
Blog post showing larger tabernacle model set up in a church.
Tabernacle Lapbook
Blog post with instructions and pictures of a lapbook about the tabernacle.
Four in a Row
Blog post showing a life-sized tabernacle model.

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Reader Feedback

  • faithfuljim May 10, 2011 @ 6:59 pm | delete
    Nice lens. I'm lensrolling it to and I I already did feature it on my lens: Tabernacle Typology. If you could return the favor it would be appreciated. Thanks. Jim.
  • MisterJeremy Oct 7, 2010 @ 7:38 am | delete
    Great lens and excellent homemade model of the tabernacle! Next week is week seven for us and I will definitely refer to this lens and show it to my kids. (BTW, I found this lens through the tapestry year 1 yahoo group.)
  • Gloria Oct 5, 2010 @ 12:08 pm | delete
    Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for this!!This is amazing!!! Going to try this w/ the kids!!
  • Chris Sep 13, 2010 @ 9:30 pm | delete
    Thanks! Finally, a model that isn't paper or a kit!
  • garyr_h Apr 2, 2010 @ 7:06 pm | delete
    That does look pretty cool :) I'm sure kids would love helping with this.
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by

Kristenph

I am a Christian homeschooling mother of 4 children. I enjoy blogging about homeschool topics. We live in NC.

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