STRICTLY OBSERVING: Mansion views

By ZACH COOLEY
On Sept. 13 at the Rural Retreat Fairgrounds, I participated in a free tour of the Messiah’s Mansion, a series of five tents that served as an attempt to replicate the Mosaic Sanctuary that God asked Moses to build during biblical times.  The conception of this life-size model sanctuary was the brainchild of Clayton Leinnewebber, who successfully executed his idea of combining lessons of the Gospel message and the plan of salvation with authentic-looking visual aids.  These include detailed symbols such as sanctuary furniture and models of ritualistic garments and jewelry that were likely to have been worn by citizens and religious leaders of the time.  Each of the details was designed to represent the events that would later occur such as the birth, baptism, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
With that concept in mind, Leinnewebber, a professor of Bible history at Oklahoma Academy, trains his sophomore and junior students as tour guides for the “tabernacle,” which tours fairgrounds across the country.  The Messiah Manson board of directors include past students who were among the first tour guides.  Others are nationwide college students who share a passion for this cause.  All are crucially involved in the setup and completion of each tour.
Through a guided tour, I spent approximately 15 minutes at each of the sites, the first of which served as an introduction to the history of the sanctuary’s origin.  There, a miniature model of the entire structure was on display along with several paintings of likewise depictions.  Enlightenment was also provided on the first sin of Adam and Eve as well as the ancient ceremonies that took place in preparation for the earthly arrival of Jesus Christ who would restore salvation to God’s people. 
The first portion of the “sanctuary” I visited was the courtyard.  The courtyard featured a life-size sacrificial altar and laver.  Our tour guide, Carolyn Leinnewebber, wife of Messiah’s Mansion president Clayton Leinnewebber, explained in thorough detail the symbolism associated with both items.  The altar was made of wood overlaid with brass and had four horns on each corner.  The solid brass laver served as a washing bowl for priests to cleanse their hands and feet and was required to always be polished to the point that the priests could see their own reflections.  They were required to wash themselves here before ministering at the altar or entering the temple.  Leinnewebber explained that everything in the courtyard was made with brass, as brass represents humanity.  Using a volunteer, she depicted the steps necessary to complete a sacrificial sin offering.
From there, we headed to the holy place where we saw the table of showbread, the altar of incense and the menorah.  The biblical meanings of these items were explained as well.  First, the wooden table overlaid with gold that held two stacks of six slices of bread was a representation of the twelve tribes of Israel.  This bread was baked fresh every Sabbath.  The altar of incense featured a crown and was used by the high priest at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily.  Next, we were shown the menorah, a solid gold candlestick, which represented a constant burning of the Holy Spirit in front of the Lord.  It was the responsibility of the priest to ensure the continual burning of the menorah at all times.
Then we were guided to the most holy place, which contained the Holy Ark of the Covenant.  Only the high priest was allowed to visit the small room and he only did so once a year.  A replica of this mysterious golden box, which housed the original Ten Commandment stone tables, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a pot of manna, was seen here.  The lid of this box was a solid piece of gold called the mercy seat, which depicted two angels facing each other as if to be watching how God is dealing with earthly sin. 
The final exhibition of the tour elaborated on the intricate clothing worn by the high priest.  First, the priests were instructed to wear white linen breeches, which denoted some of the first forms of underwear worn in those days.  Next, they wore a solid white robe covered by a multicolored sash, which signified their status as clergy.  Also worn was a blue tunic with bells and pomegranates, which were colored blue, red, and purple.  These colors respectively represented the law, sacrificial blood and royalty of Christ, while white represented purity.  The ephod, shaped as an apron, was worn to symbolize service to God.  On the breastplate, 12 stones were shown in representation of the 12 Israeli tribes.  Finally, a pocket was featured beneath the breastplate which featured items the priests would use to help the people communicate with God.  These were, of course, used in times prior to the printing of the Holy Bible.
While I found the biblical background of this tour interesting and our guide’s knowledge of the Bible impressive, I felt the tour would had been more fulfilling if more time had been permitted to examine and visually study some of the replica sanctuary items.  It also would have been better if, as a wheelchair-bound spectator, I had not been placed in the back of the room, where the visual material was much more difficult to view.  Still, being as it was free, I didn’t complain.  All-in-all, it was an interesting event in which I was grateful for the opportunity to participate.  For more information on Messiah’s Mansion and to see their tour schedule, please visit http://www.messiahsmansion.com.
A graduate of Wytheville Community College, Zach Cooley lives in Wytheville. Contact him at .