‘It’s a beautiful thing’: Life-size replica of Old Testament tabernacle comes to St. George

Written by Mori Kessler
November 16, 2022

ST. GEORGE — A part of the Old Testament has come to life in St. George in the form of a life-size replica of the traveling tabernacle said to be used by the ancient Israelites during their 40-year exodus.

Scenes from a tour of the tabernacle of the Old Testament as presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The tours are free to the public, St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Sitting in a ball field between two Latter-day Saint chapels on Brigham Road, the traveling tabernacle opened with free tours on Nov. 8 and will continue through Dec. 13.

Set up and hosted by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the tabernacle replica is promoted as a way to help people of faith see and experience the Judeo-Christian symbolism found in the structure.

“This is an opportunity for us to not only have this replica but to also be in a situation where we can teach about the things and learn about the things that happened here,” said Steven King, co-director of the LDS church’s St. George Area Communications Council. “That’s the purpose behind all of this, to give everyone in the state an opportunity to see and even touch and feel this (replica of the) tabernacle that Moses had.”

Prior to coming to St. George, the tabernacle had been set up in Tremonton, Logan, Ogden and other locations throughout Utah. Next March the Tabernacle is scheduled to be in Cedar City.

Each day of tours is handled by volunteers from different LDS church stakes from across the region and stretches to Enterprise, Kanab and Mesquite.

A tour through the tabernacle replica and a visitor center set up in one of the adjacent chapels can take around 45-50 minutes. The tour starts with a 10-minute video explaining what the tabernacle is and how it was used by the ancient Israelites according to the Old Testament. Symbolism explaining LDS beliefs on how the ancient tabernacle points to Jesus Christ is also shared during the video.

Once the video ends, groups are directed to the tabernacle where they stop at eight stations that lead into and through the structure and back into the chapel.

Scenes from a tour of the tabernacle of the Old Testament as presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The tours are free to the public, St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Among the first stations is the East Gate of the tabernacle, which consists of a handful of tri-colored sheets. Explaining the significance of the tabernacle’s East Gate are children between ages 11 and 17 and some young adults. This is repeated at each station as the youth discuss the function and meaning behind each.

“We want the youth to teach,” said Gil Almquist, who oversees the tabernacle set-up for the LDS church while in St. George. “It’s a way for them to understand about the doctrines and the great tabernacle.”

While the tabernacle appeared to draw an older crowd while St. George News was present, there was also a mix of families and all ages drawn to the tour. Among them was 17-year-old Claire Renouf of Santa Clara. An LDS church member, Runouf visited the tabernacle with her church stake.

“It’s this totally unique experience,” she said. “It was cool to see the scriptures come to life.”

Having people around her own age also helps when learning about the tabernacle, Renouf said, adding that there’s a tendency for young people to zone out when adults are talking to them.

“It’s sometimes easier to learn things because it comes from your peers,” she said.

Moving past the East Gate put the group into the tabernacle’s outer courtyard where stations for the Altar of Sacrifice and laver were located.

Scenes from a tour of the tabernacle of the Old Testament as presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The tours are free to the public, St. George, Utah, Nov. 94, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

The altar is where animal sacrifices and burnt offerings were made to God. Youth tour hosts told the group passing through that it pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the sins of the world.

Beyond the altar was a brass laver, or basin, full of water where priests had to wash before entering the “tent of the tabernacle.” The washing of the priests was said to be a nod to the practice of baptism as it symbolized the washing away of sins and the purification of the soul.

Within the tent of the tabernacle were two rooms, the first called the Holy Place. It is in that room that a menorah was kept, along with a table that held wine and shewbread. An altar of incense was also kept in the room. Tour hosts said smoke rising from the burning incense was symbolic of prayers rising to heaven.

Beyond the altar was the veil between the Holy Place and Holy of Holies. Only high priests were allowed to enter the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement once a year and appeal to God on behalf of the faithful. It is in the Holy of Holies that the Ark of the Covenant was kept, which also contained the broken tablets of the 10 Commandants, Aaron’s rod and a bowl of manna.

Scenes from a tour of the tabernacle of the Old Testament as presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The tours are free to the public, St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

The Holy of Holies is also the place within the tabernacle said to be where the presence of God dwells.

Accompanying the group that went through the tabernacle was Rabbi Mendy Cohen, of the Chabad Jewish Center of St. George. While visiting each station, he shared what the parts of the tabernacle meant in Jewish tradition.

“The goal and the purpose of the tabernacle is not to throw away the impurity (of man),” Cohen said while the group stood in the replica of the Holy of Holies. “The goal of the tabernacle is to take the impurity and change it over to pure. To take the evil and change it over to good.”

Soon after exiting the tabernacle replica, Cohen shared his thoughts on the tabernacle as presented by Christians with St. George News.

“I think its a beautiful and amazing thing,” he said. “For me as a Jew, me as a rabbi, to see that our Jewish tradition and our Torah not only being taught, but shown in real life, it’s a beautiful thing … The message of the tabernacle is a very important one. The message is that God’s existence is here and we’re able to connect to God.”

Rabbi Mendy Cohen, of the Chabad Jewish Center of St. George, attends the tabernacle tour and shares what the tabernacle means in Judaism, St. George, Utah, Nov. 9, 2022 | St. George, Utah, Nov. 9, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

The tour moved back into the neighboring chapel and then a visitor center that housed additional information regarding the clothing the priests wore while in the tabernacle.

Comparisons between the tabernacle and the LDS church’s own temples are also made as the tour progresses through the visitor center and ultimately concludes.

The tabernacle replica is located at 1130 E. Brigham Road in St. George and runs through Dec. 13. Free tours are offered Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Giras en español disponable todos los domingos de 5 p.m. a 9 p.m.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mori Kessler serves as a Senior Reporter for St. George News, having previously contributed as a writer and Interim Editor in 2011-12, and an assistant editor from 2012 to mid-2014. He began writing news as a freelancer in 2009 for Today in Dixie, and joined the writing staff of St. George News in mid-2010. He enjoys photography and won an award for photojournalism from the Society of Professional Journalists for a 2018 photo of a bee inspector removing ferals bees from a Washington City home. He is also a shameless nerd and has a bad sense of direction.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @MoriKessler@STGnews

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