- Visually impact your Bible stories
- Beautifully constructed w/ real gold plating
- High quality construction
- 1:10 scale reproduction, almost 5" high, 3.5" wide
- A great biblical learning tool for: VBS, Children's Church, Home Worship,
Christian Camp, Christian Day School, Overseas Missionaries,
etc.
The Menorah
Though its shape is known, the
Bible does not give the size of the menorah. However, when Titus
destroyed the Jewish Temple, he made an
Arch in Rome that shows the plundered furniture. The menorah in this set was designed based on a careful study of that monument.
The
menorah was the only light in the Tabernacle. It was to burn
continuously. Christians believe it is a picture of Jesus, who said,
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." - John 8:12 (NIV)
It
is understood that, just as the menorah was the only light in the
Tabernacle, so Jesus Christ is the only one who can tell us how to walk
in this world, the only one who can give us the true path to eternal
life.
Along
with two other pieces of furniture, the menorah was placed inside the
Tabernacle in a room called the Holy Place. The lamps on each branch
burned pure olive oil and would have cast a soft glow throughout the
entire room. Since the room was walled with planks surfaced with thin
sheets of pure gold, the effect would
have been stunning.
- Accurate Presentation
The Menorah is well researched and designed to be as accurate to Scripture as possible. Built on a scale of 1 to 10.
- Effective in Communicating the Gospel
A powerful tool for explaining Christ as "the light of the world" (John 8:12).
- Ready to Use
Comes fully assembled and ready to be given as a gift or used in teaching.
- Teaching Tool
Brings clearer understanding to the Menorah. An asset to anyone who is teaching on the Tabernacle.
- High Quality Product
Constructed of metal with gold plating.
What is the origin of the Menorah?
Around
1440 BC, approximately 2.5 million Israelite slaves were delivered by
God from Egypt. As this new nation traveled from Egypt to the land they
had been promised, they stopped for a number of months in the desert.
It was here where God instructed them to build a portable structure
called the Tabernacle.
"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them." - Exodus 25:8 (NIV)
The Israelites were given detailed directions as to the making of seven major items of furniture to be placed in the Tabernacle.
"Make this Tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you." - Exodus 25:9 (NIV)
Of
the seven pieces of furniture, the best known is the ark of the
covenant. Less known is the lampstand, also known as the menorah.
"Make
a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its
flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with
it…Then
make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that
they light the space in front of it…A talent of pure gold is
to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories." - Exodus 25:31, 37, 39 (NIV)
"…put the lampstand…on the south side." - Exodus 26:35 (NIV)
Though
we do not know the exact size of the menorah, we do know that it
contained a talent of pure gold, which is approximately 50 kgs (110
lbs).
What happened to the Menorah?
We
find the answer to that question on the Arch of Titus, which is located
on the southeast side of the Forum in Rome. The arch was constructed by
Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of his older brother, Titus.
It was built to commemorate the capture of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 AD.
One of the arch panels portrays the spoils taken from the Temple. The
menorah is depicted, as well as the table of showbread. It is unknown
what happened to the menorah after it was taken to Rome.
Since
the arch illustrates the looting of the Jewish Temple and the sacking
of Jerusalem, many Jews refuse to walk underneath the arch. A
noteworthy exception occurred in 1948 upon the founding of Israel, when
a significant group from the Roman Jewish community walked through
thearch in the opposite direction of the ancient Roman triumphal march.
Today the menorah, as depicted on the arch, is emblazoned on the state emblem of Israel.
How did we create the model?
The
menorah was not easy to replicate. We spent hours studying the relief
on the Arch of Titus. Since the Bible gives no dimensions for the
menorah, we compared it to the people portrayed on the arch and
designed it proportionately. This model is die cast and electroplated
with gold.
