July 12, 2015

Museum of Biblical Antiquities: The Details


Exhibits

The Museum of Biblical Antiquities would have a wide range of exhibits designed to help visitors gain a greater appreciation for ancient history. These temporary and permanent exhibits would cover everything from ancient clothing, to the process of mummification, and would include Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, and Jewish history.

One of the permanent exhibits would be the Jewish worship exhibit, which would teach the history of Jewish sacrifice and temple worship in ancient times. The exhibit would include a full-scale replica of the interior of the Tabernacle of Moses, an interactive display of Solomon and Herod's Temple, and many recreated items, such as the clothing of the high priest, the instruments of sacrifice, and the arc of the covenant.

Other exhibits would cover ancient writing, Egyptian worship, life as a nomadic tribesman, such as Abraham, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, agriculture and farming in ancient times, an interactive model of first century Jerusalem, the history of the Temple Mount, and the printing of the Bible.



Biblical Feasts

One of the most popular activities at the Museum of Biblical Antiquities would be participating in a biblical feast. These special dinners would help teach visitors of the important cultural, historical and religious significance of first century dinning by transporting guests back 2000 years ago. Participants would gather in a recreated first century room, where they would sit at a traditional three-sided, triclinium table, filled with colorful fruits, vegetables, and traditional dishes. Under the light of oil lamps, guests would enjoy the meal while listening to a presentation about the importance of meals and feasts in the Bible, in particular that of the Last Supper.

The format of these feasts would change throughout the year, depending on the season, and would include different activities from the various Jewish Feasts, including a Passover Seder in spring, eating out under a canopy for the Feast of Tabernacles, and the lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah. These meals would be available to youth groups, scouts, schools and church groups by appointment.



Jewish Wedding

The Museum of Biblical Antiquities would include many extra activities for visitors to enjoy, including participating in a reenactment of an authentic Jewish wedding feast.

The evening would begin within the chambers of the stone-carved synagogue at the heart of the recreated village. The host would begin by describing the basics of Jewish wedding customs, including the betrothal, the dowry, and the marriage ceremony. Six volunteers would then be selected to act as the bride, groom and parents of the bride and groom. The women of the group would then escort the bride to her home where she would be dressed, and prepared for the wedding. The men of the group would follow the groom into his home where preparations for the evening feast would already be underway.

Under the light of torches and oil lamps, the groom would lead the men of the party to the home of the bride. The bride would then be escorted back to the groom’s home where the wedding fest would begin. A delicious authentic meal would be waiting were the participants would further learn about marriage and weddings in the scriptures including the parable of the ten virgins, the wedding at Cana, and the symbolism of Christ as the bridegroom.



Lectures and Camps

In addition to being able to visit the museum and recreated village, guests at the Museum of Biblical Antiquities would be able to attend lectures and camps throughout the year. Classes would cover everything from the miracles and parables of Jesus, Holy Week, including the trials, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, biblical burial practices, Jewish temple worship, and cooking, farming and daily life in ancient times. These classes would be able to take full advantage of the museum by using artifacts, replicas, maps and models as part of every lecture. Training seminars could also be used to help prepare tour groups prior to traveling to the Holy Land, helping to increase their overall experience. Youth could be immersed in history by participating in summer camps designed to teach history and life in ancient times.

2 comments:

  1. I sure hope you are able to make this happen. It is an amazing concept!

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