Tabernacle Research & Restoration
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Tabernacle Research & Restoration
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You don't need to be a brain surgeon, rocket scientist, or even an engineer to figure out that this orderly world did not come in to existence all by itself. To the contrary, logic demands that something or someone took action to create life—along with the amazing earth which sustains it. For those unable to reach this conclusion, i.e., that something doesn’t come from nothing via observation and deductive reasoning, the Hebrew Bible creation account is written, as it begins with the very idea of a self-existent creator. The introduction of the book of Genesis declares that “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” From this, we might aptly infer that God is the ultimate builder and first engineer.
Within the Hebrew language, there are several names of God which succinctly speak to his self-existent nature. In fact, first and foremost, God’s predominant Hebrew name יהוה, which is poorly translated as “LORD” in English Bible texts over six thousand times, is rooted in the Hebrew verb היה, which refers to the action of existing. While people may frequently and passionately argue over the phonetics of the sacred יהוה name (represented as YHVH, YHWH, YHUH, Yehovah, Jehovah, Yahwey, Yahuah, etc.), the spelling of the Hebrew word seems to convey a fascinating and powerful message, as it refers to “He who is self-existing”. This should come as no surprise; after all, only a self-existing being could possibly be responsible for creating something from nothing. Logically, it follows that a self-existent creator would also be a "lord", but to solely or simply call him by this title clearly undermines other character aspects, and is yet one of many other truths that have been lost in translation.
Naturally, something that has existed since before or outside of time is thought to be eternal; and that which is eternal is likened unto that which is infinite or endless. As God’s endless nature was perceived
many centuries ago, some Hebrews began referring to him as the אין סוף, or “ein sof”, meaning without end or without bounds).
While this Hebrew אין סוף infinity term is never used in
the Hebrew Bible to describe God, it is noteworthy that the term corresponds with a perfect circle—a geometric shape without beginning and no ending—representing eternity. The Hebrew Bible, however, does seem to directly link the circular shape and geometry to the name of God. In fact, early Bible patriarchs did not know God as the "self existent one", or יהוה, to the same
degree that they knew him as the God of the circle—or perhaps of eternity (Genesis 17:1, Exodus 6:2-3). However, to see this circular identity, it is essential to look through Hebrew eyes.
In Hebrew, the name El Shaddai is spelled אל שדי. Because Hebrew letters were also used as numbers in ancient days (e.g., A=1, B=2, C=3, K=10, L=11, etc.) before the advent of Arabic numerals, it is understood that the numerical equivalent for the three-letter
Hebrew Shaddai term is equal to ש+ד+י, which is to say 300+4+10, which is equal to 314. Understanding that 314 is a near perfect multiple of Pi or the π ratio (approximated within 0.05% accuracy), one might logically
surmise that “El Shaddai is the God of π”. In other words, El Shaddai is the God of the circle, or the God of eternity.
While few people are in the habit of referring to God as El Shaddai, the Jews
have used this Shaddai term, which is rooted in the Hebrew Bible, to mark the sign of God’s covenant on their houses for centuries. Not only is שדי equal to 314, but the letters (Sh-D-I) are an acronym for shomer daltot
yisrael, which is refers to God who is the guardian (shomer) of the doors (daltot) of Israel (yisrael). It is therefore not only fitting to associate the El Shaddai name for God with eternity, but also with the building of houses—both households
as well as the physical buildings themselves.
Of course, it stands to reason that a God that could create mankind, and the entire world around us, would be credited to be as intelligent designer. Unfortunately, religious traditions don’t always portray El Shaddai an
intelligent designer. This tendency is painfully evident in the case of the Exodus wilderness Tabernacle—which is described in the Hebrew as being God’s dwelling place, but represented throughout the religious world
and in the English language as a crude shack. This begs the question: If God is an intelligent designer, and if the ancient Bible scriptures are divinely inspired writ, then why wouldn’t he demonstrate some
measure of intelligence as he gave the Hebrews instructions to construct his “dwelling place”? Wouldn’t it stand to reason that the creator of all matter would be master of simple things—like trivial mathematical constants,
such as π or 3.14? And wouldn’t it further follow that El Shaddai would have some concept of eternity stamped not only into his name, but also into his dwelling place?
While the Exodus Tabernacle is often referred to as “Moses’ Tent” or “Moses Tabernacle” or as the tent that “Moses built”, the Exodus texts indicate that Moses was not the Tabernacle’s chief architect. To the contrary, a man named Betzalel was appointed to work in the capacity of the Tabernacle. Again, seeing evidence of the eternal circle and stamp of 314, the mention of Betzalel (also translated as Bezaleel) was centered about Exodus 31:4. While the Hebrew name “Betzalel” has not made it into Western cultures to the extent that other Hebrew names, like Adam, Abraham, Aaron, etc., the name remains both important and profound. After all, the Hebrew בצלאל Betzalel name might be parsed to convey the idea of a “House in the Image (or shadow) of God”.
See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri,
the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled
him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
~ Exodus 31:3-5 ~
In addition to Betzalel, another man named “Oholiab” was appointed to assist Betzalel. His name is also representative of his appointment, meaning “Tent Father” or perhaps “Father of (the) Tent”.
Together, these men were not appointed to serve in the capacity of “unintelligent design”, but were rather master builders—being skilled craftsmen, designers, and engineers. They knew how to build tents as a matter
of profession, and were subsequently well suited for the task of building a practical structure. They knew how to work with wood, leather, wool, linen, gold, silver, and copper in ways that most people today can scarcely
imagine.
And then there’s me (Andrew). Although I was raised in a religious environment, I never exactly set out to be an affluent religious authority or Bible scholar—even though I have some inclination to study some Bible topics ad nauseam (Latin Bible texts being a deliberate exception). Truth be known, I never had any ambitions to study the Exodus Tabernacle, had it not been for my accidental 314 discovery. Furthermore, tenting has hardly been a significant part of my pastime, profession, or passion, even though I have enjoyed a number of outings and camping experiences. Nevertheless, I am a mechanical engineer by training—and perhaps even by descent. My father was an engineer and engineering professor (teaching at Milwaukee School of Engineering for over four decades), and I had the privilege to be trained in the profession within the program and curriculum that he directed. While I cannot boast of having the same level of design experience as my father had, he was successful to at least some degree in instilling within me—be it by nurture, nature, or example—some measure of discipline and inclination to systematic thought.
As a person, I tend to be a bit of a literalist—sometimes entertained by trivial nuances to the point of annoying others; and I would credit my Tabernacle “rediscovery” to this aspect of my personality,
along with deductive reasoning and visualization skills more so than my creativity. I suppose that my appreciation (and occasional obsession) for the exactness in meaning was to some degree developed by my professional experience
with technical engineering specifications. However, my first exposure to the Hebrew Scriptures brought me into a completely different paradigm, especially as Hebrew language discovery became such an instrumental part
of writing (more like repeatedly rewriting) my first published book,
Eat Like Jesus – Returning to Kosher Christianity. After all, researching my book was a rude awakening and unexpected exposure to the deficiencies
of Bible translation, and my Hebrew and Greek language research brought me to a keen sense of awareness as to the extent that the English translations are but a cheap imitation of the original texts, and ultimately a type of artificial veneer or façade
covering the greater truth and insight that lies beneath. Although I have no formal training as a linguist apart from taking Hebrew classes in Israel, I find myself fascinated by etymology, and further convicted that
the language of the Hebrew Bible is truly transcendent and ultimately the foundation of all knowledge. Hence my unexpected ability to decipher the Exodus Tabernacle texts, which have been even concealed from educated
Jews and native Hebrew speakers for thousands of years (although I suspect divine prodding also had something to do with it).
From a professional engineering standpoint, my resume might be compared to a yard sale. I’m a jack of all trades and master of none. I have
worked in nuclear, hydroelectric, natural gas, coal, and diesel power generation and transmission facilities, working in management, consulting, and/or engineering in controls, hydraulics, refrigeration, and heating/ventilating/air
conditioning industries. While vocational displacement has forced me to adapt into an assortment of different roles and to “think outside the box” more that I might have preferred, working on the “reverse engineering”
of God’s tent is something that I can still scarcely imagine to this day, especially as the pattern has been lost to billions of people for thousands of years.
Of course, as a 21st century engineer, I am at a distinct disadvantage from those who have come before me. While I have the numerically controlled machinery, the internet, and countless software tools at my disposal, I am not a native Hebrew speaker, not a professional tentmaker, and compared to my predecessors I am relatively experienced in working in wood, leather, fabrics, gold, silver, or copper. Moreover, I am incapable of asking Moses for clarification for the plans “shown to him in the mountain”. Nevertheless, I need not worry about developing the design from scratch, for these is nothing new under the sun, and contrary to popular opinion, El Shaddai and my predecessors left a sufficient—dare I say flawless—record of their work in the Hebrew Exodus. After all, with God all things are possible; and as God is a more intelligent designer than am I, all I need to do is pay close attention to his instructions.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
~ Ecclesiastes
1:9 ~
As indicated above and revealed within the Exodus Bible texts, Moses by no means built the Tabernacle alone; neither did Betzalel and Oheliab assume full responsibility for shaping or assembling every ounce of precious metal, thread of fabric, scrap of leather, or splinter of wood.
To the contrary, other members of the community came to embrace the vision and joined in to help. In fact, so many people started to come to contribute that Moses had to start to turn people away.
Recognizing that not every carpenter or specialist that contributed in the original Exodus Tabernacle project is listed in the Bible, the same is the case here in that not every person who has assisted in the Tabernacle project are listed below. Nevertheless, the section below has been created in recognition of some of the key people who have contributed in shaping the project as it exists today and in the future.
After launching my website back in 2015, it was never really finished. Although the first version of the website wasn't bad considering that it was a big DIY effort on my part, there was definitely room for improvement.
It had bugs, and those bugs eventually were surrounded by cobwebs—which began collecting as a result of my own neglect and shift in project pursuits.
While the old website served its purpose of reintroducing the rediscovered
Tabernacle to the world, I knew that the site would eventually need serious attention and professional expertise that I could not provide by myself while trying to accomplish all of the other project goals. Moving
forward, I knew that providing information to the community is a mission-critical aspect of the project—and that's where Randy enters the picture. I'm pretty sure that Randy was sent to save me from myself.
Randy first reached out to the project back in fall of 2016 when I was busy researching Tabernacle sites, models, and people in Israel. However, given my coinciding focus and commitment to physical and virtual modeling projects, as well as my immature product development status, I didn't contact him until about a year later. Since then, Randy has been instrumental of keeping the web development moving along, patiently waiting for me to do my job so that he can do his part.
As implied above, Randy is much more than a web designer; I'm referring to him as a "web engineer" above because besides from mastering technical web software platforms, he is in fact also a trained and experienced mechanical engineer. Along with having a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology (BSME '94), randy has extensive expertise in CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) programs, including SolidWorks, SDRC I-DEAS, AutoCAD, and Pro Engineer.
While Randy's CAD proficiency was beneficial in helping him visualize the round Hebrew Tabernacle in its true three-dimensional form before content was commercially available, Randy's experience, talent, and versatility in software platforms has been a bigger asset in the web development arena. When it comes to software, Randy is a regular "Swiss army knife", having expertise in Joomla, Flash, Dreamweaver, WordPress, and FrontPage. Having a command of software that is beyond a superficial, Randy can roll up his sleeves and get into the nuts-and-bolts of the platforms, having a command of VB 6.0, VBA, lNET, PHP, HTML, Actionscript 2.0, XML, PERL, C, C++, InstallShield, and UNIX.
While there are a lot of web developers that have impressive tool kits and experience navigating the matrix, Randy's ability to think outside the box has proven to be a bigger asset to the project. As the founder and owner of MWP Engineering Services, Randy's experience in startup management, data migration, and Product Life Cycle (PLM) processes has been instrumental in refining the project vision and direction, which translates to an expansion of website scope and functionality. Randy's "big picture" view of the world makes him a true visionary, and the project has much to credit to his participation in collaborative brainstorming.
Shortly after hearing about the Project 314 discovery in early 2017, James Horne, a licensed structural engineer in Denver, Colorado, was intrigued by the domed Tabernacle concept, and reached out to inquire as to the technical specifics. While James began by asking a few innocent questions about the roof, he probably wasn't prepared for the deluge of information that followed.
Since making the request for the engineering information, James, who has owned and managed a small engineering, architectural and building inspections firm since 2006, has performed cursory reviews of technical Project 314 Tabernacle content, including individual component fabrication drawings, erection and rigging diagrams, loading calculation tables, Exodus exegesis drawings, etc.
Upon acclimating to the Project 314 design concept and various technical details, James began a more thorough structural frame and finite element analysis, as is customary within the structural engineering profession, to validate design feasibility of a custom structure in accordance with present day engineering practices and standards including typical building code level loading conditions. After all, the use of extraordinary large wood beams, precious metals, leather, and even fabric in structural capacity is highly uncommon in present times.
In conjunction with independent finite element analysis, James is also helping Project 314 by exploring the implications of modifying and code qualifying a modern fractional scale model that would be large enough to accommodate hundreds of visitors, with a facility footprint estimated to measure between 50 and 70 feet in diameter! While a physical model frame (nominal 1/8th scale) has been fabricated for purposes of concept feasibility, a more thorough and independent structural analysis is particularly prudent in this case to ensure occupant safety of scaled or full model construction that is planned for the near future.
Unlike Andrew and Randy, who studied and practiced mechanical engineering, James earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Toledo, along with a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois. Beyond his specialized and advanced education, James brings over two decades of commercial building experience, which is essential to the development and qualification of real-world Tabernacle models.
Further complementing his degrees and specialized background, James is nationally registered as a professional and structural engineer, and is also licensed as an engineer in six different states. In addition to being a code inspector, James has also consulted as an expert witness, having an excellent command of administrative codes and other special design and construction requirements, which would apply to highly specialized structures—such as this ancient and highly unusual Tent of Meeting!
Born in Moscow, Russia, Elena Eros, is the most recent addition to the Project 314 team. Technically, Elena is an experienced designer; however, Elena isn't exactly in the engineering business. Instead, she's a highly trained artist with a very unique background.
No stranger to highly technical things, her first art teacher was her father Boris Egorov, aircraft designer and engineer. She continued her art education with realist painter A. Motovilov. In 1971, she competed with thousands of other talented young people and after series of entry exams won a coveted place at the Faculty of Applied Art, Moscow University of Design and Technology, where she studied under renowned Russian Artists.
In 1973 Ms. Eros was awarded an ‘Outstanding Student International Scholarship’, enabling her to continue her education at the Hungarian University of Art & Design in Budapest, Hungary, from where Elena Eros has MFA in Men's and Women' Fashion Design.
In 1980, Elena was invited to work as a professor assistant at Moscow University of Design and Technology. Later she moved back to Budapest, where she worked as a Fashion Trend Coordinator, Fashion Designer, Lecturer and Illustrator for Hungarian Fashion Institute, Portrait Artist in Residence for Hungarian Medical Society, background painter for “Pannonia Film Studios” and was a freelance Artist and an Art Instructor.
While visiting friends on the south coast of England, Elena came to Faith in 1990, which has since been a major source of inspiration in her life, and in much of her artwork. Six years later, Elena moved to Great Britain, where she was asked to paint scenes from Ascot Race Courses, emphasizing decorative aspects of those spectacular events. Eventually, Elena moved to the USA in 2006, where she won International Drawing Competition for American Artist Magazine with a Portrait Study of her Father. Elena now lives in Arizona, where she works from her studio and teaches children.
In addition to teaching children, Elena has been painting live as part of worship services in front of congregations on the stages of churches throughout the nation. For her live paintings, she usually uses acrylic, starts on a raw canvas without any preliminary drawing, and finishes within one hour (see video demonstration below). However, Elena is no stranger to other mediums and styles. Using oils, fabrics, and water colors, Elena has developed a series of paintings that are best categorized as being a collection of spiritual works, and has done extremely detailed work including portraits, landscapes, horses, and more abstract projects, as shown in the samples below.
Being highly experienced in arts and textiles—and also a daughter of an engineer—it should come as no surprise that Elena's favorite Biblical figure was Betzalel—long before she even encountered the Project 314 Tabernacle research! Now, since finding the rediscovered Round Hebrew Tent of Meeting, Elena is inspired to expand her work to include Tabernacle art, perhaps in the form of paintings, drawings, prints, posters, and textiles. Needless to say, given her experience with painting Hebrew spiritual works, onion shaped Russian domes, and hot-air balloon canopies, along with her hands-on experience in textiles, it will be exciting to see Elena's Tabernacle depictions! For those interested in seeing more of Elena's amazing portfolio, check out her website at http://www.elenaeros.com/!
Born and raised in Huntington New York, Louis' prayer and reflection would take him far from his original home. Seven years ago, Louis accepted the call to move to Uruguay, where he has since resided. After stepping out in faith and leaving everything he had and knew behind, he now enjoys a much different—and considerably more tranquil life—in the undeveloped pastoral Uruguayan countryside—than the previous one of the rat race and concrete jungle of suburban New York.
Since venturing south of the equator, Louis has been working online from home transcribing audio files into text for an inspection software company. For the last five years he has been managing a team of transcribers, all working remotely from around the world, and editing their text into a final work product for the company.
After hearing about Project 314 and studying the tabernacle design Louis felt led to volunteer his services in his professional field of transcription and text editing to the project, in order to have complete text transcripts of podcasts and YouTube interviews etc available on the website or as video closed captions.
History is not shaped by spectators or inspired by critics; rather, history is made by ordinary people that persevere to accomplish extraordinary things. As such, Project 314 is looking for people who are willing to stretch themselves in extraordinary ways.
Unfortunately, the Round Exodus Tabernacle claim is bound to seem a little unorthodox—like "tin-foil hat" stuff—to most "ordinary" people. That is, of course, until the Biblical—and technical—evidence is thoroughly examined! For those willing to begin by examining the evidence, they will see that the Round Hebrew Tabernacle isn't a stretch of the imagination, but rather that man-made religious traditions have been distorting the truth, and in effect, putting God in a box.
While initial examination of Round Tabernacle evidence may in-and-of-itself be seen as a stretch as it requires taking a small leap of faith, the unfortunate reality is that many people come to accept what they believe based upon blind faith. While faith of any or all kinds is typically revered as a unconditionally good and precious thing, the reality is that blind faith is as useless as it is dangerous. Because blind faith is not rooted in reality, it fails to stand when subjected to adversity. Thus, Project 314 is not seeking people acting on blind faith, as experience has shown that people without unwavering conviction seldom offer real help.
For anyone interested in being part of the Tabernacle team, comprehensive examination of the evidence is the first essential step. While the Round Tabernacle materials may stretch you, it's essential that project participants are not acting upon blind faith, or joining a cult comprised of people with ambitious imaginations or devoid of reason and discernment. To the contrary, members need to be able to rationally and intelligently testify to their convictions; after all, it's almost too incredible for outsiders and religious bystanders to believe that religious professionals, commentaries, and establishments have been mistaken for thousands of years.
Interested individuals are encouraged to survey the the Tabernacle Project page (which includes a big-picture mission statement), the Donating Funds page (which documents project possibilities), the Volunteering Time page (which further describes some of the technical and non-technical project personnel needs), and the Manifesto page (which explains Tabernacle project importance). Of course, inquiries and further suggestions are always welcome.