Messiah’s Mansion in Phenix City is replica of Old Testament sanctuary

There is no real gold.

But that should not deter anyone from visiting Messiah’s Mansion in Phenix City. There is plenty of authenticity.

“You will definitely feel like you are in the sanctuary that God told Moses to build in the wilderness. Everything is built to scale and is a copy of what it would have looked like to the children of Israel more than 3,000 years ago,” said Carolyn Leinneweber as workers began to put up the structure.

She and her husband, Clayton Leinneweber, lead a nonprofit ministry that brings the exhibit to locations around the world.

Other Southern stops later this year are planned for Meridian, Miss., and Montgomery, Ala.

Messiah’s Mansion will be making an appearance locally today through Aug. 14 and will be open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The tents have been set up at 21333 U.S. Highway 280, right next to Big Mama’s Fireworks. While there is no admission fee, people must have a ticket, which can be picked up at the site or in advance by going to pcalasanctuary.com or calling 706-530-0111.

The exhibit has been brought here by Phenix City Seventh-day Adventist Church and Uchee Pines Seventh-day Adventist Church, but Leinneweber said Messiah’s Mansion has special meaning for all denominations.

Laree Daniel of Phenix City Seventh-day Adventist Church first saw the attraction when it made a stop in Atlanta.

“It is something a lot of people are going to find inspiring,” Daniel said. “It makes the Bible come alive.”

Leinneweber said the exhibit is unlike any other.

“It is a chance to become more familiar with the tabernacle of the Old Testament,” she said. “Moses was told to build a tabernacle ‘as is in heaven.’”

The furniture in the exhibit is as close as possible in size, shape and color based on descriptions found in the Bible. An explanation of how it was used is given to visitors.

Leinneweber said the purpose of Messiah’s Mansion is to help people connect the tabernacle with the rest of the Bible. There is much history to be learned, and visitors discover the relevance of the tabernacle to faith today. The timeline of the Messiah is shown.

“There are symbols pointing to the God’s plan for salvation and the coming of Jesus Christ,” she said.

The temple is 15 feet tall, 15 feet wide and 45 feet long. The courtyard is 75 feet wide and 150 feet long.

Visitors do not just walk through and gaze. There are tours that take about an hour. They are led by high school and college students. Some of them attend Oklahoma Academy, a Christian school in Harrah, Okla., where Clayton Leinneweber teaches.

There are five stations in the exhibit.

At Station 1, visitors receive a basic structural overview of the Hebrew tabernacle.

At Station 2, the courtyard is entered and the guide explains the symbolism of the Altar of Sacrifice and Laver.

At Station 3, visitors learn about the tabernacle’s three distinct elements: the Table of Shewbread, the Altar of Incense and the candlesticks.

At Station 4 the Ark of the Covenant is found, which is the most important element in the tabernacle.

Station 5 focuses on the special garment worn by the high priest and how it affected the history of the Hebrews.

“We welcome church groups,” Leinneweber said.

She remarked that the response has been great everywhere the exhibit has appeared.

“We had one pastor who told his congregation on Sunday that before they go to play golf or do anything else, they needed to come see this,” Leinneweber said.

This story was originally published August 6, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Messiah’s Mansion in Phenix City is replica of Old Testament sanctuary."