The design of buildings, for religious or secular use. Building designs were often regarded in Scripture as embodying spiritual truths, and capable of being divinely inspired.
Examples of architecture
The tabernacle
Hebrews 8:5 See also Exodus 25:8–9, Exodus 26:1–37
The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
The temple
1 Chronicles 28:11–12 See also 1 Kings 6:1–10, 1 Kings 6:15–38; 1 Chronicles 28:19; 2 Chronicles 3:1–17, 2 Chronicles 4:1–22
Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, storehouses, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat. The plans contained everything David had in mind for the courts of the house of the LORD, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the house of God and of the dedicated things,
Altars
Joshua 8:31 See also Exodus 20:25; 2 Kings 16:10–11 Adopting the design of a pagan altar indicated both idolatry and submission to Assyria.
just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings.
Ordinary dwellings
Ezekiel's vision of a restored temple
Ezekiel 40:1–49, Ezekiel 41:1–26, Ezekiel 42:1–20, Ezekiel 43:10–17
Other structures
Genesis 11:4; 1 Kings 7:1–12; Proverbs 24:3–4 implies that a house must be more than bricks and mortar; Jeremiah 22:13–14
Divinely dictated design
The ark
Genesis 6:14–16 the earliest recorded example of naval architecture
Building design as a spiritual metaphor
The prophecy of the rejected stone
Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42 parallels Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17; 1 Peter 2:7; Matthew 7:24–27 parallel Luke 6:48–49 the two foundations; 1 Corinthians 3:10–13 the work of Christian ministers; Ephesians 2:19–22 the church; 1 Peter 2:4–7; Isaiah 54:11–12 the heavenly city; Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 21:9–22
God as the architect of creation
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.