By Canaan Chapman
Even with the rise of short-term vacation rentals, it’s not an everyday occurrence that you spend time in a complete stranger’s home, and it can be a formal feeling. Contrast that feeling with stepping into a much-loved grandparent’s house—their home is probably more peaceful and inviting. Even still, your own home is the most familiar, as an intimate place where you eat, sleep, and live. When you let someone into your house, something special happens—you’re extending an invitation for a place to belong.
In today’s reading, God, the Creator of all things, gave instructions for constructing a dwelling place among His people. Not a stranger, not a grandparent, but the One who spoke the universe into existence said, “I want to be your neighbor.”
Finite people were called to provide the place where the infinite God would stay. From the intricate designs and chosen materials to the ark of the covenant with the mercy seat atop it, every detail held profound significance. This wasn’t a random act. Instead, it symbolized God’s unyielding love for humanity—His desire to foster a relationship with His people despite their brokenness and imperfection.
But why a tabernacle? Why would God choose to inhabit something man-made? I think the answer in part lies in God’s relational nature. When you invite friends over to your home, you want to spend time with them. And because we are God’s image-bearers, His plan since the beginning was for us to be with Him. The tabernacle was His provision, a physical symbol that God was with His creation.
Still, it’s essential to understand that God’s residence in the tabernacle was not containing His omnipresence. Rather, it was an expression of His promise to be near His people. It showed His commitment to humanity—the very people He created—and His desire for that connection. This was a place for people to see God is near. You couldn’t miss where God was. The cloud of the Lord and pillar of fire were like billboards or beacons, showing the people where to go (Exodus 40:34–38).
Let’s consider the presence of God. Where is He now? While the tabernacle was a tent, because of the Holy Spirit, we have God’s presence closer than anything else in our lives. Now we can embrace God’s dwelling place in every moment—the living and active presence of His Spirit in our lives.
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