As Moses met with God on the mountain a good portion of time is spent detailing the tabernacle and its furnishings. There are 50 chapters in the Bible written about the tabernacle: Exodus(13), Leviticus(18), Numbers(13), Deuteronomy(2), and Hebrews(4). We have to ask ourselves why include this much about the tabernacle?
Israel has not long been freed from bondage. The Lord is instructing them on how to be a nation. With enemies surrounding Israel and the promise of a new land one would think the first action would be developing an army for war. Instead the focus is the tabernacle. The word "tabernacle" in Hebrew actually means "to dwell." That's the Lord's focus and what He tells them to invest in, "Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution." Ex 25:2
The focus on the tabernacle is a focus on His presence, and that's where they're told to invest. Today, we too should invest in the presence of the Lord. He wants to dwell with us. It's His heart to dwell with His people, but will you dwell with Him? What we have is what He first gave to us so lets use all to invest in His presence.
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.