Throughout Scripture, we see a pattern in how God chooses to reveal Himself. At first, He is high above, set apart, dwelling in glory.
But then, He moves downward, coming closer to man. This pattern is clear in the book of Numbers, particularly in chapter 6, as God establishes His presence among Israel—not just on the mountain but in the tabernacle, right in the middle of His people.
There are three key shifts that take place in this movement:
1. From High to Low
God first appeared to Israel in a mighty display on Mount Sinai. The mountain trembled, fire and smoke covered it, and the voice of the Lord thundered. The people were terrified, standing at a distance while Moses alone ascended into the thick darkness to meet with God (Exodus 19:16-19).
This high and lofty position showed His holiness. No man could casually approach Him. The gap between God and sinful man was clear. Yet, despite His exalted position, God did not stay on the mountain. He had no intention of remaining distant. He came down to man in the tabernacle.
This foreshadowed an even greater descent—when Christ, who was in the form of God, “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). From heaven to earth, from glory to humbleness, God has always chosen to move toward His people.
2. From Fixed to Mobile
The presence of God on the mountain was immovable. His people were camped at its base, but they could not carry Sinai with them. The mountain was a stationary place of meeting, but they were a people on a journey.
So, God commanded the construction of the tabernacle—a tent where He would dwell and travel with them. This was a major shift. Instead of requiring His people to come up to Him, He chose to move with them. The tabernacle was designed for the wilderness, structured to be taken up and down, carried wherever they went.
This was an incredible act of grace. Instead of an unapproachable, fixed location, He became present in a way that moved with His people, through their struggles, through the unknown, through every stage of their journey.
Just as God moved with Israel through the wilderness in the tabernacle, Jesus came to this earth to walk among us and bring salvation. He did not remain distant in heaven but humbled Himself, taking on flesh to dwell with man (John 1:14). Yet His presence did not stop there. After His death and resurrection, He sent the Holy Spirit to live inside every believer, making our bodies His temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). Now, He does not just walk beside us—He lives within us, guiding, strengthening, and going with us everywhere. No matter where life takes us, we are never alone, for the very presence of God abides in His children.
3. From Alone to Among the People
On the mountain, Moses met with God alone. The people stayed at a distance. But in the tabernacle, God placed Himself in the center of the camp. The layout of Israel’s camp reflected this—every tribe pitched their tents around His dwelling place (Numbers 2). He was no longer at a distance, but right in their midst.
Just as God moved from being alone with Moses on the mountain to dwelling among His people in the tabernacle, He has placed believers in the midst of a greater fellowship today—the church. When we are saved, we are not left to walk the Christian life alone. God has given us a body of believers, a spiritual family where we can grow, serve, and worship together. At the center of it all is Christ, just as the tabernacle stood in the midst of Israel’s camp. Jesus Himself said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The church is not just a building; it is the gathering of God’s people, where His presence dwells, where we encourage one another, and where we stand together in faith—united by His love.
The Pattern of God’s Grace
The movement from Sinai to the tabernacle reveals the very heart of God. He moves downward, from high to low. He meets us where we are, traveling with us through the wilderness. He no longer remains at a distance but chooses to dwell in the middle of His people.
And one day, this movement will be fully complete. Revelation 21:3 declares, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
The pattern will come full circle—not only will God be among His people, but there will be no separation, no more wilderness, no more distance. He will dwell with us forever.
