Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 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.

John the revelator wrote this thousands of years ago. So much of what we read in Revelations sounds like a future state. Here we are so far removed from that writing, in a future state. Is this still in our future or is this the here and now?

Early Christians had no concept of the church age. They were looking for Christ’s return to be in the realm of “I’ll be right back.” What these words in Revelations might have held a whole different meaning for them. I think they have a different meaning today just because so much time has passed.

So what is “The Tabernacle of God”?

It would take weeks to copy and relate all that is written about this subject. For the sake of simplicity I would like to forego all the details and boil it down to two essentials. The first is that the tabernacle of God is a dwelling place. The second is portability, to go with God.

The issue of creating a temple to house the Ark of the Covenant with its Mercy Seat violated the second essential, portability. I look at the temples as being a focal point rather than God Himself. The issue of going to temple to meet with God and to perform all the ordinances of service was limiting and restrictive.

Do we still do that today? Do we look at going to church as going to God? Jesus came and died so that those chains, limiting and restrictive, would be cast aside, making the Tabernacle of God portable once again.

Now when we gather we bring God with us. You are the Tabernacle of God.