Yahweh brings Israel to Sinai and shows Moses the pattern for the tabernacle. For the first time, Yahweh moves into Israel’s neighborhood.

The house is closed. Only priests go to the altar, only priests into the holy place, nobody into the most holy place. 

But focusing on the restrictions on access can distract us from the main import of the house. Israel, after all, is in the house, represented by the stones that are over the heart of the high priest. Their names are doubly present - on the stones on the shoulders of the priest, on the stones on the breastplate. Israelites can’t draw near, but their animals go up to the altar on their behalf, and, turned to smoke, join the cloud of Yahweh. Yahweh introduces purification and peace offerings that clean Israel up to draw near and offer them food in the sanctuary. 

The house has restricted access, but as Deuteronomy 12 shows, it is mainly a place of festivity. Yahweh moves into the neighborhood to be hospitable to His people.

And Jesus is the tabernacle of the the church, God’s tent and house. In Jesus, the Lord has opened Himself, become our dwelling place, welcomed us in.