As a noun, tabernacle is defined as “a fixed or moveable habitation, typically of light construction.” (Oxford English Dictionary)

For the nomadic Israelites, this type of moveable structure for God’s dwelling place on Earth made perfect sense. They had left the slavery of Egypt and been led into the wilderness, still very much uncertain of what was next before entering the Promised Land. It’s at this point– this in between– that Moses climbs Mount Sinai to meet with the Lord. And it is here that Moses receives not only the Ten Commandments, but also very detailed instructions to build the tabernacle, a place the Lord could draw near to his chosen people. 

Maybe, like me, you get to the details of the tabernacle’s construction and you begin to skim, but pause here.