I have always wondered why God could not wait for the Israelites to get to the Promised Land before asking them to build a tabernacle of worship. I mean God was going to add to their burden by asking them to make a tabernacle- a bundle of objects they were going to carry along the way. But I have since seen three reasons why God asked them to build the tabernacle, namely:
1- The journey was more about worship than it was about getting to the Promised Land. It was clear from the outset that God was interested in their worship for two reasons namely:
a- The Call to Moses at the burning bush was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the Mountain of God so that they may worship (Exo 3:12)
b- The ground on which the children of Israel were to be released by Pharaoh was that they may go into the wilderness to worship God (Exo 5:1-4)
It is therefore obvious to me and keen observers of the scriptures that as a child of God going to Canaan, that Canaan is not the utmost for God but that I get the concept of worship straight before I hit the Promised Land. So the number of day or years it take for me to get to the promised land is not what matters but how much of God I am able to get while on the way.
2- They have been in Egypt where they had seen so many gods and they were going to Canaan where so many other gods are worshipped, hence it became imperative that they met the one and the true God and got acquainted with Him before they went in.
3- It was not just about meeting God but that He be in their midst and that they carried his presence along for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them (Ps 44: 1-4)
Beloved, on your way to the Promised Land you need to get the concept of God and your worship of Him right for what you have seen in Egypt where you have been is not the true picture of God. The Promised Land is not going to be of much help to you either but if while you are in transit you treasure Him and you devotion to him, then you will get to the Promised Land with His help.
One way to know that you have gotten it right, is that your fellowship with God becomes more important to you than the Promised Land (that car, house, job, contract, child etc) that is, you are not bothered or worried about getting in or getting it but that you have God in you, with you and for you. The book of Hebrews 11: 39 said it more succinctly, “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised”.
