Tabernacle Of Meeting Outside The Camp

After Moses caused the Levites to pass through the camp and kill three thousand and God plagued the camp, God spoke to Moses telling him to move the people to the promised land. Instead of making the tabernacle as a place for God's presence, they should just go to the promised land and He will send His angel before them to drive out the tribes occupying the land. God warned them that if He went in the midst of them, He would consume them because they were a stiff necked people. The Israelites' response was to humble themselves and no one put on things to make them look good. God then told them to take off the rest of their ornaments while He decided what to do with them. Since God would not be in their midst, Moses then moved his tent far off from the camp where he could then meet with God. Everyone understood that he went there to meet with God, because they would watch him walk out there and the pillar of cloud would descend on his tent and the people would respond with worship. The picture of having to go outside the camp to be with God is a picture that carries through until today. We live in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation. We have to go outside the camp if we want to meet with God.