distant from his covenant people, whom he had just liberated from centuries of enslavement under Egyptian taskmasters. He is nearby and “dwells [shakan] in their midst” (Exod. 25:8). The imminence of this holy God is then further highlighted by the overwhelming use of the word mishkan. Therefore, the interplay between these two words, miqdash and mishkan, in the book of Exodus reveals to the reader a blessed theological truth—the transcendent God is also imminent and in their midst. In addition to
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