Shabbat Reflection: Dwelling with God—Shabbat as a Tabernacle in Time

“Then have them make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them.”—Exodus 25:8

“Now the dwelling of God is with people, and He will live with them.”—Revelation 21:3

A Sanctuary in Time

Beloved soul, as the sun begins its gentle descent and the Shabbat candles are kindled, you are not merely entering rest—you are entering a tabernacle in time.

Shabbat is not just a day off. It is a dwelling place—a sacred appointment where the eternal meets the earthly.

God told the children of Israel to build Him a tabernacle so He could dwell with them—not apart, not above, but among. This holy longing—to be near to His people—has never changed.

And now, every Shabbat, that same desire is fulfilled again. Not in a tent of fabric, but in the sanctuary of time and trust. In stillness, in song, in bread shared and hearts opened—He dwells here.

Dwelling Means Being Known

Revelation promises that a day is coming when God will dwell fully with His people again—no more distance, no more tears, no more veils. But even now, in this in-between, Shabbat is our foretaste of that day.

It’s the hush that reminds your soul: “You are not alone. You are not unseen. I am here.”

In a world that moves fast and forgets the sacred, Shabbat becomes the place where God slows us down—not to punish, but to be present.

Here, He wraps Himself around your weariness. Here, He listens to the unspoken. Here, He sits with you, not as a taskmaster, but as a friend.

Hidden Story: The Emmaus Encounter

In Luke 24, two disciples walk the road to Emmaus—confused, heartbroken, uncertain. Yeshua joins them, but they do not recognize Him.

He listens. He teaches. He walks beside them.

And then—in the breaking of bread—they see.

“Were not our hearts burning within us…?” (Luke 24:32)

That moment—simple, sacred, full of nearness—became a kind of tabernacle. A dwelling. A meeting place where their sorrow was transformed by presence.

You may be walking with questions, too. But on this Shabbat, as you break the bread, may your eyes be opened to the truth:

He is here. He has always been here.

Reflection & Journaling Prompts

1. What does it mean for you to “dwell” with God this week? What parts of your life long to be seen and held in His presence?

2. How does Shabbat invite you to slow down—not just for physical rest, but to make space for divine presence?

3. Where has God quietly walked beside you, like on the road to Emmaus—unrecognized, but faithful? What did He reveal in hindsight?

“I will dwell among them…”—Exodus 25:8

This Shabbat, build no altar—just a quiet table. Raise no curtain—open your heart. Let the stillness become a sanctuary.

And may you feel it deep in your spirit:

God is not far.

He is dwelling with you.

Right here.

Right now.