“Alas,” said the mouse, “the whole world is growing smaller every day. At first it was so big that I was afraid, I kept running and running, and I was glad when at last I saw walls far away to the right and left, but these long walls have narrowed so quickly that I am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner stands the trap that I must run into.”

“You only need to change your direction,” said the cat, and ate it up.

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.”

I would make the argument that the book of Exodus is really about God finding a home.

The people with whom God had made a covenant are in slavery, so God moves them out of bondage. He blesses them and instructs them how to act so they can remain a part of God’s community. Finally, he has a house built in which he can rest. The Israelites have not reached their destination. They have moved from bondage to chaos. They are no longer slaves but they are now nomads. They have moved in a positive direction, but they have not yet reached a conclusion. Exodus is about God bringing his community to him and building a home amongst them.

The church is now God’s community and God’s home is the heart of everyone who lives in relationship with Jesus Christ. We need to remember that we are living in community with God and not make the mistakes the Israelites made.