What was the nation of Israel's situation at Mount Sinai?
The nation of Israel was gathered around Mount Sinai, several million strong. They had been given the law, the Ten Commandments, and God had already begun giving them a certain amount of civil law. God was then preparing to set up the ecclesiastical part of the law that would establish their worship, which would be a tabernacle, a temporary tent.
Les explains that the nation of Israel was several million strong, gathered around Mount Sinai. They had now been given the law, the Ten Commandments. God had already begun to give them a certain amount of the civil law in the intervening chapters. Now He was getting ready to set up the ecclesiastical part of the law, which establishes their temple worship. At this point, it would be a tabernacle, which is a tent, and a tent is temporary.