What does the word tabernacle mean?
The word tabernacle means a tent. A tent is temporary. In the context, God was setting up Israel's worship, and it would be a tabernacle, which is a tent, indicating a temporary place of worship rather than a permanent temple.
Les explains that the word tabernacle is another term for a tent, and a tent is temporary. He notes that God was preparing the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, giving them the law and civil law, and now setting up the ecclesiastical part of the law that would establish their temple worship. However, at this point it would be a tabernacle, meaning a temporary structure, not a permanent temple. This distinction highlights the tabernacle's temporary nature.