No — the tabernacle represents the temporary, not the permanent.
A tabernacle is another word for a tent, and a tent is not a permanent dwelling. Les Feldick applies this directly to the human body: it is an earthly tabernacle that will be dissolved, while believers have an eternal building in the heavens. This is the very contrast Paul makes in 2 Corinthians 5:1.
2 Corinthians 5:1 — Paul explicitly contrasts the earthly house of this tabernacle with an eternal building in heaven, which directly answers the permanence question.
The Bible uses the word 'tabernacle' as a tent, and a tent is not a permanent dwelling. In 2 Corinthians 5:1, Paul speaks of 'our earthly house of this tabernacle' being dissolved, and he sets that against 'a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' The point is that the tabernacle belongs to this present, temporary creation, not to the eternal state. In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was built at Mount Sinai/Horeb as Israel was ready to move toward the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 1:19-20 records Moses reminding Israel that after departing from Horeb, they came to Kadesh Barnea, where they were told to go up and possess the land. The tabernacle was part of that wilderness journey, not a permanent structure that remained forever.
Les Feldick teaches that the tabernacle is a temporary dwelling place. He says plainly, 'A tabernacle is another word for a tent' and 'a tent is certainly not very permanent.' He applies this to the human body, which he calls a tabernacle — a temporary dwelling where the personality and spirit reside until the body dissolves or is changed at the rapture. He also shows the contrast Paul makes in 2 Corinthians 5: the earthly tabernacle will dissolve and go back to the earth, but the believer has a permanent building from God, not a tent, eternal in the heavens. In Les's words, 'We now have a building of God. Not a tent, but something permanent for eternity.'
Les Feldick explains that 'the other word for tabernacle is the simple word, tent.' A tent is not permanent; it is something you use temporarily. He applies this to the human body: the body is a tabernacle, a temporary dwelling place in which God has placed the invisible personality of the mind, will, and emotion, along with the spirit entity capable of fellowship with the Creator.
According to Les, this earthly tabernacle is the body of flesh. It will dissolve and go back into the earth from which it came, unless the rapture takes place and it is changed. Either way, the believer is eternal and will receive a building of God — an eternal, permanent house in the heavens, not made with hands.
Les teaches that the tabernacle built at Sinai was patterned after the floor plan in glory, and that Christ entered a greater, more perfect tabernacle untouched by human hands. Every part of the tabernacle — the Ark of the Covenant with its wood and gold, the sacrifices, the priesthood, the Day of Atonement — pictures the finished work of Christ. The numbers in the tabernacle are also divisible by five, the number of grace, showing the entire structure is a grace-filled picture of Christ, not a permanent earthly temple.
The Tabernacle Built at Horeb
Les reminds us that the tabernacle was the structure built at Mount Sinai/Horeb while Israel was preparing to leave for the Promised Land, showing its wilderness and temporary nature.
The Body as a Temporary Tent
Les directly answers the permanence question: a tabernacle is a tent, and a tent is not permanent; the human body is exactly this kind of temporary dwelling for the personality and spirit.
The Earthly Tabernacle Dissolved, Eternal Building Remains
Les applies permanence to the believer's body: the earthly tabernacle will dissolve, but God gives an eternal, permanent building in heaven, not a tent.
The Heavenly Tabernacle Not Made with Hands
Les connects the earthly tabernacle to a greater, more perfect tabernacle in heaven that is untouched by human hands, reinforcing that the earthly tent is not permanent.
The Tabernacle as a Picture of Christ
Les emphasizes that everything in the tabernacle, from the Ark of the Covenant to the sacrifices, pictures Christ's finished work, including His humanity and deity.
Tabernacle Dimensions and Grace
Les observes that all the tabernacle's numbers are divisible by five, the number of grace, showing the structure itself was a divinely designed, temporary picture rather than a permanent building.
What the Tabernacle Reveals About Christ Most People Miss
I've already got you here in the studio audience in Leviticus 16, we'll be going there next, and we'll see how the high priest comes behind the veil only once a year. All right, but let's come back now to the sanctuary, and we have only three pieces of furniture, just three. I already mentioned no chair, but over here on the right, or on the north, there we had the table of showbread.
What the Tabernacle Reveals About Christ Most People Miss
They were seal skins, which was a sea animal, and it was a real tough material, had no beauty to it, it was very plain, but it was also capable of withstanding the weather and the heat and the rain and so forth. Now that was the construction then of that little tent. Then, dividing it, of course, was, you all know what that was, what do we call it? The veil.
2 Corinthians 5:1: For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
This verse directly contrasts the temporary tabernacle of the body with a permanent, eternal building from God.
2 Corinthians 5:4: For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
Paul again calls the body a tabernacle, showing the believer's present dwelling is temporary and burdensome.
Deuteronomy 1:19: And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea.
Moses reminds Israel of their departure from Horeb, where the tabernacle was built, as they traveled toward the Promised Land.
Yes, Les Feldick says the other word for tabernacle is the simple word 'tent.' A tent is not permanent; it is something used temporarily. That is why the tabernacle represents a temporary dwelling rather than a permanent structure.
Les teaches that the body is a tabernacle or tent in which God has placed the personality — the mind, will, and emotions — along with the spirit. This earthly tabernacle is temporary and will dissolve unless the rapture takes place first.
Yes, Les teaches that everything in the tabernacle pictures Christ and His finished work on the cross. The Ark of the Covenant, with wood covered by gold, speaks of Christ's humanity and deity, and all the sacrifices and priesthood point to Him.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Failed to Enter the Promised Land (Exodus 23 & Deut 1)