Muslims believe that God cannot dwell in a physical structure like the tabernacle, as it implies limitations on His nature.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, God commanded Moses to construct a tabernacle as a dwelling place for His presence among the Israelites. This command highlights the significance of God's desire to be with His people and serves as a foreshadowing of the ultimate revelation of His nature. The design of the tabernacle, particularly the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizes the meeting place between God and humanity, where divine commands and presence are made known. Furthermore, the tabernacle's components can be seen as reflections of God's Trinitarian nature. For instance, the Ark, which housed the Testimony, represents the Father, while the cherubim symbolize the heavenly hosts, and the atonement cover signifies the Holy Spirit's role in mediating God's presence. This intricate design suggests that while God is transcendent and not confined to physical structures, He chooses to manifest His presence in ways that are relational and accessible to humanity. Ultimately, the New Testament reveals that this dwelling of God among His people culminates in the person of Jesus Christ, who is described as the Word made flesh (John 1:14). In Christ, the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9), demonstrating that God can indeed dwell among us without being limited by physical forms. Thus, the tabernacle serves not as a contradiction to God's nature but as a profound indication of His desire for relationship and revelation through the Trinity.