What is the context?
These closing words state the purpose behind the sanctuary and priesthood instructions: God will dwell among Israel and be their God. He identifies Himself as the LORD who brought them out of Egypt so that He might dwell among them.
Rescue from slavery leads to life with the God who rescued them. The sacrifices, priesthood and sanctuary serve that covenant relationship. Israel is to know who He is through His presence and dealings with them.
How is this passage commonly understood?
The main reading is shared: God’s deliverance and His dwelling among the people belong together. Calvin emphasizes that God is not a deliverer on just one occasion; He continues to care for His people, with the sanctuary serving as a sign of His presence. The promise explains the purpose of the instructions that precede it.
Where does this fit in God's plan?
The New Testament carries this purpose forward through Christ and His people. John 1:14–18 describes the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, revealing God’s glory. Ephesians 2:19–22 then describes people joined in Christ as a dwelling for God through His Spirit.
The final vision in Revelation 21:1–4 announces God dwelling with His people, with death, mourning and pain removed. The promise in Exodus contributes to that larger biblical story: God rescues a people to live with Him, and His purpose reaches its fullness in a renewed creation.
What is our position?
As explained in The True Church According to Jesus, God now dwells in His people through His Spirit. The study connects His presence in the tabernacle with His indwelling in believers and calls for lives made holy by that presence.