Translation
Then I heard a great voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of GOD
is with men,
and He will tabernacle among them
Go to footnote numberand they will be His
people and He will be with them to be their GOD.
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
Then I heard a powerful voice coming from the seat of authority, saying, “Take Note! THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS has pitched His tent in the same place men pitch their tents, and He will make camp with them, and they will be His people and He will be with them to be THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS whom they can count on.
Footnotes
1
“Tabernacle,” means to pitch a tent. It represents our relationship with God.
2
Here we see two code-words for a close relationship with God. 1) The concept of pitching your tent close to others possibly implies you are relatives, or at least that you have the same purpose for traveling and you will protect and help one another. This verse teaches God’s strong desire for a close relationship with us. 2) Then there is the phrase “They will be His people and He will be with them to be their God.” This phrase, and ones similar to it, are the code language in the Bible for a saving relationship with God. It is a phrase that is simple yet deep; it points to the idea that salvation is not based on religious tradition or church membership, but on a close relationship with God. The phrase “I will be their God and they will be my people” is found numerous times in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.