34. So they set forward. The multitude that came out of Egypt had now become like a disciplined army on the march, grouped according to tribe, clan, and family.
Chapters 1 and 2 give us the size and discipline of the Israelite host. The center of attention was the tabernacle, God’s dwelling place. Jehovah was in their midst (Deut. 4:7; 23:14; Ps. 78:52, 53; Rom. 8:31), the pledge of hope, security, and progress. He was their Protector (Hosea 11:10, mighty to deliver (Isa. 49:25, 26). He was to them a light by night and a welcome shade by day (Isa. 4:5). All these concepts centered in the tabernacle, the abiding place of God.
The awe and reverence the tabernacle inspired were due to the fact of Jehovah’s indwelling. The separation of the divine dwelling place from the common walk of life helped to instill respect for authority and a sense of discipline among the people. Today the church is like an army on the march, and Jehovah is with her (see 2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Peter 2:9).