The phrase "the place God had designated" refers to specific locations chosen by God for significant events, worship, or the fulfillment of His divine purposes. Throughout the Bible, God designates certain places for His people to gather, worship, and experience His presence. These locations often hold deep spiritual significance and are central to the unfolding narrative of God's relationship with humanity.

1. The Tabernacle and the Temple

One of the most prominent examples of a designated place is the Tabernacle, and later the Temple in Jerusalem. In the wilderness, God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle as a portable sanctuary where He would dwell among the Israelites. Exodus 25:8-9 states, "And they are to make a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them. You must make it according to all that I show you—the design of the tabernacle as well as the design of all its furnishings."

The Tabernacle served as the central place of worship and sacrifice until the establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem by King Solomon. The Temple became the permanent dwelling place of God's presence, as described in 1 Kings 8:10-11 : "And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD."

2. Mount Moriah

Mount Moriah is another significant location designated by God. It is traditionally identified as the site where Abraham was instructed to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice, a test of faith that foreshadowed God's own sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Genesis 22:2 records God's command: "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you."

Later, Mount Moriah became the site of Solomon's Temple, further emphasizing its importance as a place chosen by God for pivotal events in salvation history.

3. The Promised Land

The Promised Land, Canaan, is a broader example of a place designated by God for His people. It was the land promised to Abraham and his descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey, symbolizing God's provision and blessing. Deuteronomy 12:5 instructs the Israelites, "Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish His name as a dwelling. To that place you must go."

The conquest and settlement of the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership marked the fulfillment of God's promise and established a physical location where His people could live in covenant relationship with Him.

4. The Upper Room

In the New Testament, the Upper Room in Jerusalem is a designated place of great significance. It was here that Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, instituting the Lord's Supper as a new covenant in His blood. Luke 22:12-13 describes the preparation: "And he will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make the preparations there. So they went and found it just as Jesus had told them. And they prepared the Passover."

The Upper Room also served as the gathering place for the disciples after Jesus' resurrection, where they received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, marking the birth of the Church.

5. The New Jerusalem

Finally, the concept of a designated place culminates in the vision of the New Jerusalem, the eternal dwelling place of God with His people. Revelation 21:2-3 describes this future reality: "I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.'"

The New Jerusalem represents the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to dwell with His people in a place He has designated, where there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.