The Tabernacle of David
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
For many years, I never remembered that David ever had a tabernacle. That reflects my lack of diligence in reading all of the word of God over and over. The Hebrew word for "tabernacle" means a tent, a booth, a covering, or a dwelling place. I do not claim to have received any special revelation about that tabernacle, but I believe all of us should have some understanding of the significance of the Tabernacle of David, as it pertains to us today.
During the reign of David two tabernacles co-existed: the Tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 21:29) and the Tabernacle of David in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:1).
To understand the significance of the Tabernacle of David, we must first consider the Tabernacle of Moses, which illustrated the perfection needed to come before the presence of God. The only Man who ever lived a life of perfection was the Man, Jesus Christ, as He walked the face of the earth. Only Christ in you, the hope of glory, can ever come into the presence of the Father.
The Tabernacle of Moses was a portable tent which the Israelites set-up as they rested during their journey through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. The glory of the presence of God rested and resided in the Ark of the Covenant in the midst of the Holy of Holies.
Upon entering the Promised Land, the Tabernacle of Moses was first settled at Gilgal for 14 years. Then the Ark was moved to Shiloh in Samaria for 369 years, during the period of the Judges. During the time of Eli, the second-to-last judge of Israel, the Israelites decided to take the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines. They reasoned that the Ark would be their best defense. God would surely lead them to victory!
But there is a difference between us trying to presumptuously take the Lord anywhere and the Lord giving us specific directions. The Israelites never asked the Lord whether they should take the Ark into battle. Therefore, the Lord was angry with Saul and the Israelites and allowed the Philistines to defeat them and capture the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4). Israel then became "Ichabod," meaning "the glory has departed" (1 Samuel 4:21-22). The Tabernacle of Moses in Shiloh was then without the Ark and without the glory of His presence. At the death of Samuel, the Ark was moved to Gibeon, just north of Jerusalem, a city in the tribe of Benjamin.
The presence of the Lord depends on our relationship with Him. David, a man after God's own heart, pleaded with God, "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:11). The presence of the Lord can bring a blessing when we abide by His ways. When we are ONE in Christ, a significant unity releases a powerful blessing of God. This is the kingdom Jesus died for. Regardless of race, culture or traditions, there is ONE body of Christ.
After the Philistines captured the Ark, they carried it to their city of Ashdod and placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon (1 Samuel 5). The statue of Dagon fell face downward on the ground, bowing in front of the Ark. After the Lord punished the people of Ashdod with plagues, they sent the Ark to the Philistine city of Gath. There again the Lord inflicted them. After seven months in Philistia, the Ark was returned to Israel on an ox cart with symbolic gifts from the Philistines as payment for their sins against the Lord. As that ox cart was enroute, Uzzah saw that the ark was about to fall, so he touched the ark to keep it steady, but the Lord smote Uzzah immediately. Then David said, in 1 Chronicles 13:12, "How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had."
For at least 20 years, there was no Shekinah Glory in the tabernacle of Moses located at Gibeon. The Holy of Holies was empty without the Ark. The priests continued to minister at the tabernacle, offering daily sacrifices, but they were just legalistic, ritual motions without the glory of His presence.
But David vowed to the Lord that he would not sleep in a bed until he could provide a proper "dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob" (Psalm 132). This is likewise prophetic of the Christian community today. No one seems to care that the glory of God has departed, mostly because we have not seen the glory of God in the first place. Instead, we see the church at Laodicea, characterized by deception and a lukewarm attitude. Leonard Ravenhill, a highly respected 20th century English evangelist and preacher once said: (quote) I'm sick to death of the so-called Christianity of our day. What's supernatural about it? When do people come out of the sanctuary awed and can't speak for an hour because God has been in glory there? Dear God, as soon as they get out, they're talking football, or sports or something or there's going to be a big sale downtown or somewhere. We are not caught up into eternity!
When did you last tip-toe out of the sanctuary? When you couldn't say a word to anybody because you were so overwhelmed with the glory of God? (end quote)
Instead of returning the Ark to the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon, David pitched a small, open-air tent in Jerusalem outside David's palace and placed the Ark inside.
Think about all of the labor involved in the first Tabernacle that Jesus instructed Moses to build. Even after the structure was built, it required an enormous amount of maintenance; slaughtering thousands of animals, removing gallons of blood, keeping the menorah lit, the shewbread baked, the incense burning. All of that work so that the presence of the Lord would dwell among them. It was a lifestyle of hard labor for a lot of people to keep the Lord's spirit and protection with the nation. But God says that there remains a rest to His chosen people.
The Tabernacle of David was very different. We can read all about it in 1st Chronicles. David made several big mistakes but his heart burned for the Lord, and all he wanted was to please Him. For this reason, the Ark of the Covenant was brought back to the Hebrew nation under David's watch; there was great rejoicing and celebration and the Lord did something amazing. He got David to set up a new tabernacle with no walls or veils to hide His presence - His glory. His Spirit was literally shining from the Ark for all the nation to look upon.
What would that have felt like for His people to be restored to the Lord's favor once again and not have to go through the priests to know the Master? The veil had been taken away and each individual had access to a personal relationship with the Creator and His love.
That is what has been promised to us as Christians. Just as there was a shift and a change from the worship of the ancient Hebrews, the Tabernacle of David speaks today, not of any physical structure, but of the Bride and the refreshing that will come from the Master in these last days. For the Bride of Christ ... the overcomers, instead of hard, laboring servitude, true worship today is in the Spirit. The Lord is rebuilding the spirit of the Tabernacle of David among His chosen Bride. She is no longer required to perform laborious work to earn His love. He has died for our sins and forgiven us, washed us clean and set us on a path toward complete redemption.
Many want to stay in the mindset of the Tabernacle of Moses, trying to earn their salvation and deliverance through hard labor and religious habits, but have we tasted His glorious presence? Are we part of the Bride or are we still in religion? Are we running the race to overcome and put on our wedding garments? Once again Jesus is crying out for us to come out from among them. Come out of the beast, the slavery of religion, and come into the Bride, which is now being perfected and matured in Christ, granting her direct access to the presence of the Lord Himself as typified by David's Tabernacle.
Today the tabernacle is our fleshly vessels, not made with hands. Is our tabernacle dedicated to religious/worldly behavior or to Christ in you, the hope of glory?
Just as it was in the days of David, so is it today. Today there are still two tabernacles - a religious tabernacle of routines, ritual, and ceremony, and the spiritual Tabernacle of David, who was the first King pointing to what Jesus Himself would become for us all. Those in the Bride are now kings and priests, but we must be processed first (Hebrews 12) and put on the new man in Christ, understanding that Jesus does everything. We just need to listen to Him and be obedient. That requires ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to understand.
The restoration of the "Tabernacle of David" is as relevant today as it was when the apostles grappled with those same issues in Acts 15. The restoration of the "Tabernacle of David" is prophecy being fulfilled. It began when Peter began preaching to Gentiles. Acts 15 tells the story of the difficult issues that can arise when Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ come together. James received the revelatory answer from Amos 9. How many true believers today have received that same revelation? Of the few who have received that same revelation, how many in church leadership positions understand and walk in that same truth?
David's life, kingship, and worship were all prophetic; all pointing to the life and ministry of Jesus. David reigned from the place of God's presence and glory. All government and business is influenced by the open heaven created by the life rightly related to God and continual worship. Jesus sits upon the throne of David, which is in heaven among 24/7 worship. When we allow the government to be on the shoulders of Jesus, His Kingly authority is released in our midst.
David's Tabernacle was a tent set up in Jerusalem and all it contained was the ark, representing the presence and glory of God. This was prophetic of Jesus coming to earth to "tabernacle" or dwell in the midst of His people. The ultimate fulfillment is intimacy with the Lord in the throne room in heaven. From Hebrews 10:19, because of the blood of Jesus we can all enter into the Holy of Holies. It is not restricted to a privileged few as it was in the Tabernacle of Moses. In Hebrews 4:16 we are told to come boldly into the throne room of God.
David was an intense worshipper who danced and played his harp before the Lord without fearing man. David's liberty is a picture of the New Testament Church worshipping with a true liberty that is only found when we worship in "spirit and truth."
The Tabernacle of David is the one place that the Lord has said that ALL of mankind will be able to seek Him and find Him. The restoration of the Tabernacle of David is a preparation for the return of Jesus. The Bride makes herself ready and prepares the way of the Lord. The Bride will be without spot or wrinkle. Holiness is very important. It is not achieved by works, but by faith in the Word, the blood of the Lamb, and the work of the Holy Spirit. All is being made ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Note that the Gentiles would become a big part of the restoring of David's tabernacle. In fact, the purpose of restoration also would be to bring in the gentiles. Everyone, Jew or gentile, would have equal access to God's presence.
Colossians 1:18 affirms Jesus as head of the Church. The prophet Isaiah described this in a slightly different way. He said the Messiah would rule from the "tabernacle of David" (Isaiah 16:5), which showed the mercy of God. He was going to make a way so all would have equal access to God's presence because of the cleansing blood of Jesus.
Now it is true that no man in or out of the Bible, except Jesus, was ever priest, prophet, and king. However, the tabernacle of David symbolizes three dimensions: A priestly dimension - focused on 24 hour a day worship and intercession that follows the Davidic order of worship ... a ministry to God in spirit and truth (John 4:24); a prophetic dimension - focused on the release of the prophetic ministry in the church of Jesus Christ - Acts 2:17; and a kingly dimension - focused on the apostolic ministry that accomplishes the tasks of the kingdom with power, fulfilling what men call the Great Commission. The Tabernacle of David in all 3 dimensions had it's beginning of restoration in the New Testament church. However, the completion of these 3 dimensions has not yet been fully restored that the nations might know God. The restoration of the Tabernacle of David is essential to complete the great harvest of souls promised to the church at the end of the age.
The exhortation for all Christians is to re-institute the Davidic order of worship in our personal temple. Spiritual breakthrough comes soon afterwards. I have heard a number of preachers tell their flock that their breakthrough is either right around the corner or they have it now. Sounds pleasing to the ear, but my understanding is that our breakthrough is conditional ... conditioned on the spirit of the Tabernacle of David made flesh within us ... conditioned on Christ in you, the hope of glory.
God wants us to set aside church as we know it for church as He wants it ... after the pattern of the Tabernacle of David. Lord, we humbly ask You to restore the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down. May You be glorified in all things. May your kingdom come and Your will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
During the reign of David two tabernacles co-existed: the Tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 21:29) and the Tabernacle of David in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:1).
To understand the significance of the Tabernacle of David, we must first consider the Tabernacle of Moses, which illustrated the perfection needed to come before the presence of God. The only Man who ever lived a life of perfection was the Man, Jesus Christ, as He walked the face of the earth. Only Christ in you, the hope of glory, can ever come into the presence of the Father.
The Tabernacle of Moses was a portable tent which the Israelites set-up as they rested during their journey through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. The glory of the presence of God rested and resided in the Ark of the Covenant in the midst of the Holy of Holies.
Upon entering the Promised Land, the Tabernacle of Moses was first settled at Gilgal for 14 years. Then the Ark was moved to Shiloh in Samaria for 369 years, during the period of the Judges. During the time of Eli, the second-to-last judge of Israel, the Israelites decided to take the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines. They reasoned that the Ark would be their best defense. God would surely lead them to victory!
But there is a difference between us trying to presumptuously take the Lord anywhere and the Lord giving us specific directions. The Israelites never asked the Lord whether they should take the Ark into battle. Therefore, the Lord was angry with Saul and the Israelites and allowed the Philistines to defeat them and capture the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4). Israel then became "Ichabod," meaning "the glory has departed" (1 Samuel 4:21-22). The Tabernacle of Moses in Shiloh was then without the Ark and without the glory of His presence. At the death of Samuel, the Ark was moved to Gibeon, just north of Jerusalem, a city in the tribe of Benjamin.
The presence of the Lord depends on our relationship with Him. David, a man after God's own heart, pleaded with God, "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:11). The presence of the Lord can bring a blessing when we abide by His ways. When we are ONE in Christ, a significant unity releases a powerful blessing of God. This is the kingdom Jesus died for. Regardless of race, culture or traditions, there is ONE body of Christ.
After the Philistines captured the Ark, they carried it to their city of Ashdod and placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon (1 Samuel 5). The statue of Dagon fell face downward on the ground, bowing in front of the Ark. After the Lord punished the people of Ashdod with plagues, they sent the Ark to the Philistine city of Gath. There again the Lord inflicted them. After seven months in Philistia, the Ark was returned to Israel on an ox cart with symbolic gifts from the Philistines as payment for their sins against the Lord. As that ox cart was enroute, Uzzah saw that the ark was about to fall, so he touched the ark to keep it steady, but the Lord smote Uzzah immediately. Then David said, in 1 Chronicles 13:12, "How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had."
For at least 20 years, there was no Shekinah Glory in the tabernacle of Moses located at Gibeon. The Holy of Holies was empty without the Ark. The priests continued to minister at the tabernacle, offering daily sacrifices, but they were just legalistic, ritual motions without the glory of His presence.
But David vowed to the Lord that he would not sleep in a bed until he could provide a proper "dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob" (Psalm 132). This is likewise prophetic of the Christian community today. No one seems to care that the glory of God has departed, mostly because we have not seen the glory of God in the first place. Instead, we see the church at Laodicea, characterized by deception and a lukewarm attitude. Leonard Ravenhill, a highly respected 20th century English evangelist and preacher once said: (quote) I'm sick to death of the so-called Christianity of our day. What's supernatural about it? When do people come out of the sanctuary awed and can't speak for an hour because God has been in glory there? Dear God, as soon as they get out, they're talking football, or sports or something or there's going to be a big sale downtown or somewhere. We are not caught up into eternity!
When did you last tip-toe out of the sanctuary? When you couldn't say a word to anybody because you were so overwhelmed with the glory of God? (end quote)
Instead of returning the Ark to the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon, David pitched a small, open-air tent in Jerusalem outside David's palace and placed the Ark inside.
1 Chronicles 15:1, "And [David] made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent."1 Chronicles 16:1, "So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God."
The proof of any action we take comes from the fruit that results. Certainly, the good fruit that resulted from the Tabernacle of David was the evidence of the Lord's blessing. The glory of the Lord returned to the Tabernacle of David. There can be no greater proof than that. David appointed priests to minister before the Lord continually night and day without ceasing, in praise and worship, both by singers and with musical instruments (1 Chronicles 16). Instead of the veil that Moses used, David covered the Ark with worship through musicians and singers, with both old and new, spontaneous songs in the form of praise and worship. For many long years I have longed to witness spontaneity within our Christian gatherings. Spontaneity is a sure sign of the leading of the Holy Spirit. For many long years I have believed that fresh manna should come forth in every gathering of the Lord's people. Our God is that big! I have seen that fresh manna come forth spontaneously many times. I have also experienced many times when the Lord would have brought forth fresh manna but the leadership did not allow it to happen. I even had a specific dream about that a few years ago.
Many of the Psalms were probably composed during the worship in the Tabernacle of David. That sparked a different type of worship than what typically occurred at the Tabernacle of Moses. At David's tabernacle, the people made sacrifices of praise to God. They clapped their hands; they lifted their hands in worship; they shouted and danced. They had glorious times in God's presence. But there were still burnt offerings and sacrifices in the Tabernacle of David. It was not yet the time for animal sacrifices to cease completely. The people still lived in man's day. Likewise, for the most part, the church community today still lives in man's day, but the day of the Lord is close at hand.
In the Tabernacle of David, the glory of God still rested on the Ark that resided in a small tent. Part of the significance of David's tabernacle was that there was no veil to keep the people from viewing the glory of God because David set the Ark of the Covenant in open view. At the Tabernacle of David, all men now had full, free access to God's presence. There was no veil separating people from the Ark of the Covenant, as there was in the tabernacle of Moses, Where the glory that rested on the Ark was hidden in the Holy of Holies behind a thick curtain.
There was a close personal relationship and openness between the Lord and David. The reason that David never lost a battle was because he always asked the Lord if he should go out to war. Perhaps the greatest desire of David was to dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 27). Living a life of righteousness and holiness is a sweet offering of praise and worship unto the Lord. It does not depend on the songs and the music. For several years in our New Testament house church back in the 1970's, all of our gatherings would start by singing three fast, upbeat songs followed by three slow, soft songs. Then we would worship in spirit and in truth. But one day one of the elders proclaimed that we really did not need a "warm-up" period simply to stir up our emotions. He suggested that we could begin our service by worshipping in spirit and truth without the emotional uplift. Moreover, whoever or whatever said that all church services must start with singing? A man and his God-given ministry are inseparable. More than a heart of worship, God requires a heart that is pure and undefiled, unspotted by the world. When my wife was very young in Christ, she received a prophecy that she was to have a ministry of blessing. For about two years she thought that meant that she was to lay her hand on other Christians and say, "I bless you in the Name of the Lord." Then the Lord made it known to her that she WAS the blessing, just by the life of Christ within her. If anyone is around my wife for 10 minutes you will know what a blessing she is to others.
God is not interested in many or vain repetitions (Matthew 6). Praying without ceasing is a continual dialogue with the Lord ... walking and talking with Him. There is no greater activity available to us Christians than to walk with the Lord daily. That is what Enoch did and the Lord translated him. When we pray, He listens. When He speaks, we listen, or at least we should listen. In between, we wait on Him and fellowship with Him, bearing His presence everywhere we go.
Communication with God can take place with or without words or sounds. The Lord knows our hearts. He knows what we need before we ever ask Him. The Lord gives us the desires of our heart ... the very desires themselves. The Lord wants to have communion with us more than we want to commune with Him. Toward that end, He will shout at us at first, if necessary. That was my initial experience after the Lord sovereignly and dramatically apprehended me. I received all sorts of bells and whistles, all sorts of dramatic experiences for a few years. Then the Lord removed most of the dramatic experiences and required me to walk by faith. Another level of communication comes when we accept
Many of the Psalms were probably composed during the worship in the Tabernacle of David. That sparked a different type of worship than what typically occurred at the Tabernacle of Moses. At David's tabernacle, the people made sacrifices of praise to God. They clapped their hands; they lifted their hands in worship; they shouted and danced. They had glorious times in God's presence. But there were still burnt offerings and sacrifices in the Tabernacle of David. It was not yet the time for animal sacrifices to cease completely. The people still lived in man's day. Likewise, for the most part, the church community today still lives in man's day, but the day of the Lord is close at hand.
In the Tabernacle of David, the glory of God still rested on the Ark that resided in a small tent. Part of the significance of David's tabernacle was that there was no veil to keep the people from viewing the glory of God because David set the Ark of the Covenant in open view. At the Tabernacle of David, all men now had full, free access to God's presence. There was no veil separating people from the Ark of the Covenant, as there was in the tabernacle of Moses, Where the glory that rested on the Ark was hidden in the Holy of Holies behind a thick curtain.
There was a close personal relationship and openness between the Lord and David. The reason that David never lost a battle was because he always asked the Lord if he should go out to war. Perhaps the greatest desire of David was to dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 27). Living a life of righteousness and holiness is a sweet offering of praise and worship unto the Lord. It does not depend on the songs and the music. For several years in our New Testament house church back in the 1970's, all of our gatherings would start by singing three fast, upbeat songs followed by three slow, soft songs. Then we would worship in spirit and in truth. But one day one of the elders proclaimed that we really did not need a "warm-up" period simply to stir up our emotions. He suggested that we could begin our service by worshipping in spirit and truth without the emotional uplift. Moreover, whoever or whatever said that all church services must start with singing? A man and his God-given ministry are inseparable. More than a heart of worship, God requires a heart that is pure and undefiled, unspotted by the world. When my wife was very young in Christ, she received a prophecy that she was to have a ministry of blessing. For about two years she thought that meant that she was to lay her hand on other Christians and say, "I bless you in the Name of the Lord." Then the Lord made it known to her that she WAS the blessing, just by the life of Christ within her. If anyone is around my wife for 10 minutes you will know what a blessing she is to others.
God is not interested in many or vain repetitions (Matthew 6). Praying without ceasing is a continual dialogue with the Lord ... walking and talking with Him. There is no greater activity available to us Christians than to walk with the Lord daily. That is what Enoch did and the Lord translated him. When we pray, He listens. When He speaks, we listen, or at least we should listen. In between, we wait on Him and fellowship with Him, bearing His presence everywhere we go.
Communication with God can take place with or without words or sounds. The Lord knows our hearts. He knows what we need before we ever ask Him. The Lord gives us the desires of our heart ... the very desires themselves. The Lord wants to have communion with us more than we want to commune with Him. Toward that end, He will shout at us at first, if necessary. That was my initial experience after the Lord sovereignly and dramatically apprehended me. I received all sorts of bells and whistles, all sorts of dramatic experiences for a few years. Then the Lord removed most of the dramatic experiences and required me to walk by faith. Another level of communication comes when we accept
Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."
When the Lord, in 1 Kings 19, came to Elijah in a cave, after Elijah had fled at the threats of the wicked Jezebel, the Lord was not in the strong wind, not in the earthquake, and not in the fire. The Lord spoke to Elijah in a still small voice.
The condition of our heart is very important - waiting on the Lord as a servant, wanting to do whatever the Master desires, and not as a master ourselves, wanting the Lord to do things for us! In the awesome presence of the Lord, no words can fully express our hearts.
The Tabernacle of David is all about the glory of the presence of the Lord. Without His presence, there is no way, no truth, no life, and no light! What is a tabernacle or a dwelling without the glory of the presence of the Lord? What is a Church when the Lord's presence is not there? What is a Christian who does not bear the presence of the Lord in his life?
There are three main references to the Tabernacle of David: Isaiah 16:5, Amos 9:11, and Acts 15:16, in which James repeats the passage from Amos. The reference in Isaiah 16:5 refers to the tabernacle of David prophetically, pointing to the One from the line of David who would someday sit on the throne and rule over all. That One, of course, refers to Jesus.
A controversy erupted after the gentiles became Christians and were filled with the Holy Spirit. The church at Jerusalem called a meeting to decide what to do with these outsiders. Some of the Judaizers thought the gentiles needed to be circumcised, but others disagreed. There was uncertainty as to whether the Gentiles were to keep the Law of Moses.
In Acts 15, James quoted Amos 9:11 to give credence to the recent conversion of the Gentiles in the early church. Amos 9:11 says,
The condition of our heart is very important - waiting on the Lord as a servant, wanting to do whatever the Master desires, and not as a master ourselves, wanting the Lord to do things for us! In the awesome presence of the Lord, no words can fully express our hearts.
The Tabernacle of David is all about the glory of the presence of the Lord. Without His presence, there is no way, no truth, no life, and no light! What is a tabernacle or a dwelling without the glory of the presence of the Lord? What is a Church when the Lord's presence is not there? What is a Christian who does not bear the presence of the Lord in his life?
There are three main references to the Tabernacle of David: Isaiah 16:5, Amos 9:11, and Acts 15:16, in which James repeats the passage from Amos. The reference in Isaiah 16:5 refers to the tabernacle of David prophetically, pointing to the One from the line of David who would someday sit on the throne and rule over all. That One, of course, refers to Jesus.
A controversy erupted after the gentiles became Christians and were filled with the Holy Spirit. The church at Jerusalem called a meeting to decide what to do with these outsiders. Some of the Judaizers thought the gentiles needed to be circumcised, but others disagreed. There was uncertainty as to whether the Gentiles were to keep the Law of Moses.
In Acts 15, James quoted Amos 9:11 to give credence to the recent conversion of the Gentiles in the early church. Amos 9:11 says,
"In that day will I raise up again the Tabernacle of David, that is fallen."
The Tabernacle of David was superseded by the building of Solomon's Temple. From Peter's earlier experience with Cornelius, a Gentile, God was also calling Gentiles to Himself. The apostles were not to put on the Gentiles a burden that no one could ever keep (i.e., the Law of Moses). Then, in Acts 15, James quoted the Amos passage, and said it was being fulfilled before their eyes. Further he said that gentiles did not need to be circumcised.
From James' decree, it is clear that God's promise through the prophet Amos - that He would "build again the tabernacle of David" - was related to what He was just then beginning to do, namely, visiting the Gentiles to take out from among them a people for His Name. James declared that God's visitation of the Gentiles agreed with the words of the prophets (in general) and Amos (in particular). The "tabernacle" referred to in Acts 15:16, then, is the spiritual house of God open to all, both Jew and Gentile, who seek Him in order to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
During David's time the tabernacle housed the Ark of the Covenant and was a precursor to the temple that Solomon would build. When Israel fell away from following the commandments of the Old Covenant, the temple was desecrated and needed to eventually be rebuilt, as described in the book of Ezra. Clearly God was not after a structure made with hands. He was and always has been after a temple not made with hands.
Singing had not been a part of the formal tabernacle activities from the days of Moses for centuries, but David changed all that. The singing was not for the people but for the Lord. The singers didn't face the people, nor is there any reference to an audience of any kind participating. The concept of worship in the Tabernacle of David was completely the opposite of "worship as performance" as it is conducted today. They didn't face the people ... they faced the Lord in the Ark. Does that tell us anything? Back in the mid-1970's in one of our New Testament house church gatherings, a prophecy came forth, which said, "Why do my people sing about me, but do not sing to me?"
Immediately after the Day of Pentecost and lasting for at least three centuries, the church was subjected to severe persecution. When the devil saw that his strategy was not working too well, he modified his strategy to include more subtle deception. When the Roman emperor Constantine gave the church state protection in the early fourth century, he abolished house churches, which had been the only way believers had gathered for 300 years. Paul had been the first to recognize that the glory and presence and work of God was no longer in the synagogues. It had shifted to individual homes. Constantine established places of worship directly modeled like the Greek theater, which was the primary entertainment venue in ancient Rome at that time. Under Constantine, the ministers and the worship leaders for the first time stepped on to a raised platform to conduct services in exactly the same way that plays were put on at the time.
Do you think the Lord was pleased with that change? Church for the first time went from being a vibrant interactive spiritual community to sitting quietly and passively as an audience that was expected not to interrupt the performance or interact in any way as to disrupt the proceedings on the platform. This manner of conducting Christian gatherings continues relatively unchanged to this day. A multitude of churches today at every level use raised platforms to divide the ministers and singers from the audience. I have also seen several churches where all of the "elders" sit up front on platforms so the people can see who their leaders are. A further means to differentiate the clergy from the laity is the manner of dress ... using robes and the like. In Revelation 2:6 and 2:15, the Lord says He hates the deeds and the doctrines of the Nicolaitans. Nicolaitans means "people conquerors," which refers to the clergy/laity division.
Under Constantine's decree, the church became a caricature of itself that has not risen far above state control in the centuries since. Before Constantine, the church was so dynamic that it brought the might of Rome to its knees. The church isn't impacting or confronting society today as it did before Constantine. It is merely part of society with its many edifices, adorned with spires and steeples on every street corner. The church's definition of reform today is envisioned as political take-over IN the world system, but Paul taught we are to OVERCOME the world. Lord, take us from church as performance to something like what the early church was that brought Rome to its knees and saw cities turned upside down for Christ. Of course, the more the church today becomes like the early church, the more persecution we will receive.
From James' decree, it is clear that God's promise through the prophet Amos - that He would "build again the tabernacle of David" - was related to what He was just then beginning to do, namely, visiting the Gentiles to take out from among them a people for His Name. James declared that God's visitation of the Gentiles agreed with the words of the prophets (in general) and Amos (in particular). The "tabernacle" referred to in Acts 15:16, then, is the spiritual house of God open to all, both Jew and Gentile, who seek Him in order to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
During David's time the tabernacle housed the Ark of the Covenant and was a precursor to the temple that Solomon would build. When Israel fell away from following the commandments of the Old Covenant, the temple was desecrated and needed to eventually be rebuilt, as described in the book of Ezra. Clearly God was not after a structure made with hands. He was and always has been after a temple not made with hands.
Singing had not been a part of the formal tabernacle activities from the days of Moses for centuries, but David changed all that. The singing was not for the people but for the Lord. The singers didn't face the people, nor is there any reference to an audience of any kind participating. The concept of worship in the Tabernacle of David was completely the opposite of "worship as performance" as it is conducted today. They didn't face the people ... they faced the Lord in the Ark. Does that tell us anything? Back in the mid-1970's in one of our New Testament house church gatherings, a prophecy came forth, which said, "Why do my people sing about me, but do not sing to me?"
Immediately after the Day of Pentecost and lasting for at least three centuries, the church was subjected to severe persecution. When the devil saw that his strategy was not working too well, he modified his strategy to include more subtle deception. When the Roman emperor Constantine gave the church state protection in the early fourth century, he abolished house churches, which had been the only way believers had gathered for 300 years. Paul had been the first to recognize that the glory and presence and work of God was no longer in the synagogues. It had shifted to individual homes. Constantine established places of worship directly modeled like the Greek theater, which was the primary entertainment venue in ancient Rome at that time. Under Constantine, the ministers and the worship leaders for the first time stepped on to a raised platform to conduct services in exactly the same way that plays were put on at the time.
Do you think the Lord was pleased with that change? Church for the first time went from being a vibrant interactive spiritual community to sitting quietly and passively as an audience that was expected not to interrupt the performance or interact in any way as to disrupt the proceedings on the platform. This manner of conducting Christian gatherings continues relatively unchanged to this day. A multitude of churches today at every level use raised platforms to divide the ministers and singers from the audience. I have also seen several churches where all of the "elders" sit up front on platforms so the people can see who their leaders are. A further means to differentiate the clergy from the laity is the manner of dress ... using robes and the like. In Revelation 2:6 and 2:15, the Lord says He hates the deeds and the doctrines of the Nicolaitans. Nicolaitans means "people conquerors," which refers to the clergy/laity division.
Under Constantine's decree, the church became a caricature of itself that has not risen far above state control in the centuries since. Before Constantine, the church was so dynamic that it brought the might of Rome to its knees. The church isn't impacting or confronting society today as it did before Constantine. It is merely part of society with its many edifices, adorned with spires and steeples on every street corner. The church's definition of reform today is envisioned as political take-over IN the world system, but Paul taught we are to OVERCOME the world. Lord, take us from church as performance to something like what the early church was that brought Rome to its knees and saw cities turned upside down for Christ. Of course, the more the church today becomes like the early church, the more persecution we will receive.
2 Timothy 3:12, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."Acts 14:21-22, "And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."Romans 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Think about all of the labor involved in the first Tabernacle that Jesus instructed Moses to build. Even after the structure was built, it required an enormous amount of maintenance; slaughtering thousands of animals, removing gallons of blood, keeping the menorah lit, the shewbread baked, the incense burning. All of that work so that the presence of the Lord would dwell among them. It was a lifestyle of hard labor for a lot of people to keep the Lord's spirit and protection with the nation. But God says that there remains a rest to His chosen people.
The Tabernacle of David was very different. We can read all about it in 1st Chronicles. David made several big mistakes but his heart burned for the Lord, and all he wanted was to please Him. For this reason, the Ark of the Covenant was brought back to the Hebrew nation under David's watch; there was great rejoicing and celebration and the Lord did something amazing. He got David to set up a new tabernacle with no walls or veils to hide His presence - His glory. His Spirit was literally shining from the Ark for all the nation to look upon.
What would that have felt like for His people to be restored to the Lord's favor once again and not have to go through the priests to know the Master? The veil had been taken away and each individual had access to a personal relationship with the Creator and His love.
That is what has been promised to us as Christians. Just as there was a shift and a change from the worship of the ancient Hebrews, the Tabernacle of David speaks today, not of any physical structure, but of the Bride and the refreshing that will come from the Master in these last days. For the Bride of Christ ... the overcomers, instead of hard, laboring servitude, true worship today is in the Spirit. The Lord is rebuilding the spirit of the Tabernacle of David among His chosen Bride. She is no longer required to perform laborious work to earn His love. He has died for our sins and forgiven us, washed us clean and set us on a path toward complete redemption.
Many want to stay in the mindset of the Tabernacle of Moses, trying to earn their salvation and deliverance through hard labor and religious habits, but have we tasted His glorious presence? Are we part of the Bride or are we still in religion? Are we running the race to overcome and put on our wedding garments? Once again Jesus is crying out for us to come out from among them. Come out of the beast, the slavery of religion, and come into the Bride, which is now being perfected and matured in Christ, granting her direct access to the presence of the Lord Himself as typified by David's Tabernacle.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
Today the tabernacle is our fleshly vessels, not made with hands. Is our tabernacle dedicated to religious/worldly behavior or to Christ in you, the hope of glory?
Just as it was in the days of David, so is it today. Today there are still two tabernacles - a religious tabernacle of routines, ritual, and ceremony, and the spiritual Tabernacle of David, who was the first King pointing to what Jesus Himself would become for us all. Those in the Bride are now kings and priests, but we must be processed first (Hebrews 12) and put on the new man in Christ, understanding that Jesus does everything. We just need to listen to Him and be obedient. That requires ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to understand.
The restoration of the "Tabernacle of David" is as relevant today as it was when the apostles grappled with those same issues in Acts 15. The restoration of the "Tabernacle of David" is prophecy being fulfilled. It began when Peter began preaching to Gentiles. Acts 15 tells the story of the difficult issues that can arise when Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ come together. James received the revelatory answer from Amos 9. How many true believers today have received that same revelation? Of the few who have received that same revelation, how many in church leadership positions understand and walk in that same truth?
David's life, kingship, and worship were all prophetic; all pointing to the life and ministry of Jesus. David reigned from the place of God's presence and glory. All government and business is influenced by the open heaven created by the life rightly related to God and continual worship. Jesus sits upon the throne of David, which is in heaven among 24/7 worship. When we allow the government to be on the shoulders of Jesus, His Kingly authority is released in our midst.
David's Tabernacle was a tent set up in Jerusalem and all it contained was the ark, representing the presence and glory of God. This was prophetic of Jesus coming to earth to "tabernacle" or dwell in the midst of His people. The ultimate fulfillment is intimacy with the Lord in the throne room in heaven. From Hebrews 10:19, because of the blood of Jesus we can all enter into the Holy of Holies. It is not restricted to a privileged few as it was in the Tabernacle of Moses. In Hebrews 4:16 we are told to come boldly into the throne room of God.
David was an intense worshipper who danced and played his harp before the Lord without fearing man. David's liberty is a picture of the New Testament Church worshipping with a true liberty that is only found when we worship in "spirit and truth."
The Tabernacle of David is the one place that the Lord has said that ALL of mankind will be able to seek Him and find Him. The restoration of the Tabernacle of David is a preparation for the return of Jesus. The Bride makes herself ready and prepares the way of the Lord. The Bride will be without spot or wrinkle. Holiness is very important. It is not achieved by works, but by faith in the Word, the blood of the Lamb, and the work of the Holy Spirit. All is being made ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Note that the Gentiles would become a big part of the restoring of David's tabernacle. In fact, the purpose of restoration also would be to bring in the gentiles. Everyone, Jew or gentile, would have equal access to God's presence.
Colossians 1:18 affirms Jesus as head of the Church. The prophet Isaiah described this in a slightly different way. He said the Messiah would rule from the "tabernacle of David" (Isaiah 16:5), which showed the mercy of God. He was going to make a way so all would have equal access to God's presence because of the cleansing blood of Jesus.
Now it is true that no man in or out of the Bible, except Jesus, was ever priest, prophet, and king. However, the tabernacle of David symbolizes three dimensions: A priestly dimension - focused on 24 hour a day worship and intercession that follows the Davidic order of worship ... a ministry to God in spirit and truth (John 4:24); a prophetic dimension - focused on the release of the prophetic ministry in the church of Jesus Christ - Acts 2:17; and a kingly dimension - focused on the apostolic ministry that accomplishes the tasks of the kingdom with power, fulfilling what men call the Great Commission. The Tabernacle of David in all 3 dimensions had it's beginning of restoration in the New Testament church. However, the completion of these 3 dimensions has not yet been fully restored that the nations might know God. The restoration of the Tabernacle of David is essential to complete the great harvest of souls promised to the church at the end of the age.
The exhortation for all Christians is to re-institute the Davidic order of worship in our personal temple. Spiritual breakthrough comes soon afterwards. I have heard a number of preachers tell their flock that their breakthrough is either right around the corner or they have it now. Sounds pleasing to the ear, but my understanding is that our breakthrough is conditional ... conditioned on the spirit of the Tabernacle of David made flesh within us ... conditioned on Christ in you, the hope of glory.
God wants us to set aside church as we know it for church as He wants it ... after the pattern of the Tabernacle of David. Lord, we humbly ask You to restore the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down. May You be glorified in all things. May your kingdom come and Your will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
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