The Tabernacle of David

Acts 15 vs. 18-19 (New King James Version):1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. 4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." 6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth theGentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they." 12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. 13 And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, "Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: 16 'After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; 17 so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things.' Introduction:? There is much interest in the Tabernacle of David in churches over the last few years. What was the Tabernacle?? The tabernacle was a tent, essentially a sheet stretched over the top of 4 poles. It was the tent that King David set up on Mount Zion in Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant. A very simple, and portable structure. ? It was the centrepiece of a new order of joyful worship in marked contrast to the solemn worship that was required in Moses' Tabernacle. Contrast:Tabernacle of Moses Divided into 3 parts - Outer Court, Holy Place, Most Holy Place Animal sacrifices Veil - no access except for High Priest Tabernacle of David- No Outer Court, No Holy Place, No most Holy Place - Openness - Spiritual Sacrifices of Praise - No veil - all may enter - 1 Peter 2 v. 5: “holy priesthood”. There are 3 dimensions to the Tabernacle of David:1. KINGLY - David was a king! Speaks of authority; works of power.2. PROPHETIC - Foresees the Lord 'tabernacling with men' in the New Jerualem (Rev. 21v.3)3. PRIESTLY - Praise, worship and intercession.The concern for this article is the PRIESTLY function. What Happened in the Tabernacle- God's Chosen Order of Worship:? In John 4 v.24, Jesus said that the Father is seeking those who will worship Him "in spirit and in truth". The Tabernacle of David gives us some clues to the type of worship that God desires. In Truth:Kevin Conner: "To worship 'in truth' is to worship according to the Word of God."Therefore, we need to know what the Word of God says about worship. In Spirit:? People were created to worship God. Yet we cannot worship God without the Holy Spirit. Without the indwelling Spirit we will manufacture forms of worship that are devoid of Him. The Tabernacle of David is not a structure, pattern or style of worship. When God says that He is going to re-build the Tabernacle He is not talking about a new, physical tent into which to house His presence, but rather restoring the PRINCIPLES, VALUES and the SPIRIT of what made up the Tabernacle. It gives us a framework of what God considers to be acceptable worship.Kevin Conner:"To worship 'in spirit' is to allow the Holy Spirit to move upon the believer's redeemed spirit,causing love, adoration, devotion, honour and respect to ascend to God".Worship in Spirit – includes release of God-given emotion as a response to coming close to Him (see below). God has revealed in His Word a number of different expressions of worship that He considers acceptable. Let's look at them:1. Singing: (1 Chronicles 15 vs. 16-27, 25 vs. 1-7)Singing was very prominent in the ToD – none in Moses’ tabernacle.2. Musicians with Instruments: (1 Chronicles 23 v.5, 25 vs. 1-7)David appoitnted musicians and singers to minister to God.3. Night and Day ministry before the Ark of the Covenant: (1 Chronicles 16 vs. 4,6,37) (READ MARC DuPONT PROPHECY)4. Recording: (1 Chronicles 16 v.4, 28 v.12,19) – the Levites wrote down many of the Psalms so that they can be remembered.5. Thankfulness: (1 Chronicles 16 v.4,8,41)6. Praise: (1 Chronicles 16 v.4,36)7. Psalms: (1 Chronicles 16v.9, Psalm 98 v.6)8. Rejoicing: (1 Chronicles 16 v.10,16,25-31)9. Clapping Hands: (Psalm 47 v.1, 98 v.8, Isaiah 55 v.12)10. Shouting: (1 Chronicles 15 v.28, Psalm 47 vs. 1,5, Isiah 12 v.6)11. Dancing: (1 Chronicles 15 v.29, 2 Samuel 6 v.14, Psalm 149 v.3, 150 v.4)12. Lifting Up Hands: (Psalm 134, 141 v.2)13. Worship: (1 Chronicles 16 v.29, Psalm 29 vs. 1-2, 95 v.6) – “to bow down , to stoop very low, to prostrate oneself”14. Seeking the Lord: (1 Chronicles 16 vs. 10-11, 2 Chronicles 7 v.14)So worship which is ‘in spirit and in truth’ ““..invloves the believer honouring and adoring God by the quickening of the Holy Spirit and according to the Word of the Lord. The Spirit and the Word are both needed in proper worship. Both must be there. If the Spirit is not there, then worship is dead, lifeless. It is according to the letter which kills. All becomes empty form.If the Word is not there, then the worship can become mere sentimentalism, emotionalism and can lead to fanaticism. There is need of the Spirit and the Word in true biblical worship. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH FORM OR ORDER.”? The International House of Prayer of Kansas City operates what could be called a? ‘prophetic liturgy’ within 24 hour timescale. ? Globally, there is an awakening about the role of the Word of God in worship. ‘Praying the Bible’, ‘Intercessory Worship’. (The Word of God is active… Hebrews 4 v.12)HOW CAN WE APPLY THIS TO WORSHIP MINISTRY TODAY:KEY POINTS:? God is restoring the ‘Watch of the Lord’ – a ministry TO the Lord, rather than to people. This is the overriding feature of the Priestly function of the ToD. The Levites in the tabernacle were set apart for ministrering to God – (quote I Chronicles 9 v.33). Similarly, in these days God is setting apart many all across the world to minister to Him in praise, worship and intercession, even as their ‘job’.? Isaiah 56 v.7 – enjoyable prayer. In context of 24 hour worship, we will never be able to go through long periods of prayer unless there is joy. Will be hard work without. ToD is a blueprint of the type of worship and prayer that will be sustainable – Joy of the Lord is our strength.Purpose of Restoring the Tabernacle of DavidThe Context of the Passage:* Verses 13-15 *This passage was read by James, a Jew, at the Council of Jerusalem amongst Jewishbelievers. The Council was debating Jewish customs and laws and how they, as Jews, should relate to Gentiles. James quoted this obscure passage from Amos 9 vs. 11-15 about the judgement and subsequent restoration of Israel.1) WORLD EVANGELISATIONAmos 9 v.12: "That they may possess the remnant of Edom and of all the nations that are called by Myname" Acts 15 vs. 15-17: "So that the rest of Men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name has been invoked"? God desires that all should come to a knowledge of the truth.? God is restoring the kind of worship that we see in the Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament, that releases the power of God to break through as a result.? The restoration of the Priestly function precedes the Kingly (evangelism). Worship and Intercession are vital components of the Harvest.2) BECAUSE GOD (THE FATHER) WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS CHILDREN.This is the ultimate reason! He wants all to come to know Him so that they can be in relationship with Him and enjoy Him. CONCLUSION: The ToD has many dimensions – It starts with minsitry TO GOD, which leads to ministry to Man; The restoration of true worship is a pre-requisite to the fulfilment of the Great Commission; It has to do with night and day worship and prayer; The ToD contains the blueprint for the modern-day 24-7 prayer movement. This restoration is characterised by the JOY OF THE LORD;