Restored Tabernacle = Worship & Praise?

- Kenneth Greatorex -

It has been taught that the Restoration of the Tabernacle of David, is a modern day restoration of worship like that instituted when King David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Mount Zion. Graham Truscott wrote, "the Restoration of David's Tabernacle is the spiritual restoration of the Power of His Presence promised by God to all Christians who look for it in these last days." and "- God says He is restoring the Tabernacle of David, before the second coming of Jesus Christ.” This message from him and others, lead to the patterning Praise and Worship similar to that which David instituted under the OLD Covenant.

During the days of Eli the Ark was taken into battle. God allowed the Philistines to capture it because of Israel’s wickedness. Eli's daughter-in-law, while giving birth, spoke these memorable words, “Ichabod - - the glory has departed from Israel!” [1 Samuel 4:21], and then she died. The Ark was the place where God dwelled between the Cherubim. It symbolized His presence and His glory. The record of David's efforts to bring back the Ark are recorded in 2 Samuel 6 and 1 Chronicles 13, 15 and 16.

The first attempt at recovering the Ark was based upon man's carnal methods. Their dependence was on FLESH, as was shown when the oxen stumbled. Uzzah tried to steady the Ark (God's Presence), only to be struck dead. The second time it was carried on "poles" and the Levites were "sanctified." David had learned it must be done with THE PROPER ORDER. [1 Chronicles 15:12-15] Now it was done with sanctification, God’s way, and NOT carnal methods.

The Ark was NOT taken to Gibeon where Moses' Tabernacle, and all of the sacrificial rituals of the law continued. It was placed on Mount Zion, a clear break with Mosaic order. Levites [But NOT priests], and singers were appointed to minister before the Ark. This pattern of P&W continued there until the dedication of Solomon's temple.

Acts 15 records the first church conference. It purpose was the question of Gentile circumcision. The verdict, "James answered, saying, - "Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name." Quoting Amos 9:11,-12, he said: "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, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,”

Clearly this has nothing to do with praise and worship, BUT with mankind seeking our Lord.

We must recognize that the “Tabernacle of David” is NOT a system of P&W, IT IS THE RESTORED HOUSE OF DAVID. House meaning, family or dynasty. (See: Amos 9:11,12; Acts 15:13-17 and 2:25-36) The PRESENT REIGN OF KING JESUS is the restoration of the Tabernacle of David.

The Temple and it's ordinances were still functioning when James spoke in 48-50 AD. Amos prophesied while King Uzziah reigned, and Solomon's Temple stood. Why would God speak of "the restoration of a tent?" Was not the Temple now His order? Yes, for a time, but it WAS SPIRITUAL worship that He desired! God’s people are His true dwelling place. Natural/fleshly Israel was fallen and in ruins. God purposed to raise up, NOT NATURAL, but SPIRITUAL ISRAEL, the true ISRAEL OF GOD, and for Christ to reign as head of the House of David at the right hand of our Father.

1 Peter 2:4-10 speaks of, LIVING STONES, A SPIRITUAL HOUSE, SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, and of people “who were once not a people but are now the people of God,”

Ephesians 2:21-22 reads, “- grows together into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a HABITATION OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT.” God's purposes start in the natural and end in the spiritual. For God has made the natural Jew and Gentiles ONE BODY in Christ. [Ephesians 2:11-18]

Philip Mauro wrote: "it is to be observed that this sojourn of the ark on Mount Zion is the foundation of the many references in the Psalms and the Prophets to Zion, as the dwelling place of Jehovah, - - never after was Mount Moriah, where Solomon's - temple stood, referred to as Jehovah's dwelling place, but always Mount Zion; and that when God speaks by His prophets concerning things to come in the Kingdom of Christ, He NEVER says "I will build again the Temple of Solomon - ," but, "I will build again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen down."

Mauro also wrote about Isaiah 28:16, “- Isaiah established two facts of capital importance; FIRST, that God's eternal habitation is being built, NOT in the natural world, but IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD; and SECOND, that the ZION of prophecy, which God has chosen as the place of His eternal abode, is the heavenly Zion, to which we "are come" (Hebrews 12:22)”

The Tabernacle of David HAS BEEN RESTORED, by the birth of the church. Zion today is the church! We are not marching to Zion, WE ARE THERE. We march IN and not TO Zion! Zion is the place of His dwelling. We don't go to church, we are the church. The KING NOW REIGNS in Zion. One of the meanings of "tabernacle" is "house." A "HOUSE" is more than a place to be in, it is A FAMILY, OR A DYNASTY. Some earthly rich people belong to "the "house of - ". We belong to, and ARE THE HOUSE OF GOD, the TRUE TABERNACLE OF DAVID! The Tabernacle is the Kingdom of God, it is the HOUSE of King Jesus of which we ARE a part.

Isaiah 16:15 reads, "In MERCY the throne will be established; and ONE will sit on it in truth, IN THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID, - “ According to Acts 2:25-36, Jesus has been exalted, and is NOW reigning! It is for this reason that we worship our Lord and King, IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH. Anything NOT of spirit, is of the flesh, and it with this consideration that it must be said that most P&W with it's MAN CENTERED emphasis, despite it's outer appearance IS NOT P&W under the order of the Tabernacle of David.

Christ IS our NEW AND LIVING WAY. There is NOW freedom of direct access to the presence of God. In 2 Corinthians 3;17 we read, “where the SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, there is LIBERTY.” "Liberty" from the Greek ELEUTHERIA, Strong's # 1657. It means, FREEDOM. The Church His Body, is NOW HIS TEMPLE, and we are free to worship in spirit and in truth. The call goes out for true worshipers. Are you one?

The playing of religious games by either carnal (worldly) means, or traditions, new or old, MUST END. We MUST STOP “working” the Holy Spirit, and His gifts. How many services have we made all the right religious moves, and ignored the voice of the Lord? We sang, danced and prophesied, BUT HE WS NOT THERE, AND WAS NOT WELCOME. Yes, "AN EFFECT" had been produced. We professed our P&W to be for His glory, BUT He had NO PART in it. We ALL need the Lord to purify the motives of our hearts!

Ezekiel spoke prophetically of WATERS flowing from under the altar in the Most Holy Place, through the temple until it flowed into the desert (world) places to bring healing and life. I remember times of worship in 1956 when the anointing became so strong that men literally ran from the street directly to the altar crying out for salvation. Where is such a manifestation of the glory of His Presence to be found today? We need to understand that the Restoration of the Tabernacle of David is LIFE giving, and not METHOD giving. It is the restored power and glory of His PRESENCE AMONG HIS PEOPLE! It is where King Jesus is NOW REIGNING!

Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God." While some would place this into some future, THE REALITY IS NOW! Our Lord does even now "tabernacle, reside, dwell, make His abode, within His people, the Body of Christ, His living Church. The Tabernacle of David IS RESTORED! [Revelation 21:3]

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