TABERNECAL OF DAVID

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In the last lesson we studied the Tabernacle of Moses and saw how it provided
numerous types of New Testament truth. But there are in fact three tabernacles
described in the Bible:
Ü The Pre-Tabernacle (Exodus 33:7-11) – a pitched tent at Sinai that
was a precursor to the true Tabernacle of Moses.
Ü The Tabernacle of Moses Proper (Exodus 25-27,30-31,35-40) – constructed
according to the instructions Moses received on Mount Sinai.
Ü The Tabernacle of David (Exodus 29:42,44) – erected on Mount Zion
during the reign of King David.
In this lesson, we are going to look at this third
tabernacle and the rich significance it holds
for New Testament believers.
A Prophecy Fulfilled
Standing before the apostles and elders of the
early Church, James makes a remarkable
statement in Acts 15:16-17:
“The words of the prophets are in agreement
with this, as it is written: ‘After this
I will return and rebuild David’s fallen
tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will
restore it, that the remnant of men may
seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who
does these things.’”
What was it that the words of the prophets were in agreement with? What was it
that was fulfilling the prophecy of Amos (see Amos 9:11), which described the
rebuilding of “David’s fallen tent” (NIV) or “the tabernacle of David, which has
fallen down” (NKJV)?
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The Tabernacle of David
Types and Shadows
s
s
A Tapestry of Types
The Tabernacle of Moses
The Tabernacle of David
The Sacrificial System
The Restoration of the Temple
The Gates of Jerusalem
The Feasts of Israel
Two Mountains
The High Priest
The Torn Veil
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This declaration by James was in response to an absolutely amazing phenomenon.
Thousands upon thousands of Gentiles were believing on Jesus and pouring
into the Church (see Acts 11:19-24; 15:12). James saw this as a direct fulfillment
of the prophecy that resulted in “the rest of mankind” seeking the Lord and “even
all the Gentiles who are called by My name.”
But look at the focal point of that prophecy. It concerned the restoration of David’s
fallen tent. This is obviously drawing on the rich imagery of the Old Testament.
But what exactly was David’s tabernacle?
In the context of Amos’ prophecy, “David’s fallen tent” had two complementary
meanings:
Ü The civic meaning – David’s fallen tent can refer to the “house of David”
– his kingdom, which had been split in two and fallen into ruin.
Ü The spiritual meaning – David’s fallen tent can refer to the nationwide
revival associated with the setting up of David’s Tabernacle on Mount
Zion.
While both can apply to the fulfillment of this prophecy in Acts 15:16-17, it is the
spiritual meaning of the term “David’s Tabernacle” that applies best, as we shall
see, to the phenomenon of a massive influx of Gentiles into the Church.
Historical Background
The setting up of David’s Tabernacle on Mount Zion, and the events which led up
to it, are highly significant for us. For as James proclaimed in Acts 15:16-17, the
Tabernacle of David is a type that finds its fulfillment in the experience of the
Church.
Let’s take a look, then, at the events that led up to David setting up his tabernacle
on Mount Zion.
When David came to power, the Tabernacle of Moses was still in existence. All the
rituals prescribed by the Law of Moses were still carried out:
Ü The priests would offer the prescribed sacrifices on the brazen altar inside
the Outer Court.
Ü The priests would wash themselves at the laver before entering through
the veiled door into the Holy Place.
Ü The table of shewbread was maintained as commanded in the Law and the
priests would eat of the shewbread each Sabbath, replacing it with new
cakes of unleavened bread (note 1 Samuel 21:1-6).
Ü The seven-branched lampstand was kept oiled and alight, shedding its flickering
light upon the other furniture in the Holy Place.
Ü Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would fill a golden
censor with coals from the altar of incense and enter into the Most Holy
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Place on behalf of the people.
On the surface, everything was operating as it should be. But there was something
very unusual about this scene. For all the articles of tabernacle furniture
were there except one – the most important one! When the High Priest passed
through the veil into the Most Holy Place, he entered an empty room! The Ark of
the Covenant was no longer in the Tabernacle of Moses!
The Age of Ichabod
About one hundred years earlier, an event had happened in Israel that would
affect the nation for a century. Israel was fighting against the Philistines at that
time, and not faring well, when someone had the bright idea that they should
carry the Ark of the Covenant into battle. After all, according to Numbers 10:35,
every time Israel broke camp and set out with the Ark of the Covenant, Moses
would proclaim:
“Rise up, O Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before
you.”
Maybe, they thought, the Ark of the Covenant could help turn the tide of the war.
Read 1 Samuel 4:1-22
What transpired, instead, was the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines
and the total routing of Israel’s armies. The daughter-in-law of Eli the
priest, dying in childbirth, called her son Ichabod, which means “the glory has
departed,” then uttered a cry that was to define three generations:
“The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
From that time onward, right through the ministry of Samuel, right through the
reign of Saul (David’s predecessor), the Ark of the Covenant was missing from
the Tabernacle of Moses. But what had happened to it? Well that, in itself, is an
interesting story – a story that has great relevance to the setting up of David’s
Tabernacle.
Read 1 Samuel 5:1-7:1
Here are the events as they transpired:
Ü The Philistines transport the Ark of the Covenant back to Ashdod, one of
their principal cities. Believing it to be the idol of the Israelites, they do
what any ancient conqueror would have done – they bring the Ark into the
temple of their chief god, Dagon (which was half-human and half-fish), and
place it before his idol as proof that Dagon was more powerful than Yahweh,
the “god” of the Israelites.
Ü When they return in the morning, however, they find the idol of Dagon on
its face before the Ark of the Covenant. They quickly set up the idol again,
thinking it had accidentally toppled, but the next morning the same thing
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has happened. This time the head and hands of the idol have broken off.
Ü A plague of rats and tumors (most likely hemorrhoids) breaks out in Ashdod
and the surrounding countryside. The crisis becomes so severe that the
men of Ashdod declare: “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here
with us, because his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god.” They
call a leadership council to decide how to resolve this crisis.
Ü They decide that the simplest thing to do is “pass the buck,” so they send
the Ark first to Gath, another Philistine city, and then to Ekron. But in both
these cities, plagues break out against the Philistines.
Ü Upon the advice of their “priests and diviners,” the Philistines decide to
send the Ark back to Israel. But as they do so they offer a “guilt offering” to
God – an offering of five gold hemorrhoids and five gold rats, representing
the five cities of the Philistines. And note the admonition of priests and
diviners: “Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh
did? When [the god of Israel] treated them harshly, did they not send the
Israelites out so they could go on their way?” The news of the plagues sent
upon Egypt was well known in Canaan (see also Joshua 2:8-11).
Ü They put the Ark of the Covenant on a new cart, hitched to two cows that
had just calved and had never been yoked. They took the calves away,
knowing that if the cows proceeded off on their own accord, that this was
the doing of the God of Israel.
Ü The cows pull the cart across the border of Israel, into the city of Beth
Shemesh. There is great rejoicing upon the arrival of the Ark, and sacrifices
and burnt offerings are made to the Lord.*
Ü Seventy men† decide they want a peek into the Ark, however, and as a
result are struck dead. The response of the men of Beth Shemesh is: “Who
can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark
go up from here?”
Ü The Ark is finally moved to Kiriath Jearim, possibly because it had a pagan
high place, which the people thought might offer protection from what they
considered the capricious attack of God. It is put into the house of Abinidab,
who was probably a Levite and therefore permitted by Law to look after
the Ark of the Covenant (note Numbers 1:50-51). His son, Eleazar, is consecrated
to stand guard over the Ark, probably to avoid another incident
like that in Beth Shemesh.
The Ark of the Covenant was to stay in Kiriath Jearim for about 100 years. When
David became king over all Israel, one of the first things he did was to bring back
the Ark of the Covenant.
* According to Joshua 21:16, Beth Shemesh was a priestly city. The presence of the Ark of the Covenant legitimized the
sacrifices and offerings, and priests were probably there to present them before the Lord.
† The number 50,070 is most likely a corruption of the original text. Some ancient manuscripts omit the 50,000, and 70 is
widely regarded by scholars as the correct number.
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The First Attempt
Read 1 Chronicles 13:1-11
David had one great desire – to live in the continual presence of God (Psalm
27:4). This was his motivation for organizing to have the Ark returned to its rightful
place in the center of Israel’s worship.
But something went terribly wrong. During the transport of the Ark, the oxen
stumble and Uzzah does the natural thing. He puts out his hand to steady the Ark
and its immediately struck dead. 1 Chronicles 13:11 tells us:
“Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against
Uzzah...”
The Hebrew expression used here literally means “his nose was out of joint.” He
was not simply angry; he was upset with God and offended by God’s wrath. For
this was a repeat of what had happened previously in Beth Shemesh and David’s
reaction was probably similar that of the men of Beth Shemesh:
“Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the
ark go up from here?”
What had gone wrong, of course, was not simply that Uzzah had touched the Ark.
The whole method of the transportation of the Ark had not been done according
the stipulations of the Law of Moses. The Ark was supposed to be carried on the
shoulders of the Levites, using poles inserted through its corner rings (see Exodus
25:13-14). In this way, the Ark itself was never touched.
Uzzah and Ahio were sons (or more correctly descendants) of Abinadab, and therefore
probably Levites. But in transporting the Ark on a new cart, they had used
the methodology of the Philistines, not the prescribed way of God.
The death of Uzzah caused an immediate cessation to the procession and the Ark
was placed in the nearest residence, the home of a man called Obed-Edom.
The Second Attempt
Read 2 Samuel 6:12-23
Read 1 Chronicles 15-16
Some three months later, David hears that the household of Obed-Edom is experiencing
great blessing from God, and his heart is again stirred to see the Ark
returned to the center of Israel’s worship. But now he seeks the Lord for the
prescribed way.
This time David transports the Ark in the way that the Law of Moses had stipulated
– on the shoulders of the Levites (1 Chronicles 15:2). He offers the right
sacrifices to the Lord and as the Ark enters Jerusalem, David dances in celebration
before the Lord.
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But then he does something unexpected. He doesn’t take the Ark to Gibeon, where
the Tabernacle of Moses was situated. Instead he pitches a tent for the Ark on
Mount Zion (1 Chronicles 15:1). It is this tent that comes to be called the Tabernacle
of David.
As we begin to explore the type of David’s Tabernacle, however, it is first important
to understand the principles of the transportation of the Ark to David’s Tabernacle,
for story of the Ark’s arrival is essential to our understanding of the Tabernacle
of David.
As far as James was concerned, the fulfillment of Amos’ prophecy concerning the
restoration of David’s Tabernacle involved the manifested presence of God, which
acts like a magnet to “the rest of mankind” and “all the Gentiles who are called by
My name.” He regarded the great influx of Gentiles into the kingdom of God as
proof that Ark of God’s presence had returned to David’s Tabernacle.
In the same way, God desires for his manifested presence to be revealed in his
Church. But for this to happen, we must understand God’s prescribed way for the
return of the Ark of his presence:
Ü It is carried on the shoulders of the priesthood – Under the New
Covenant, all believers are now priests (1 Peter 2:9). The glory of the Lord
does not come via worldly ways or man-made methods. The Lord’s glory
is manifest in its fullness upon a consecrated people.
Ü It involves a new tent on a new mountain – The Ark was taken to
Mount Zion and the Tabernacle of David was pitched for the sole purpose
of housing the Ark. In the same way, God is preparing his people as the
place where he will reveal his glory (note Hebrews 12:22).
Ü It requires sacrifice – Everything God does now centers around the
sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. The Cross is the basis upon which God now
reveals his glory.
The Nature of David’s Tabernacle
During the time of David’s Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of Moses was not neglected.
The sacrifices prescribed by the Law of Moses were all performed in every detail
(1 Chronicles 16:39-40). But the whole dynamic of interaction with the presence
of God had changed. The Ark of the Covenant, representing the holy presence
of God, was no longer shut away behind the thick veil of the Most Holy Place.
It was now in a tent sitting atop Mount Zion, with no veil closing it off.
Why did God allow this? Because it was a type of what was to come! Let’s take a
closer look at exactly what the Tabernacle of David represented to David, to the
people of Israel and to us today.
You will remember from the last lesson that the Tabernacle of Moses had three
divisions:
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Ü The Outer Court
Ü The Holy Place
Ü The Most Holy Place
The purpose of these three divisions was to create a staggered access to the fullness
of God’s glory. At the door of each compartment, the qualifications for entry
reduced the number of people who could enter the next compartment to representatives
of those in the previous compartment.
Ü The Outer Court – the people of Israel only (representatives of the nations
of the world)
Ü The Holy Place – the priests only (representatives of the Israelites in
the Outer Court)
Ü The Most Holy Place – the high priest only (the representative of the
priesthood in the Holy Place and of the entire nation of Israel)
Yet all this changed with the Tabernacle of David. In David’s tent, ranks of Levites
functioned as priests before the Ark of the Lord! Their priestly functions included
the ministries of:
Ü Sacrifice
Ü Song
Ü Music
Ü Doorkeeping
The amazing thing about the Tabernacle of David is that it had only one compartment,
and that one compartment corresponded to the Holiest of All in the Tabernacle
of Moses! Yet there was no veil. People had daily access into the presence of
God. There was a constant flow of people into the Tabernacle of David, bringing
praise and worship before Ark of the Lord. Many of the psalms were written in
the great revival that occurred in David’s Tabernacle.
Ark of the Covenant
Schematic of the Tabernacle of David
(Not drawn to scale)
Doorkeeper
Doorkeeper
ä Unrestricted access into the presence of God
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This holds incredible significance for us in the New Covenant. Just like the Tabernacle
of David, we experience:
Ü Open access into the presence of God – There is now no longer a veil
barring our way to the throne of God’s presence (Hebrews 4:16).
Ü Praise and worship – Continual praise and worship now ascends before
the throne of God.
Ü Unity – The Tabernacle of David was the experience of a united Israel. In
the same way, our unity plays a significant role in attracting people into
the kingdom of God (note John 17:22-23).
Ü Great joy – The expressions of joy included great abandon before the
Lord in worship, dance (2 Samuel 6:14) and every kind of musical instrument
(Psalm 150).
Just as the early Church experienced a massive influx of Gentiles, because the
type of David’s Tabernacle had been fulfilled in their generation, so God’s plan is
for our lives to be an antitype of the Tabernacle of David. People will be attracted
by the manifest presence of God, revealed in the midst of a people who have open
and joyous access into the very Holy of Holies!
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Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations from the Bible are from the New International Version, copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.