TEMPLE OR THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID

Acts 15:15 – 17 – And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
‘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,
Says the LORD who does all these things.’

This passage quoted by James comes from the prophet Amos. Amos and many of the Old Testament prophets had the job of proclaiming the invasion and destruction of Israel and Judah by Assyria and Babylon. One of the sad results was the total destruction of the temple of Solomon. In Amos’s powerful word he shared a shocking prophesy, the Lord would restore the Tabernacle of David in the last days, not the temple of Solomon. James said that the gentile churches being started by Paul was the beginning of the fulfillment of this prophesy. What was the significance of David’s tabernacle? It was a place of unveiled worship, access to the glory of God that was on display with around the clock worship including orchestras and choirs. David’s tabernacle marked the spiritual high point of Israel, it was a picture of the unveiled worship in the New Testament church because of the shed blood of Christ. Here is how Graham Truscott describes this in his book the Power of His Presence.

“While the book of Acts most certainly records the commencement of this Restoration, it is obvious that in the book of Acts the Restoration was neither completed or perfected. Under the unction of the Holy Spirit, James, together with all the Old Testament prophets, looks down the corridors of time to an age when there will be a complete Restoration of the Tabernacle of David as a dwelling place for God’s presence. By comparing Scripture with Scripture, we shall see that this glorious Restoration is speaking of the great world-wide move of the Spirit of God at the end of the Gospel Age, just before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

So the Lord is not so concerned with great buildings but He is concerned with what happens in His churches. He is looking for passionate unrestrained worship from those who have been touched by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Spirit. We live in those days just before the return of Christ. The Lord is restoring His tabernacle and there is favor on all those who are involved with this last day plan of God.