Rebuilding David's Fallen Tent

"Build it as it used to be."

The leaders of the church in Jerusalem came together with Paul and Barnabas to consider if it was right to require circumcision of the Gentiles.  Peter reported how God welcomed the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit. (Acts 15:8) James supported him by quoting the prophet Amos.  “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 that have been known for ages.” (Acts 15:16-18)  Amos the prophet was warning Israel of the judgment to come upon them, and yet there was hope.  He mirrored the heart of the Lord in his declaration that God would “restore David’s fallen tent” (NIV) or “raise up the tabernacle of David.” (AMP)

The end of Amos 9:11 says that David’s tent will be restored and that God will “build it as it used to be.”  David’s tent was meant to be a place for the presence of the Lord and a place of extravagant worship before Him.  It was a place where God’s people could meet Him.  David set up a tent to receive the ark of God’s presence.  Sacrifices were being made to God as the house of Israel brought the ark of the Lord into the City of David.  “They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord.” (2 Samuel 6:17)  After the sacrifices were made David made provision for 24/7 worship before the Lord. “He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord…” (1 Chronicles 16:4)  And, David wrote a Psalm of thanks (Psalm 105) to the Lord which he entrusted to Asaph and his associates to use in their worship.

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