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.

We can see why God wants to rebuild David’s fallen tent as it used to be.  It is through sacrificial worship that we meet God, and it is His desire that all people would seek and find Him. (Acts17:27)  In verse 12 of Amos 9 God explains why He wants to rebuild David’s tent. It is restated in Acts 15:17-18.  “…that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name.”

God is still calling His people to rebuild David’s fallen tent.  He established the Church as the vehicle for rebuilding this place to tabernacle with Him. We have much to learn about extravagant worship so that the light of God’s presence emanates from our sanctuaries. Francis Frangipane points out how Abraham modeled sacrificial worship for us when he took his son Isaac to Mt Moriah.  He says, “We see here the perfection of faith in the atmosphere of worship.  True worship means we are willing to give God what we love the most.”  Those willing to surrender their greatest loves to God are those building His house.

Abraham’s statement to his servant before taking Isaac to be sacrificed reveals the level of his faith.  “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there.  We will worship and then we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:5 – NIV) or “…We will worship and then return to you.” (NAS) Abraham believed in the promises of God. He had believed God many years ago when he was told to leave his country, people and home so that God could bless him, (Genesis 12:1) and had seen God’s faithfulness.  Isaac was the promised son, and Abraham believed that this promise would live as he demonstrated his faith in his Faithful God.

Our Messiah is another one who demonstrated sacrificial worship because He believed in Father God’s promise that He would return to us.  And return He did—out of the grave and back to earth to prepare His disciples for the impartation of His Spirit!  This same Spirit lives in us and is empowering us to rebuild David’s fallen tent. It is time for us, as Believers in Jesus Christ (Yeshua) to demonstrate our sacrificial worship to our Worthy God. What do you love the most?  Are you willing to give it to the Lord?  The hour is short, and the call is clear. The year of Jubilee will begin in a few weeks.  It is the time when we are to return to our inheritances.  Let us rebuild the tabernacle of David that many will see God’s light and love and seek Him who calls to them.