The Tabernacle of David

by Paul Jablonowski

April 21, 2019

The Tabernacle of David, or Tent of David, was a very unique thing! It wasn't the Tabernacle of Moses(1) which was in Gibeon at the time of David (2 Chr. 21:29). Rather, it was a special tent or tabernacle set up in the city of David (Zion) as a transition "dwelling place" between the times of the tabernacle of Moses and the temple of Solomon. If the tent of David only lasted during David's lifetime as a "transition," then why does prophecy say that in the latter days it will be raised up again? What was so special about this transitionary tent in David's backyard in Zion?

"In mercy the throne will be established; And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness." Isaiah 16:5

"On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old." Amos 9:11

Even the New Testament says: "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." Acts 15:16-17

The glory of Solomon's temple (who was David's son) followed the 33 year existence of David's tent. Solomon's grand temple outshined the simple tent that David pitched in his backyard. But there are no prophecies saying that Solomon's temple will be rebuilt. Again the question needs to be repeated: What was so important about the simple tent of David that it needs to rebuilt so that all of mankind will seek the LORD?

David's tent had two things that made it special in my opinion: 1) constant worship with music and 2) the presence of God! And these two things are connected because true heartfelt worship will bring the presence of God.

Obviously God is not impressed with the temples and buildings that we build for Him. Perhaps the recent burning of the Notre Dame cathedral(2) will make us rethink this truth?

"Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where then is the house you can build for Me? Or where then is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And by Me all things exist, says the LORD.
But to this type of person I look: to one who is humble and broken of spirit, and who trembles at My word."
Isaiah 66:1-2

David employed 288 singers in his tabernacle (1 Chr. 25:7). These were full time ministers TO THE LORD and not to man. Their job description was "to prophecy with harps, stringed instruments and cymbals." (1 Chr. 25:1) They were "skillful" and "instructed in the songs of the Lord." These men, along with David himself, were the ones who wrote the Psalms in Scripture. So the tent of David was the place where these men would rotate shifts to have continuous praise and worship in song to the LORD, 24 hours a day and 365 days per year! By the end of David's life, the original 288 musicians had increased to 4,000 men "who praised the LORD with musical instruments which I made, said David, for giving praise.” (1 Chr. 23:5)

It is this Scriptural precedent that inspired Jason Hershey to begin a 24/7 praise and worship tent in Washington DC back in 2012. Jason's book entitled, "David's Tent - Jesus is Worthy of a Nation's Praise"(3) explains in detail how this tent started on the White House backyard (the Ellipse) in DC. To date it is still an active tent with 24/7 praise in song going on in shifts! It has moved in several DC locations, and is currently between the Capital building and the Washington monument.

This national praise movement of David's Tent, has inspired many other statewide tents including one in my state that just began called David's Tent Alabama.

Next week, I plan to travel with this David's Tent Alabama group (based out of Montgomery) to visit the David's Tent Washington DC for some worship and praise to Jesus! The National Day of prayer also happens to be next week on Thursday May 2nd (It is always the first Thursday in May), and our team will be taking worship shifts in David's Tent during this entire week. This worship warfare really does change things, and so I am fully expecting good things to happen as a result in America.

Most importantly, I am expecting to encounter the presence of Holy Spirit! This is the second thing that the Tabernacle of David had: the presence of God! David was responsible for transitioning the ark of the covenant (which represented God's presence) from the tabernacle of Moses to the temple of Solomon. 1Kings 8:1-9 shows that the ark of the covenant WAS in David's tent in Zion and when Solomon finished the temple it was brought into that temple. But David established the pattern of continual worship in song while in the small tent that he pitched on the hill of Zion. This is the pattern for governmental order which is founded on the praises of His people. The book of Psalms is loaded with prophecy on the government of Jesus who is the son of David, the sweet psalmist.

Today is the Feast of Firstfruits when Jesus rose from the dead! Easter falls today also, but the Biblical prophetic day given to Moses for Messiah's future resurrection date is called Firstfruits (Lev. 23:10-13), because Jesus is the "first" fruit to rise with a resurrected body.

As I take a week of vacation from my regular job to go to our nation's capital to worship our Father in constant song, may Jesus receive the reward due His great sacrifice! Jesus really is worthy of our nation's praise, and its an honor to be a part of this continual praise session to Him.

"He has put a new song in my mouth - praise to our God! Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD."
Psalm 40:3

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(1) This article explains the two different Tabernacles that existed at the same time during the life of David: 1) The Tabernacle of Moses in Gibeon, and 2) The Tabernacle of David in Zion Jerusalem - https://www.thejoshlink.com/article44.htm

(2) This thought-provoking article considers the prophetic possibilities of the recent Notre Dame cathedral fire - https://gods-kingdom-ministries.net/daily-weblogs/2019/04-2019/the-notre-dame-curse/

(3) Jason Hershey's excellent book can be purchased from their website at - https://www.davidstentdc.org/new-davids-tent-book-by-jason-hershey/