The Tabernacle of David
This tent that David set up is known as “The Tabernacle of David.”
I’m going to put several pictures in this post of how artists think it may have looked. They all show the ark uncovered. It would probably have been covered with a blue cloth, (Num. 4:6). I could be wrong, but if it couldn’t be looked on during its travels in Israel, I have a hard time believing it was kept uncovered for several decades.
We really don’t know what the tent looked like. There is no description like Moses’ Tabernacle with all of its details of colors and cubits. All we know is that it was a “tent;” ohel in Hebrew. The prophet Amos called it a sukkah (sue-kaw) which means pavilion, hut, booth, cottage or tabernacle.
Perhaps Yahweh is also “excessively fond of a cottage.” (You have to be a Jane Austen fan to get that one.)
The Tabernacle of David was unique in the worship history of Israel. In Genesis, God’s people (Abel, Noah, Abraham & sons) worshiped Him at an altar of stone. After the Exodus, Israel met Him at the Tabernacle of Moses. Once Solomon becomes king, they will worship at the 1st and 2nd Temples. This short period of the Tabernacle of David is unlike all the others.
What made it different? ACCESS.
Only the High Priest once a year got to approach the Ark in the Tabernacle of Moses or the Temple. But in David’s Tabernacle, the priests weren’t even there. There was a tent with just the Ark in it surrounded by Levites playing music. I don’t know if the tent flaps were open and they could see the Ark but there are some scriptures that suggest this. Like this one:
“One thing I have asked from Yahweh; it I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Yahweh, and to consider his temple.” Psalms 27:4 LEB
This was written by David. The temple wan’t built until after his death. This is a request for something “all the days of his life.” And he wants to live in “the house of Yahweh” and “behold the beauty of Yahweh.” What beauty is he talking about? How does he know? Did David see something?
Maybe the glowing presence of the LORD lit up the tent. I would assume that the Ark was covered with its blue cloth and that people weren’t actually looking at the golden box. But perhaps the blue cloth was glowing with the light of God’s presence behind it – hovering between the cherubim above the Seat of Atonement.
David assigns musicians and singers – apparently in shifts around the clock – to continuously sing praises and offer thanks and prayers.
In a way, the Tabernacle of David was like a prophetic picture of the Church. Everyone has direct access to Yahweh. There are no blood sacrifices there; only sacrifices of praise. Worship and prayers are offered up instead of incense.
There was a gathering of the Church at Jerusalem in the days of the Apostles to settle the matter of what to do about all the Gentiles who were believing on Jesus. Some of the believers who had previously been Pharisees said that the Gentiles needed to become Jewish in order to be part of this New Covenant. They needed to be circumcised and observe Torah. Paul and Barnabas had come back from a long missionary trip with accounts of miracles and signs and wonders done among the Gentiles. And God was doing these things for people who were NOT circumcised or keeping the Law of Moses.
After much debate and discussion, James (the 1/2 brother of Jesus) quotes the Prophet Amos (9:11-12) and it is THIS word involving the restoration of the Tabernacle of David that settles the matter. Gentiles ARE welcome into the Family of God.
“And after they [Paul & Barnabas] had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Men and brothers, listen to me! Simeon has described how God first concerned himself to take from among the Gentiles a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: ‘After these things I will return and build up again the tent of David that has fallen, and the parts of it that had been torn down I will build up again and will restore it, so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ Therefore I conclude we should not cause difficulty for those from among the Gentiles who turn to God.” Acts 15:13-19 LEB
James asserts from this prophecy that the Tabernacle of David HAD been rebuilt. It was the Church. Just as those who were not the High Priest now had access to Yahweh’s presence at David’s Tabernacle, so the Gentiles – who had not had access to Yahweh before – were given access through the Redemption of Christ.
(It’s also a possibility that a couple of Gentiles were on the scene of David’s Tabernacle. It’s a bunny trail I don’t really have time to go down but Nathan the Prophet and Obed-Edom the Gittite were possibly 2 Gentiles that were part of worship at David’s Tabernacle.)
So with much celebration, David and the Levites bring the Ark into the stronghold of Zion and place it in the special tent. David has composed a special song of praise for this auspicious occasion which is recorded in this chapter.
Then we get the helpful detail that the Tabernacle of Moses is still functioning – albeit without the Ark. The High Priests Zadok and Abiathar are THERE because that’s where the brazen altar is and all the rest of the important pieces for worship. The Tabernacle of Moses is set up on a hill in Gibeon about 10 miles northwest of Jerusalem (Jebus).
There seems to have been musicians stationed at BOTH the tent of David and the Tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon. This was surely the most musical period of Israel’s history. Many of the Psalms were likely composed on site at David’s Tabernacle and sung there. I don’t know if our 2 psalms for today’s reading were composed or sung at David’s Tabernacle, but it’s possible.
PSALM 1
I can quote this one. In KJV. I learned it in first grade while our teacher led us marching in follow-the-leader style (with motions) around the church where our Christian School met. Teach your kids to memorize scripture – even if you have to march around the yard.
These 6 verses contrast the lives of the righteous and the wicked. The former is compared to a fruitful tree firmly rooted by the river while the latter is an empty, dry husk blown by the wind.
The fruitful tree sounds very similar to the description of the Tree of Life:
“And he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming out from the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street, and on both sides of the river is the tree of life, producing twelve fruits—yielding its fruit according to every month—and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:1-2 LEB
PSALM 2
This Messianic psalm feels like it could have been clipped out of this morning’s paper. It’s very possible that we are living in the beginning of its fulfillment.
“Why are nations in tumult, and countries plotting in vain? The kings of the earth establish themselves, and the rulers conspire together against Yahweh and his anointed: ‘Let us tear off their bonds, and cast their cords from us!’” Psalms 2:1-3 LEB
One might look at this and apply it to humanity- especially since the Enlightenment when western civilization in particular began to reject faith and embrace a Materialist worldview. They threw off the bands of Biblical faith as an ancient relic and denounced it as unscientific. Today, we hear voices echoing the argument of Psalm 2:3 denouncing and throwing off the “bondage” of faith as part of heteronormative, patriarchal oppression.
in both these views, one could argue that the rebels view Yahweh and His Messiah as ideas rather than actual Beings.
But there is another way to potentially view the decision of these kings of the earth. When they decide to reject the LORD, you could read it as: they not only recognize that Yahweh and His Messiah are REAL, they believe that they can actually declare their independence from them.
The words “bonds” and “cords” are this:
They view the boundaries God has set as a restraint that they wish to break off.
God’s reaction to humanity’s plot (again) to dethrone Him?
“He who sits enthroned in the heavens laughs. The Lord derides them.”
Psalms 2:4 LEB
Humans rebelling: Are we a joke to you?
God: Actually…. Yes! Bah-hahahahahah!
This iconic photo is called “Pale Blue Dot.” It was taken in February 1990 by the Voyager 1 spacecraft. If you can see it, there is a tiny speck in the middle of that shaft of light. It kinda looks like a single pixel. That’s Earth.
This is what our whole planet looks like from 3.7 Billion miles away- a dust mote floating in a shaft of sunlight.
And the Kings of this dust mote think they can overthrow the eternal, uncreated Creator who made the vast galaxies in all the universe? That’s actually ridiculously funny.
There are (I think) 4 speakers in this psalm:
- The Psalmist (v 1-2, 4-5, 10-12)
- The Kings of Earth (v3)
- Yahweh (v 6)
- Yahweh’s Son (v 7-9)
It’s not every day that we encounter words from the pre-incarnate Christ, but we do in this amazing psalm.
“I will tell the decree; Yahweh said to me: ‘You are my son; today I have begotten you. Ask from me and I will make the nations your heritage, and your possession the ends of the earth. You will break them with an iron rod. Like a potter’s vessel you will shatter them.’”
Psalms 2:7-9 LEB (emphasis mine)
The Son is quoting what the Father has said to Him! Y’all, we get to peek into the innermost counsel of the Most High and overhear a conversation within the Holy Godhead. This is incredible! And what exactly has the Father said to the Son?
- That the eternal Son is somehow “begotten” and you can mark the day on the calendar as “today.”
- so the eternal Son is going to enter time and be “begotten”
- Upon His request the Father will give the Son all the nations of the earth as His inheritance.
- The Son will shatter those nations with an iron scepter.
We see this prophecy fulfilled at the end:
“And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he could strike the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the wine of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful.” Revelation 19:15 LEB
The psalm finishes with a warning to said kings of the earth (which we would all do well to heed) – get on the side of the Son now, because that little rebellion thing of throwing off the boundaries God has placed on humanity is NOT going to end well.
To The Reader 