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Topic: Moses and Davidic Tabernacle contrast
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Karen Samford
Senior Member
Joined: 12/16/2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 989
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Posted: 02/06/2016 at 1:29pm
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Looking at Two Old Testament Models of Worship
A Comparison, Contrast, and Application
There are two tabernacles of worship in the Old
Testament. First of all, the Tabernacle of the Lord,
which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the
wilderness... (1 Chronicles 21:29) contained the Ark of
the Covenant, in which God made known His manifest
presence. This tabernacle, prescribed by the Lord,
allowed His children to worship Him and to find
forgiveness of sin through the sacrifices and the
mediation of the priests. But in the time of David, the
Ark of the Lord, after being in enemy captivity was
returned to Jerusalem and put in a tent. They set it in
His place, in the midst of the Tabernacle that David had
pitched for it. (2 Samuel 6:17) Here in the Tabernacle
of David all the people of God had open access into the
presence of the Lord.
During the time of the Tabernacle of David, the Mosaic
Tabernacle was still being used, although the Ark of the
Covenant--the manifest presence of the Lord was no longer
there. There is spiritual significance in both of these
tabernacles. Let's examine the two tabernacles, their
significance, their contrast, and the application for
today's worship.
1. THE PLACE
A. The Tabernacle of Moses was built as the Lord
instructed in Exodus 35-40. Everything about it was
important--the dimensions, the colors, the materials
used, and all the items in the tabernacle. Each part of
the Tabernacle was set forth to God-given specifications-
-the shewbread, the laver, the altar, the candles, the
poles, everything therein. This tabernacle spoke of
the Old Covenant, a covenant of law and works--rules and
regulations to be followed, even to the point of exact
specs. And the Mosaic Tabernacle basically represents
worship as done under the Law -- a worship that requires
works. But in every specification as well as in its
service, this Tabernacle is a picture of the salvation
that is now realized in Christ Jesus, the one who
fulfilled the Law's demands. To go into the details of
those comparisons would need be in another writing.
B. The Tabernacle of David, however, was a tent pictched
by David with no specific instructions from the Lord.
But David acted in faith, seeing the freedom that was
foretold to God's children through the coming Messiah—
freedom for those in Christ to enter God’s presence.
This tabernacle spoke of the New Covenant, a covenant of
grace and faith. The Davidic Tabernacle boldly
foreshadows the worship in spirit and truth that the
saints in Christ are able to enjoy.
C. Today the place of worship is the of the Body of
Christ. Wherever the members of this Body are gathered
there can be true worship and the Lord’s manifest
presence can be enjoyed. This is the New Covenant of
life and relationship of worship by the Spirit through
Jesus Christ.
2. THE PRIESTS
A. Moses' Tabernacle utilized the Aaronic Priesthood,
the Levites --one tribe of priests. These elite few
were the vehicle by which the people could make burnt
offerings and peace offerings. Only these chosen ones
could enter the Holy of Holies and perform the duties set
out by the Lord.
B. The Davidic Tabernacle, however, allowed a new kingdom
of priests. As David says in Psalm 101, foretelling of
Jesus, "Thou are a priest forever according to the order
of Melchizedek." The Davidic tabernacle had no set
apart Holy of Holies and no veil separating the people
from the presence of God. And although David appointed
some of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the
Lord, the presence of the Lord was accessible to all.
C. Today Revelation 1:6 gives further insight-- "and He
has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and
Father." Through Jesus we are all able, by faith, to
enter God’s presence continually through the blood of the
eternal covenant in Christ Jesus our Lord.
3. THE PROCESS
A. In Moses' Tabernacle, coming before the presence of
the Lord to find forgiveness for sin was accomplished
only by the High Priest. He could enter once yearly with
the shed blood of an unblemished lamb to the Holy Place
where God's presence was enthroned upon the Ark of the
Covenant. After the Ark of the Covenant was no longer
present in the Holy Place, the Tabernacle priests
continued to carry on the sacrifices of atonement. It's
ministry was still under the law and the order of Moses,
who was the mediator of the Old Covenant according to the
commandments and the law given through him.
B. In contrast, David made burnt offerings and peace
offerings when the Ark of the Covenant was initially
brought to the tent, but no sacrifice offerings were made
and no further offerings were ever made after that.
There is great significance in this lack of need of a
sacrificial offering. David's tabernacle had a
ministry of the New Covenant Mediator, the greater Son of
David, Jesus Christ according to Hebrews 12:24. After
David's initial offerings the only sacrifices offered
before the Ark of the Covenant were spiritual sacrifices
of praise, joy and thanksgiving
C. Jesus was the "great high priest" (Hebrews 7:26,27)
who brought Himself as the unblemished Lamb of God before
the presence of the Lord. Isaiah 51 says of Jesus, "He
was like a lamb that is led to slaughter. John the
Baptist confesses in John 1 that Jesus is "…the Lamb of
God who takes away the sin of the world.” Hebrews 7:27
tells us that He offered up himself :"once for all when
He offered up Himself." And today we have confidence to
enter through Him right into the presence of God – to the
throne of grace.
4. THE PRAISE
A. From the beginning, Moses' Tabernacle was void of the
ministry of music. Neither singers nor musical
instruments were used. But during the time when the Ark
was in the Davidic Tabernacle, and the presence of God
was available to all, David appointed trumpets and
cymbals and other instruments for the songs of God to be
celebrated in the Tabernacle of Moses. He appointed
ministers to use the instruments in give thanks to the
Lord.
B. The ministers in the Tabernacle of David used musical
instruments which David himself had made. And he
appointed singers and dancers who celebrated continually
and thanked and praised the Lord. (I Chronicles 16:6,
37) And as stated earlier, the sacrifices offered before
the Ark of the Covenant were spiritual sacrifices of
praise, joy and thanksgiving.
C. The Body of Christ today celebrates in the paradigm
of the Davidic Tabernacle. Singing, dancing, clapping
and musical instruments all are part of the celebration
that goes into the worship of the Almighty God. And
Hebrews 13:15 instructs us to "…continually offer up a
sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips
that give thanks to His name."
So in summary, the worshiping Body today is the substance
of the shadow-pictures of both the Mosaic Tabernacle and
the Davidic Tabernacle. The worship sacrifice required
in the Mosaic Tabernacle, offered by the high priest, was
fulfilled in Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb of God.
And Jesus, as the great High Priest, brought that atoning
sacrifice into the heavenly Holy of Holies before God’s
very Presence. Because of this atoning sacrifice once
for all, the Church, the Body of Christ, can freely and
boldly enter into God's presence. We can worship as was
done by faith in the manner of the Tabernacle of David---
celebrating the great new song of salvation through
Christ our Lord, offering sacrifices of joy and
thanksgiving.
Bibliography
Kevin J. Conner, The Tabernacle of David, City Bible
Publishing, Portland, Oregon, 1976
Beth Moore, A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place,
LifeWay, 1995
Acts15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as
it is written,
16 After this I will return, and will build again the
tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will
build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and
all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the
Lord, who doeth all these things.
Amos 9: For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the
house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted
in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the
earth.
10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword,
which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.
11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David
that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I
will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the
days of old:
Edited by Karen Samford on 02/06/2016 at 1:33pm
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