The day my wife and I were married started out beautifully: outside my wife’s parents’ rural central NY country home’s spacious backyard exquisitely landscaped by her Mom, out under the arbor lovingly crafted by her Dad in their aromatic herb garden under a cloudless mild summer sky, we exchanged vows.
After, the ceremony and before the dinner we strolled the scenic grounds interacting with our family and friends as the photographer captured our first moments of married life. And then it began to rain; lightly at first. Soon after, the heavens opened up and our guests ran to get under the tent. It may have seemed like a problem at first but under the tent, dinner was served and there was fellowship, music and celebration. Everything happening that was important was under the tent. In the lands of the Bible, rain was seen as a blessing. We were quite blessed—and blessed to have a tent!
“I will return; and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David. I will rebuild its ruins, I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, that is, all the Gentiles [non-Jews] who have been called by my name," says ADONAI, [the Lord] who is doing these things.' Acts 15:14-18
This is a remarkable prophecy from the prophet Amos that finds a fulfillment among the early Messianic believers. God said He will rebuild the tent of David and include the Gentiles that seek him. What is significant about David’s tent? Let’s look at David first.
God says that David was a man after His own heart. David wasn’t perfect by any measure; but He loved God and desired to glorify his name in battle, in worship, and in his obedience to God’s commandments. David was devout and committed to God no matter what it cost him. He battled hard, worshipped hard, and obeyed as best he could. When he disobeyed, he honored God and repented.
I’ve always had an affinity for David. He was called at a young age and wrote, played, and sang music unto God. I have played piano weekly for worship in church from the time I was 12. (That’s an interesting story for another time). I enjoyed inviting others to worship with me. I also began writing songs at that point. I continue to enjoy bringing people into praise and worship of God; people’s lives are put back together; people get healed, physically and spiritually. What a joy! Now, what’s this about David’s tent?
David set up Levites that would continually worship the Lord in song in the tent. (1 Chron. 16: 4) Being in David’s tent, sheltered from the outside, one focuses on the important things, the eternal things. One encounters the Presence of the Lord: an atmosphere of thanksgiving, praise, worship, fellowship with God and others in celebration of His goodness and blessings. God in David’s tent—a refuge from the storms of the world. Similar to my wife’s and my wedding day, good things happened under the tent.
The Lord was pleased with the worship from David’s tent and promised to build it again in the future and invite us Gentiles to join in. Amen, I’m glad to be part of the worship in the tent that God is restoring in the earth today. Come on—Get in the tent!
