PREPARING THE RIGHT ORDER
During the 3 months in which the Ark was in the house of Obededom, David saw that the blessing of Yahuah came upon that household. He gave himself to seeking Yahuah and searching His Word and it’s certain that Yahuah gave him the understanding and insight into His requirements for this New Praise Revolution where people of any nation could experience Him. Then David prepares a place for the Ark, and there is no doubt that David pitching HIS OWN TENT was instructed by Yahuah. Obviously it’s a good question, whether David was in the will of Yahuah or not, setting up another Praise Tent when the Tabernacle of Moses was already in existence, (and people were doing whatever they wanted these days?)
Now looking back at anyone who touched the Ark of Yahuah with unclean hands (Philistines or Yisharalites) reveals the fact that NONE DARED TO PRESUME CONCERNING THE ARK OF YAHUAH. There was real fear surrounding it - as there should be regarding Yahuah’s divine presence. So if David dared to presume to set up another Tent in opposition to (or a contradiction of) the Tabernacle of Moses, he would have been struck dead, just as death and plagues had judged so many so far.
From the death of Eli's wicked sons (Hophni and Phinehas) when the Ark was taken out of the Tabernacle at Shiloh, through to the first bringing up of the Ark of Yahuah by David, death and judgment have prevailed. So if David was out of Yahuah’s will in establishing another Tent, he certainly would have been judged by Yahuah. But David WAS in the will of Yahuah:
"... David, after he had served his generation by the will of Yahuah, fell asleep" (ACTS 13)
"... the days of David, who found favour before Yahuah and desired to find a Tent for the Alahim of Jacob" (ACTS 7).
1 CHRON 15: David had several houses built in Yerushalim for himself, and he prepared a place for Yahuah's Ark, pitching a tent for it. Then he said, “Only Levites will be allowed to carry the Ark, because Yahuah has chosen them to do that work and to serve him forever.”
Note the word "prepared" in 1 CHRON 15:1, 3, 12. David prepared a place for the Ark of Yahuah. It was not a haphazard thing. There was a definite preparation of a place for the presence of Yahuah to dwell. Worthy of attention are the following Scriptures, for each of them show that Yahuah desired a place where He could dwell with His people and where His Name could be recorded.
"... in all places where I record My Name I will come to you and I will bless you.” (EX 20).
"... I will prepare Him a Habitation." (EX 15).
"... to the place which Yahuah your Alahim shall choose out of all your Tribes to put His Name there, even to His Habitation shall you seek, and to it you shall come." (DEUT 12).
The Tabernacle of Moses was a place of Yahuah at first. Now the Tent of David becomes that place prepared for Yahuah here. Yahuah always desired a place to dwell with His people. So David prepared a place for the Ark of Yahuah.
YAHUSHA’S IMMERSED BRIDE IS NOW THAT "PLACE" WHERE YAHUAH GATHERS TOGETHER WITH HIS PEOPLE IN HIS NAME: "Where two or more are gathered together in My Name, there I AM there in the midst of them." (MATT 18)
The Scriptures show that the place prepared by David for Yahuah was a Tent in Zion (Yerushalim) :
"... for he had pitched a Tent for it at Yerushalim." (2 CHRON 1).
"... set the Ark in the midst of the Tent that David had pitched for it." (1 CHRON 16).
"... and they brought in the Ark of Yahuah, and set it in his place, in the midst of the Tent that David had pitched for it." (2 SAM 6).
So the Tent was pitched in Yerushalim (in Mt. Zion) and it remained there until the completion of the Temple of Solomon. It certainly could not be compared with the Tabernacle of Moses and its three special places as far as structure was concerned, for the very fact that David's Tent was simply that (a tent), speaks to the truth that its construction was temporary and transitional. It was not the ultimate as a structure, for everything David established in it was soon incorporated into Solomon's Temple order. So both the revelation of the `Tent of David' AND the `Temple of Solomon' had actually been given to King David by Yahuah.
"Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Yisharal out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a Tent and in a Tabernacle" (2 SAM 7).
It is significant that Yahuah is always on the move, leading His people on in the unfolding and progressive revelation of Himself.
YAHUSHA'S SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE & FOLLOW!
The Tent stages of Yahuah's movements in Yisharal are expressed clearly:
"For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Yisharal until this day, but I’ve gone from tent to tent, from one tabernacle to another." (1 CHRON 17)
`The Tent' also speaks of the fact that (in our fleshly vessels/tents) we bear the character of pilgrims and strangers, and, like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we look for a City whose builder and maker is Yahuah. The Bride of Yahusha has no national identity, homeland or continuing City in this world, but has the pilgrim character symbolised in the Tents of the Patriarch times, and David's Tent, as well as Moses' Tabernacle (1 PET 2, HEB 11-13, REV 21-22).
1 CHRON 15: "And David assembled all the people of Yisharal at Yerushalim, to bring up the Ark of Yahuah to it's place, which he'd prepared for it".
The preparation for the upbringing of the Ark to David's Tent also involved a great national gathering together of the people of Yahuah. On the first occasion, David gathered the leaders of the Nation together, as well as the people of Yisharal. Then 3 months later there is another great Assembling together, this time to do the thing in Yahuah's way. This gathering of the people was for ONE purpose and the unifying factor was the bringing up of the Ark of Yahuah and a Restoration of true Praise Behaviour in Yisharal (after the sad years of decline from Samuel's time, through the reign of King Saul.
The same is true for the Bride today. If we desire to see the Restoration of the real power of Yahusha's Presence on our Ark - then there must be unity of purpose and a true gathering together unto Him.
"Unto HIM shall the gathering of the people be" (GEN 49).
"Gather My people together unto ME, those that have made a Blood-Covenant with Me by sacrifice" (PS 50).
"Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there I AM in their midst" (MATT 18).
It is where the people dwell together in unity (of one mind) that Yahuah commands His blessing -- in one accord, one purpose, one people (PS 133, ACTS 2). The leaders must come together (EX.4) - the people must gather together (ACT14).
Yahuah often comes to the `leader-types' first, and then it spreads like wildfire. O' how the nation of Yisharal would have been robbed of the truth and blessing from David's Tent if the leaders had fought and opposed the revelation that Yahuah had given King David! And the same is true today, where MANY ARE ROBBED OF THE REVELATION OF DAVID'S TENT AND THE NARROW PORTAL-GATE OF PRESENCE AND BLESSING OF PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP AVAILABLE TO ALL, BECAUSE THE CARPET-BAGGING LEADERS RESIST IT AND STAND IN THE DOORWAY, SEEKING ATTENTION, CONTROL. How blessed and marvellous that David had the Captains and the Leaders as one with him in this event, as well as the whole Assemblage of Yisharal. Amazing!
As David was preparing the Levites and the people for the upbringing of the Ark of Yahuah, he encouraged them to FOLLOW YAHUAH'S ORDER laid down in His Torah, saying to them, "For because you didn’t do it right the first time, Yahuah our Alahim made a breach upon us, because we sought Him not after the right order." So what was this “right order"? It was important that David learn that Yahuah had a particular order to follow, even though Yahuah was also revealing progressive truth to David.
Yahuah is an Alahim of order. Creation reveals order and Deliverance reveals order. There is always order and pattern in how Yahusha operates ...
... and so when it comes to the House of Yahuah, there must be Divine Order in the service also. Of course, much that is man's order is not necessarily Yahuah's order, and often to man, Yahuah's order seems like disorder, chaos and bizarre! But Yahuah has laid down in His Word the order of Praise that His people are to follow. The word "ORDER" has the thought of "divine decree, law, sentence, style" and it’s worthy to note the order that Yahuah commanded in things pertaining to Himself and the approach of His people to Him in relationship. The word order means `to set in a row, arrange’ and we see this very instruction regarding the Brazen Altar, Lava, Golden Candlestick, Showbread Table and Incense.
The Priests waited in their courses according to Divine Order, Zacharias waited before Yahuah in Order after his course as Priest. The Revelation of Messiah's Priesthood is "after the order of Melchizedek.” And there is even order in the resurrection of the Bride. Every man will be resurrected in his own order. "Something orderly in arrangement." Therefore all that pertains to Yahuah and His service is according to Yahuah's RIGHT ORDER.
The same truth is brought into the New Blood-Covenant for the Local Assemblies to follow. Paul established Assemblies according to Divine Order which was given to him, encouraging them to follow this order. He rejoices when the believers do so, and warns them that he will have to adjust things if they do not follow Yahuah's proper order instructed in His Word.
"Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 COR 14). There must be order in the operation of Spiritual Gifts.
"As I have given order (To arrange thoroughly) to the Assemblies” (1 COR 16). There was order relative to the offerings of the believers in the Assemblies.
"The rest will I set in order when I come" ( 1 COR 11).
So Scripture clearly reveals that Yahuah DEMANDS ORDER in everything to do with Praise and Divine service (WOULDN'T THIS BE A 24/7 GIG TODAY?). Order in the sacrifices, order at the altar, order at the lampstand, order in the Priesthood. And in His New Blood-Covenant this order continues in the same truth, where Paul established an order in the Bride, systematically arranging things according to the pattern and revelation that was given to him. Order in the gifts of the Spirit, order in Praise and in gathering of the believers. Even the resurrection of the Bride will have order, being Divinely arrangement and ordered into the varying levels of esteem.
The “RIGHT ORDER" expressly referred to in David's time was that which pertained to the bearing of the Ark of the Blood-Covenant, and Yahuah had expressly commanded through the mouth of Moses that THE ARK WAS TO BE CARRIED BY THE LEVITES ON THEIR SHOULDERS. It was to have the staves of shittim wood overlaid with gold always in them, whether stationary or in transit (EX 25). "The staves shall be in the rings of the Ark and they shall not be taken from it." The staves were always to be in the Ark while in its pilgrimage character. When at last the Ark was taken from the Tent of David into the Temple of Solomon, then the staves were removed, for the journey was over and rest and permanency shadowed in the Temple, was to be revealed. But until that time, the staves remained in the Ark of Yahuah. Not only was this to be so, the Ark in transit HAD TO BE BORNE UPON THE SHOULDERS OF THE PRIESTS - NEVER A NEW CART! Various parts of the Tabernacle of Moses were carried on wagons with the oxen drawing the same, but not the Ark of Yahuah (NUM 3 &7).
All of this is symbolic of the fact that proper government, support, and strength of responsibility is of Yahuah. He designates such to whom He wills and whom He chooses. The New Blood-Covenant Bride has in it the service of governments. The government of Yahusha by the Spirit is laid upon the shoulders of qualified and anointed people. (1 COR 12, HEB 13).
Believers are not to despise the government that Yahuah sets in the Bride. Yahuah did not permit any Yisharalite to run around with the Ark on their shoulders, but only those who were trained and anointed to that responsibility. So Yahuah has placed the government of His Bride on the shoulders of those whom He has called, equipped, qualified and anointed to that responsibility under Messiah. The Esteem of Yahuah will settle where His order is followed through behaviour of the Spirit, not merely the letter of the Law.
1 CHRON 15: And David gathered the children of Aaron and the Levites ... saying to them, "You are the heads of the father's houses of the Levites. So set yourselves apart, for you and your brothers will bring back the Ark of Yahuah Alahim of Yisharal, to the place I have prepared for it. Because you did not do it the first time, Yahuah broke out against us, because we did not ask Him about the right-order". So the Priests and Levites set themselves apart, to bring back the Ark of Yahuah. Then they bore the Ark on their shoulders by it's poles, just as Moses had commanded according to the Word of Yahuah.
The preparation of David's Tabernacle also involved a great process of separation for the Levites into their office. David called the Priests and Levites to SEPARATE and prepare themselves to bring up the Ark of Yahuah. He reminded them that judgment fell on them in their first attempt because they failed to do so. The laws of separation and consecration for the Priesthood are to be found in EX 29 and LEV 8, where their set-apartness involved:
1. Cleansing by blood sprinkled on the right ear, thumb, and toe.
2. Bathing in water.
3. Anointing with Set-Apart oil, on the blood which had been sprinkled on the right ear, the right thumb and the right toe.
Blood, water, and oil were used in the separation of the Priests into the service of Yahuah. They also had to be clothed in the clean and white fine linen robes (EX 28). Then their hands were filled with certain parts of the offerings which were then offered to Yahuah in their entrance to Priesthood service. Only after this could they serve Yahuah. So in David's time, a great process and work of SET-APARTNESS of the Priests took place before the Tent of David was established in its order in Zion.
All of this symbolic truth points to that which is confirmed in the New Blood-Covenant concerning Yahuah's people. Believers are called to be Kings and Priests unto Yahuah after the order of Melchizedek and the believer must be cleansed by the blood of Yahusha, immersed in water (IN HIS TRUE NAME) and then be anointed by the Set-Apart Spirit.
They must be clothed with the fine linen which is the righteousness (clean behaviour) of Messiah in His Bride in order to move in Priestly service in the Assembly Tabernacle, which is the Bride (REV 19).
The believer must experience the "three witnesses" in their life - the Witness of the Blood, of the Water of the Word, and the Set-Apart Spirit.
This threefold work of Yahuah brings about the set-apartness and consecration of the believer to Priestly duties. We are delivered by:
1. The Blood (HEB 13).
2. The Water (JN 17).
3. The Spirit (1 PET 1).
Separated from all evil, consecrated unto Yahuah for Priestly service in Yahuah's Divine Temple (our bodies), we can stand in His Presence with Revolutionary Praise Behaviour in the beauty of set-apartness (PS 29).
1 CHRON 15: And David spoke to the Leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers with instruments of song, harps and lyres and cymbals, to lift up their voice with joy"...
BRINGING UP THE ARK
In the bringing up of the Ark into David's Tent, we see a distinct order in the Priests and Levites and in the chosen Singers and Musicians and the significance is seen in the truth of the numbers as used in Scripture. Each had their particular function in the dedicatory service of the Tent of David. It must have been a solemn yet marvellous procession.
For a clearer focus of the service of dedication, the assembly of the Priests and Levites is set out according to what the numerical arrangement possibly might have been. Numerically, the Priests and Levites here numbered 870 persons. That is, two High Priests plus 6 Chiefs and then 862 Levites, then the congregation of Yisharal following.
By reading Psalm 87 and Psalm 68, we gain a little glimpse of what the possible order of bringing up the Ark of Yahuah was. The singers went first, then the players on instruments and weaving in and out and amongst them were the damsels playing their timbres. Then the Assembly followed in the marvellous procession. It certainly was a solemn service of dedication. King David led the way. The Elders and Captains of Yisharal were with him, then the High Priests, the Chiefs and the Levites. The trumpeters sounded before the Ark. Then following them there were the door-keepers of the Ark, then the Ark of Yahuah "in the midst", then doorkeepers, and after this the singers, the musicians and the damsels playing their timbre's. Then following the procession would be the tribes of Yisharal who gathered for the occasion.
David found Yahuah's divine order (1 CHRON 15), the Ark was taken out of the house into the Tent of David (1 CHRON 15, 2 SAM 6). Obededom was appointed to be amongst the musicians in the order of worship in David's Tent in Zion. He came into the service of music here and was blessed with 8 sons from whom came mighty men of valour, strong for the service of Yahuah. These were in the divisions of the porters (1 CHRON 2).
1 CHRON 15: And the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the Ark of Alahim. And Obed-Edom and Jehiah, were doorkeepers for the Ark. And it was David and the elders of Yisharal, and the commanders over thousands, who went to bring up the Ark of the Blood-Covenant of Yahuah from the house of Obed-Edom with joy.
Obededom is a example of someone willing to receive the Ark into their home and yet continue to move on with Yahuah in His time into PROPER ORDER. Only those who have the servant spirit and attitude are best fitted for Priestly service in the Dwelling Place of Yahusha Messiah, the Son of David.
Another Obededom (the son of Jeduthan) was a doorkeeper in the house of Yahuah also. Perhaps David was referring to this when he said, "I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Yahuah, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness" (PS 84). The cameo picture that Yahuah has given here certainly finds its fulfilment in the New Covenant revelation, where many of the Local Assemblies began or met in the home setting.
The Gospel of Messiah came to the house of Cornelius by Peter and here a whole household received a sovereign outpouring of the Spirit. Here we see the Gentiles coming into the Tent of David’s order, into New Covenant Priesthood Service (ACTS 10,11,15). These house settings were certainly a great contrast to the old economy and ritual of the Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple times of Messiah.
1 CHRON 15: And it came to be, after Yahuah helped the Levites who bore the Ark of the Blood-Covenant, that they offered seven bulls and seven rams. And David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the Ark, the Singers, and Henaniah the Leader of the Service with the Singers. And David wore a linen shoulder garment (priestly ephod).
With the removal of the Ark from Obededom's house into the Tent of David, certain animal sacrifices were offered to Yahuah. The first group of sacrifices consisted of 7 bullocks and 7 rams, and the significance is seen here.
• The number seven speaks of perfection, completeness, fullness, symbolising and pointing to Yahusha’s perfect, sinless, and once-for-all sacrifice on the stake (HEB 10).
• The bullock is symbolic of service and strength for service. The ox was used to tread out the corn and to serve man. It was also used in the consecration of the Priests as a sin offering.
• The ram is symbolic of substitution and consecration. It was also used in the consecration of the Priests. The account in 2 Samuel 6 says, "And it was so, that when they that bare the Ark of Yahuah had gone six paces, he (David) sacrificed oxen and fatlings." Possibly the 6 paces pointed back to the 6 places that the Ark had been in its journeyings from Ashdod, to Gath, to Ekron, to Bethshemesh, to Kirjath-jearim, to Gibeah, before it came into the house of Obededom?
There were further animal sacrifices when the Ark was brought into David's Tent (1 CHRON 16) as he offered before Yahuah:
• Ascending-Near (Burnt) Offerings -- refer to LEV 1.
• Intimate-Peace offerings -- refer to LEV 3.
Both of these were voluntary offerings, offered as a freewill offering to Yahuah. They are indicative of YAHUSHA'S VOLUNTARY OFFERING ON THE TORTURE STAKE. He came to do the Father's will and was offered as a freewill sacrifice. (HEB 10, PS 40, JN 10).
Thus sacrifices were offered when the Ark was taken from Obededom's house and then into the Tent of David. Yahuah never takes His people from something He has blessed unless He takes them into the next step in His plan. Many times Yahusha's people hesitate to come from something He's blessing into the fresh movement of His Spirit through fear of the unknown.
But Yahuah always desires to lead His people into a fuller revelation of Himself in each step. The major point here is that there were sacrifices offered at the dedication of David’s Tent.
It is amazing to see that there is NO ACCOUNT OF ANIMAL SACRIFICES EVER BEING OFFERED AGAIN in David’s Tent after the initial dedicatory sacrifices, and the only sacrifices afterwards were "Sacrifices of Praise and Joy" offered by the Priests and Levites in David's Tent.
The fulfilment through Yahusha here should be evident, for when Yahusha Messiah was offered on Calvary, His perfect once-for-all sacrifice fulfilled and abolished all animal sacrifices. No animal sacrifices since the Torture Stake are acceptable to Yahuah and ALL SUCH ATTEMPTS ARE AN ABOMINATION TO HIM.
Yahuah will never again accept animal sacrifices, now that the body and blood of His only begotten Son Yahusha has cleansed both heaven and earth of lawlessness and booted the enemy out of the throneroom, unable to enter again. TO OFFER SACRIFICES OF ANIMALS AND BLOOD AGAIN WOULD BE THE GREATEST INSULT TO HIS SACRIFICE AND WOULD BE A REVERSAL OF THE NEW BLOOD-COVENANT TO REESTABLISH THE OLD COVENANT UNDER MOSES AGAIN. The only sacrifices Yahuah accepts since His death are "spiritual sacrifices" of Praise and Worship (in Spirit and Truth) through His Tent, Temple, the Bride. OBVIOUSLY IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BEHAVIOUR THAT SHINES FROM OUR BODIES/ TEMPLES.
1 CHRON 15: So all Yisharal brought up the Ark of the Blood-Covenant of Yahuah with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, sounding with harps and lyres. And it came to be, as the Ark came to the City of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul, looking through a window, saw Sovereign David dancing and playing. And she despised him in her heart.
These Scriptures record for us the marvellous entrance the Ark had coming into the City of David, which is Zion. Yahuah helped the Levites which bare the Ark. He strengthened them that there was no stumbling. It was several miles from the house of Obededom to Zion. The processional march was accompanied by singing, shouting, sound of the trumpets, cymbals, psalteries, and harps. The women of Yisharal danced in and out and between those in the great procession. It was certainly not a quiet event, but one of great joy, gladness, excitement, and enthusiasm. David played and danced with all his might before Yahuah. The singers and musicians sang and played with all their might too, and the Ark was the centre of attraction. How would many of Yahuah's people today have reacted to such a meeting, and Divine Encounter?
Such a procession would be charged as not being "decent and in order,” “too loud and emotional” “not focused on the Word and just on the pleasure of Music” …. But THIS WAS YAHUAH'S ORDER - NOT MAN'S! All over the world, there are those who see the Ark of Yahuah's presence coming into His Bride in a greater way and are rejoicing in like manner before Yahuah
THE BEHAVIOUR REVOLUTION HAS BEEN RAISED UP ON THIS EARTH TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF `DAVID'S TENT' OF REVOLUTIONARY PRAISE BEHAVIOUR BEFORE THE ARK (YAHUSHA IN OUR BLOOD-SPRINKLED, WATER WASHED, CIRCUMCISED HEARTS) ...
And many are responding to this restoration just like Saul's daughter Michal, who hated her husband David and the joy that was flowing through him . . . we'll pick up the story from there in our next video.
WATCH VIDEO ON THIS STUDY: https://youtu.be/zg8TEEbzUkU