The Tabernacle of David

God said,

"After this 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 

That's an important verse.   

Moses' tabernacle lasted about 500 years.  Its tattered remains were still in existence, and in use, during the reign of King David.  In fact, David assigned Zaddock to be the High Priest there.  (1 Chronicles 16:34-39)  Yet David built another tabernacle for the ark in Jerusalem.  Why did David to that?  What was different about David's tabernacle?   It stood on Mt. Zion only for the last 33 years of King David's life, and the first seven years of King Solomon's reign.  Yet it was powerfully used of God to change a nation and the world.  David's tabernacle was unique in all of history.  It was the only institution ever built by man that set people free. What happened there?  What was David's tabernacle, and why would rebuilding it be so important to God?   How did God rebuild it?  Where is it now?  And why would "the rest of mankind" seek the LORD as the result of its restoration?

Here's the story.  Not long before David was born something happened.  Eli (the acting High Priest at Moses' tabernacle in Shiloh), was very old, and his eyes were dim.  He had two sons who were corrupt, and did not know the LORD.  Eli had heard that his sons, Hophni and Phineas, were committing adultery and fornication with the women who gathered at the door of the tabernacle.  Eli feebly objected to these things, but took no other action.  His sons also forcibly took more than their fair share of the offerings so that the people of Israel hated coming to the tabernacle to make offerings.  Eli himself was guilty of the sins of his sons.  He loved his sons more than God and actually approved of the way they were stealing the sacrifices because he liked to eat.  (That's why he was fat.  See 1 Samuel 2:20-30)  So he did absolutely nothing to stop them.  (1 Samuel 3:13)  In fact, Eli was so fat and lazy that he would allow the lamp (menorah), in the temple to go out.  That lamp was supposed to burn continually.  (Exodus 27:20)  Then a man of God came and spoke the words of the LORD.  For all of these things God said He would judge the household of Eli.  Both his sons would die, and Eli would see the enemy in the camp.  None of Eli's descendants would ever live to see old age.  God Himself would find a different High Priest instead of Eli, and all of Eli's descendants who remained alive would beg God's new priest for a position so that they might eat a piece of bread.  This is what God said,

Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind.  I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed (Hebrew: My Messiah) forever:  And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, "Please, put me in one of the priestly positions that I may eat a piece of bread."  I Samuel 2:35-36  italics mine    (parenthesis mine)

note: Why would the descendants of Eli "bow down to him" unless he was also the King of Israel?  As it turned out, the faithful priest God raised up for Himself was none other than King David!  And in his priestly office King David raised up the tabernacle of David in order to accomplish all of God's will as God had said, "who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind."   

note:  Acts 13:22 says, "He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart,' who will do all My will."  By adding the words  "who will do all My will"  the writer of the book of Acts confirms  that David was the High Priest whom God raised up for Himself.  For Samuel had said,  "Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind,"  Here's the rest of the story...

The boy, Samuel, was ministering before the LORD in Shiloh.  One evening, while Samuel was lying down to sleep in the tabernacle, where the ark of God was, he heard a voice speaking to him.  It was God's voice.  He told Samuel that all the things He had previously spoken against Eli and his sons would surely come to pass.

Then the enemy Philistines invaded the land of Israel, defeated Israel's army, and killed about four thousand men.  In a last desperate attempt to save the army and their nation, the elders of Israel decided to bring the ark of the covenant out of the tabernacle and put it with the army.  But Israel was defeated again because of the sins of Eli and his sons.  Both of Eli's sons were killed, and the ark was captured.  The glory of God had departed from Israel.  When Eli heard all this news, he fell over backwards and broke his neck so that he died.  This was perhaps the darkest day in the whole history of Israel.  The ark had been captured!  When Eli's daughter-in-law heard this news she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."  I Samuel 4:17

A little known fact is that the Philistines also invaded Shiloh and broke down the tabernacle of Moses.  Eli saw the enemy in the camp before he died just as the man of God had said he would.  Asaph seems to have recorded these things in Psalm 73

The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.  Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;  They set up their banners for signs.  They seem like men who lift up axes among the thick trees.  And now they break down its carved work, all at once, with axes and hammers.  They have set fire to Your sanctuary; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.  They said in their hearts, "Let us destroy them altogether."  They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.  Psalm 74: 3-8  

Jeremiah confirms that the meeting place at Shiloh was destroyed, saying.  "But go to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel."  Jeremiah 7:12

Apparently the Philistines had completely destroyed the Most Holy Place, where the ark had been kept.  It's my guess that Samuel took whatever remained of Moses' tabernacle to Gibeon and set it up there.  

The ark of God's covenant did not remain long with the Philistines.  The men of Ashdod were severely plagued with tumors because of it, so they sent it on to Gath where many  men died as a result of it's presence.  When they tried to take it to Ekron the people of Ekron wisely refused it, but since it was in their territory thousands of them died also.  After seven months the Phillistines finally sent the ark back to Israel on a cart pulled by milk cows.  The road the cows took came to Beth Shemesh, in Israel, and the people of Beth Shemesh welcomed the return of the ark.  But some of the men looked into the ark contrary to God's law.  Many of them died as a result of that disobedience.  So the people of Beth Shemesh sent the ark on to Kirjath Jearim, where it was placed in the household of Aminadab.  There it remained for twenty years   (I Samuel 7:2).

Things got worse for the nation of Israel.  Samuel anointed Saul to be king of Israel but, King Saul rebelled against God.  So God rejected Saul from being king.  The nation was now leaderless except for the old prophet Samuel.    Then God told the prophet Samuel to anoint someone else to be king instead of Saul.  God had found David, the son of Jesse.

"I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will."  Acts 13:22b

David was a singular young man.  He was a handsome youth, skilled in war, and skilled at playing the harp.  (1 Samuel 16:18)  He was a shepherd by occupation, but a lion at heart.  In fact, he had killed a lion and a bear in hand to paw combat when they threatened his father's flocks (1 Samuel 17:34-37).  The young man was fearless.  And He worshipped the God of Israel.  He was a man after God's own heart.  (I Samuel 13:14)  As Jesus would say much later, God is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.  David was the man God would choose.  Samuel found him in Bethlehem, and anointed him to be the new king of Israel.  (I Samuel 16:13)  Later on the elders of Judah would anoint David  to be king over Judah.  (2 Samuel 2:4)  Still later, the elders of Israel would anoint David to be king over all of Israel.  (2 Samuel 5:3)  So David was anointed three times.  He had a threefold anointing to be prophet, priest, and king.  We know that David eventually became king of all Israel, and the New Testament declares that he was a prophet (Acts 2:30).  However, it seems that most of us know very little about David's priestly anointing.  But the Bible says a lot about it.   

1 Samuel chapters 22-23 tells the story:  David was hiding from King Saul, because Saul was trying to kill him.  Doeg, the Edomite, saw David enter the priestly city of Nob to inquire of the Lord at the house of Ahimelech, the High Priest.  When Saul heard of this he went to Nob and killed all the priests, eighty-five men in all, who wore the linen ephod.  (The ephod was a garment worn by the priests.  It was similar to a vest, or a bodice.  Wearing an ephod was the sign of the priesthood of Israel.  see 1 Samuel 2:28 )  But Ahimelech's grandson, Abiathar, escaped and came to David, with an ephod in his hand.  (1 Samuel 23:6)  This made Abiathar the new High Priest since His grandfather, Ahimilech, and his father Ahitub were both killed at Nob.  (See Mark 2:26)  Apparently that ephod was the special ephod of the High Priest!  That ephod contained the Urim and the Thumim which were needed for inquiring of the Lord.  Abiathar stayed with David from then on, and gave that ephod to David.  (1 Samuel 23:9)  David put it on so that he could inquire of the Lord.  This made David not only a priest, but the High Priest.  Remember, only priests were allowed to wear an ephod, and only the High Priest could wear the ephod containing the Urim and the Thumim.  This all happened according to the will of the Lord who had said, 

Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind.  I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever:  1 Samuel 2:35

note: Abiathar was the last of the sons of Eli.  (see 1Kings 2:27)  Apparently Abiathar begged David for a position so that he could eat a piece of bread.

Eventually, David became king over all of Israel.  As soon as he became king, David knew what he, as God's faithful High Priest, must do.  For he would act according to what was in God's heart and in God's mind. 

It had been twenty years since the ark of God's covenant had been set aside in the house of Aminadab.  Now that David was king over all of Israel, he would recover the ark.  But King David set the ark upon a cart pulled by oxen, and as the cart journeyed towards Jerusalem the oxen stumbled.  At that point a young man named Uzzah put forth his hand to steady the ark and was instantly killed by God for that sin.  (God had told the people of Israel never to touch the ark.  They would die if they did.  See Numbers 4:5-15)  So David decided to leave the ark at the house of Obed-Edom. 

Obed-Edom was not an Israelite!  That means he was a Gentile.  He was a Gittite, meaning that he had lived in Gath, which was a Philistine city.  But he was not a Philistine.  He was from the nation of Edom.  His name means "Servant of Edom."  It seems obvious that he had converted to the faith of Israel, but he was still a Gentile.  By Mosaic law he was not supposed to come anywhere near the ark.  In fact, he could not even come near the tabernacle, but had to stay in the outer court of the Gentiles.  By law he could not approach the ark.  The ark was supposed to be kept in the Holy of Holies, in Moses' tabernacle.  Only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies. And even the High Priest could enter only once a year, on the day of atonement for Israel's sins.  How was it possible that the ark of God could be set aside in the house of a Gentile?  David knew all of this of course.  But remember - David had been anointed as a priest to do God's will. 

So the ark came to rest in the house of Obed-Edom, a Gentile.  The result was that Obed-Edom was greatly blessed!  Meanwhile David had done some research.  Evidently, upon reading the Bible (1 Chronicles 15:2 & 15:12-15), he found that the ark was to be carried only on poles upon the shoulders of the Levites.  (Men from the tribe of Levi.)  Then David found some Levites to carry the ark and triumphantly brought the ark to Jerusalem.  We read the account...   

The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gitite, three months.  And the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.  Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God."  So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness.  And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.  Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.  2 Samuel 6:11-15

So they brought the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle (ohel) that David had erected for it.  Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.  And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins.  So all the people departed, everyone to his house.  2 Samuel 6:17-19 

Notice that David was wearing a linen ephod when he did all of this.  That means he was acting as a priest.  Notice also that David offered sacrifices and blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.  Again he was acting as a priest.  Only priests were allowed to offer sacrifices.  King Saul had been condemned for doing the same thing.  (1 Samuel 13:9-14)

note:  David did not offer sacrifices for sin.  He only made burnt offerings and peace offerings.  Did he know that the perfect offering for sin had already been made?  Did he know that the Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the world?  (see Revelations 13:8)   Burnt offerings signified the  giver's complete dedication to God.  The peace offering was meant to be a fellowship meal with God.  Presumably, if there were any offerings for sin, they would take place in Moses' tabernacle which was still at Gibeon.  (I Chronicles 16:39) 

note:  David did not dance naked before the ark of the LORD.  He was not wearing only an ephod.  (1 Samuel 6:14)  He was also wearing a linen robe.  (1 Chronicles 15:27)  That was a priestly robe and it would have reached to the ground.  But David whirled and danced so violently that he was "uncovered" even though he was wearing a long robe.  (1 Samuel 6:20)  He was probably also wearing underwear since that was the custom of the day.  In other words David was dancing in an undignified manner, but he was not being immoral.  When David's wife, Michal, rebuked him for "uncovering himself" it was because he had whirled so violently that his underwear was seen.  This was undignified.  David replied, "And I will be even more undignified than this."  2 Samuel6:22 NKJV

note:  The "tabernacle" that David had put up was really not a "tabernacle."  It was simply a tent.  The Hebrew word "ohel" means a tent.  The Hebrew word for "tabernacle" is "mishkan."  Moses' tabernacle had wooden walls with a tent for a roof.  The whole structure was called a "mishkan."  David's "tabernacle" was really only a tent.  It was an "ohel."  It had no wooden walls.  No doubt it was similar to the tents still made by the desert dwelling Bedouin people of today.  In that case it would have had walls or "curtains" made of cloth woven from goat's wool (to repel rain).  In fact, the Bible says that David's tabernacle (ohel) had curtains.  (See 2 Samuel 7:2)  Presumably these curtains made up the walls of the tabernacle David had prepared.  When it got hot, the cloth walls would surely have been rolled down, as was the custom of the day, in order to allow a breeze to pass through.    The Bible says that David "pitched a tent."  "...and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it."  (1 Chronicles 15:1)  This is a very important note.  When the walls of the tent were rolled down, the glory of the Lord would shine forth to all the land.  All the people could see it.  There is no doubt that this was the case most of the time.  THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT.  David's tabernacle was meant to reveal the Lord, Jesus Christ, and God's redemptive plan to the world.  Perhaps David had not thought of it that way, but God did.

After the ark had been brought to Jerusalem, David left Asaph and his brothers there as musicians, to minister before the ark of the LORD (Yahweh) on a regular basis.  (1 Chronicles 16:37)  They were employed in that work day and night.  (1 Chronicles 9:33) 

Moses' tabernacle was still standing at Gibeon.  (1 Chronicles 21:29)  (Evidently it had been moved from Shiloh after the Philistines' attack.)  The bronze altar used for animal sacrifices was at Gibeon!  The brass lavar (wash basin) was also at Gibeon.  In fact, the entire tabernacle of Moses used by the priests of that sacrificial system was at Gibeon.  King David even appointed Zaddock to be the High Priest officiating over the animal sacrifices there.  (1 Chronicles 16:39-42)  But there was no ark in that tabernacle!  The ark of the covenant was in David's tabernacle, in Jerusalem.  This means that Asaph and the other Levites at Jerusalem had nothing to do except praise, and thank, and worship God; and record the Psalms that would be written.

note:  No sacrifices for sin were ever offered in David's tabernacle.  Only burnt offerings (surrender offerings), and peace offerings were made there.  As Christians we are to offer up ourselves in surrender to God as living sacrifices.  (see Romans 12:1)  The only other "sacrifice" we offer is the sacrifice of praise.  Jesus Himself is our peace so that we can have a continual fellowship meal with God.   

And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate (to record), to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel;  Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom:  Jeiel with stringed instuments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals.  1 Chronicles 16:4-5  italics mine

note:  to "commemorate" means to record.  Those Levites recorded the Psalms inspired by the Holy Spirit in David's Tabernacle! 

Obed-Edom?  Remember him?  He was a Gentile!  What was he doing ministering before the ark of the LORD?

David installed Obed-Edom and sixty-eight of his sons and grandsons as "gate keepers."  (1 Chronicles 16:38)   Obed-Edom and his sons and grandsons were all Gentiles!  As gate keepers they were allowed direct access into the tabernacle, and thus into the presence of the LORD before the ark of God!  They were allowed to look directly at the ark, and at the shekinah glory of God!  And really, when the walls of the tent were rolled down, which would have been most of the time, EVERYONE living at Jerusalem could look directly at the shekinah glory of God!  Remember that David had been chosen to "...do according to what is in My heart and in My mind."  A picture of God's heart is beginning to emerge!

In addition to appointing some Gentiles to serve God, David (along with Samuel), also appointed some of  "the sons of Korah."  The redeeming grace of God is seen.  Korah was the priest who had rebelled against Moses in the wilderness.  (Read Numbers chapter sixteen.)  Korah, and all those who rebelled with him, were killed.  The earth opened up and swallowed them, so that they went down to hell alive.  But Korah had a son (or grandson), named Assir who survived.  Samuel and David appointed some of the descendents of Assir, known as the "sons of Korah" to be gatekeepers at Moses' tabernacle in Gibeon  (1 Chronicles 9:17-27), but some of them (notably Mattithiah), became singers and played stringed instruments before the ark of the L0RD in Jerusalem.  (1 Chronicles 16:5)  They served the LORD with singing night and day. 

I did a little bit of research to find out how many of the Psalms were written during the time of David's tabernacle.  Here's a list:  Remember that the Levites had been appointed to "commemorate" or "record" what God was saying.  (1 Chronicles 16:4)  They recorded these Psalms, many of which prophesy the coming of the Messiah...

note:  It is not evident from the Psalms that David was the author of Psalm 2, but Acts 4:25 declares that he was.

Some of the prophecies and revelations that came from David's tabernacle were these: 

All of these prophecies were quoted by the writer of the book of Hebrews.  In fact, it is safe to say that the book of Hebrews could not have been written without them.  You can see how important this was to the early Church.  All of these prophecies were written by King David.  All of these prophecies were well known and quoted by the apostles in the early Church.  (see Acts 13:32-39)  The apostle Paul used these scriptures to build a case and to declare,

And by Him (Jesus) everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.  Acts 13:39

Apparently David knew this secret also.  For David said,

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire.  But a body You have prepared Me.  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.  Then I said, "Behold, I have come- In the volume of the book it is written of Me- To do Your will, O God.  (Hebrews 10:5-7)

Is it any wonder that David danced with all his might before the ark of the covenant?  Is it any wonder that David appointed certain Levites "to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy?"  (1 Chronicles 15:16) We will never know how much had already been revealed to David before the ark was brought to Jerusalem, but one thing we do know; David knew a lot.  He had spent time with Samuel at Naioth.  (1 Samuel 19:18)   And Samuel was the one who had said, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice."  (1 Samuel 15:22)  Samuel is the one who anointed David to be king, for God had found him to be a man after His own heart.  Samuel is the one who had prophesied that God would raise up a faithful priest who would know God's heart, and know God's mind.  And Samuel is also the one who kept talking about the Messiah, or "His Anointed One" (see 1 Samuel 12:3-5)  How much did Samuel tell David?  We can only guess.  But we do know that God told David plenty!  Most of all David knew this.   "His mercy (hesed, or GRACE), endures forever."   (1 Chronicles 16:41)  And that is exactly why David appointed the Levite singers and musicians to minister before the ark of the LORD in the tabernacle at Jerusalem.  Please read 1 Chronicles 16:41

Then God said that He would rebuild the tabernacle of David.

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;  That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does this thing.  Amos 9:11-12

The apostle James quoted this verse.  (Acts 15:16)  It was this one verse above all others that was the apostles' reason for letting the Gentiles into the church, and not requiring them to follow Mosaic law.  Just how much the early Church relied upon David for their understanding is plain.  Jesus said the Psalms spoke of Him.  

Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.  Luke 24:44-45

The exciting and most important thing about this fact is that  many of the Psalms were prophetic of Jesus, the Messiah who would come to be our Redeemer.  It is impossible to escape the fact that David wrote Psalm 22 during this time.  In other words, during the time of David's Tabernacle, God was revealing Himself and His redemptive plan!  The time would come when these prophecies would be fulfilled and thus revealed in Christ.  The full revelation of God's salvation would come to pass when Jesus died and rose again.  At that time God rebuilt the Tabernacle of David ... so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord.  We do not have to rebuild the tabernacle of David.  God already rebuilt it.  See Hebrews Hebrews 8:1-2 and Hebrews 9:11-15  Remember that when Jesus died, the veil between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place was torn apart.  That means that the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place became one place.  In other words, the price of redemption has been paid, when you are saved you're in.  The tabernacle of David has been rebuilt.  And, in Christ, there is no Jew or Gentile.  You do not need to rebuild David's tabernacle.  All you need to do is, by grace, enter in.

David's tabernacle was built to reveal the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  That is why God said He would rebuild it.  

It is very important to make the point and remember that David's tabernacle had no walls.  David's tabernacle was an ohel, not a mishkan.  David's tabernacle did not have walls, it had curtains.  (see 1 Chronicles 17:1)  David's tabernacle looked very much like a Bedouin tent.  It was made the same way.  And like a Bedouin tent of today the curtains would have been rolled down on hot days... which would have been most of the time.  This is an important note.  It means that the glory of God, Jesus, was being revealed to all the land.  Modern Jews say that in Old Testament times there was a pulsating blue light that hovered above the mercy seat (the lid on the ark of the covenant).  That pulsating blue light came to be known as the "Shekinah."  It was not the glory of God, but was a visible manifestation that His glory was there.  More accurately it was an indication of God's presence among His people.  We get a glimpse of this in Psalm 80.  Asaph wrote...

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the Cherubim, shine forth!  Psalm 80:1

Asaph wrote Psalm 80 at the time of David's tabernacle.  Who could be the "Shepherd of Israel" except Jesus?  Psalm 80:1 is the Old Testament rendition of "Shine, Jesus Shine!"

So how did God rebuild David's tabernacle, and where is it now?  

Surprise!  We have met King David's tabernacle and it is us!  Jesus has chosen now to live in us!  As it is written...

I will dwell (tabernacle) in them and walk among them.  I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  I Corinthians 6:16

or as from the Greek...

I will dwell in them and walk around in them.  I will be their God and they shall be My people.  This is the New Testament fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesy found in Ezekiel.

My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  Ezekiel 37:27

Can we say, "You who live in me, SHINE FORTH!"

We need to learn some lessons from David.  Someone has accurately said that David was a man after God's own heart because David was a man after God's own heart.  David loved God!  What was David's heart like?  It is good to take a look.  Like God, David saw redemption and had a missionary heart.  One good way to see King David's heart is to read the Psalm he composed and sang at the dedication ceremonies for the tabernacle.  That psalm is found  in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36.  We also know it as Psalm 105:1-15 and Psalm 96:1-13.  It is a missionary Psalm!  David says, "Make known His deeds among the peoples (all ethnic groups)." 1 Chronicles 16:8 Then David said, "Sing to the Lord all the earth; Proclaim the good news (gospel) of His salvation (yeshua) from day to day.  Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples."  1 Chronicles 16:23-24  Did David have these things in mind before he built the tabernacle?  It would seem so. 

note:  Normally the Hebrew word for "salvation" is "yasha'."  But in I Chronicles 16:23 it's "yeshua."  Could this verse be translated as: "Sing to the Lord all the earth; Proclaim the good news (gospel) of His Savior (Jesus), from day to day."

Much more of David's heart is recorded in the Psalms as follows... 

One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek; That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.  Psalm 27:4 

All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations shall worship before You,  Psalm 22:27

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  Psalm 42:1

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; etc.  Psalm 23:1-2a

They pierced My hands and My feet.  Psalm 22:16

They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.  Psalm 22:18

He guards all his bones.  Not one of them is broken.  Psalm 34:20

 

Now let's go back to that original prophesy spoken by Samuel.

Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind.  I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever:   1 Samuel 15:16  italics mine  

note:  The reference to "My anointed" would read "My Messiah" in the Hebrew language.  That would have to be Jesus. That's the only way this verse makes any sense, since a man can hardly walk before himself.   Psalm 132:10 confirms this interpretation.  "For Your servant David's sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed."  This same verse also confirms that this prophecy of Samuel was fulfilled in David.

Who is "My Anointed?"  It can be no other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  King David had an intimate walk with Jesus.  David knew Jesus, the Messiah.  King David also knew that the Messiah was in him.  Since it had been prophesied that the Messiah would come from David's line, it follows that the Messiah was in David at the time.  That's Hebrew thinking. (see Hebrews 7:9)

Now the way is open for everyone to walk as David walked.  Jesus is in us!

God has indeed rebuilt the Tabernacle of David.  The book of Hebrews declares it. 

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying:  We have a such a High Priest; who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, not man.  Hebrews 8:1-2  italics mine

The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.  Hebrews 9:9 

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation: Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place, once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.  Hebrews 9:11 

Christians can now come boldly into God's presence.  We have direct access.  We can come boldly before the throne of grace at any time.  God wants us to do that.  Children can come directly to their father, and climb into his lap, and kiss him, and be hugged and kissed.  That is what God wants us to do.  Jesus made the way.  Not only that but we can walk around knowing that Jesus is in us.  Let His praise be in us and... let Him shine forth through us! (1 Peter 2:9)