A New Tent On Mount Zion
(Taken from Book 2; The Womb Of The Dawn And The Bent Double Woman, p.51-54)
In 1 Chronicles 13 David was attempting to bring the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem. He conferred with the whole assembly of Israel and it seemed like the right thing to do. They had a good desire, but had not sought the Lord for His way. Not doing it per the prescribed order of the Lord would cost the lives of two men.
1 Chronicles 13:7 says they moved the ark of God on a “new cart,” which seemed completely logical, and probably respectful, in their minds. Tragically, the new thing was not done God’s way. He had a new thing in mind also, but it would be revealed to David and the rest of Israel just how serious of a matter it is to seek and then follow HIS way.
This same matter is happening within the church today. Much of what we do is unacceptable before God. We do things our way, according to our denominational ways taught by the elders, and then ask God to bless it. It will cost the lives of many in the days ahead.
Later, David would try again, but not in the same manner as before. 1 Chronicles 16:1 states that when everything was made ready, “per the instructions of the Lord,” the ark of His presence was finally brought to rest in the place David had prepared for Him on Mount Zion. The fear of the Lord had been strongly instilled in their hearts first, resulting in a reverential search for His ways. Eventually, with great joy, they brought the ark of God to the place David had prepared for it.
It’s interesting to note that about six miles away, at Mount Gibeon, the tabernacle of Moses was still in operation (1 Chronicles 21:29), void of the presence of God which resided within His ark. 1 Chronicles 16:39-40 says, “And he [David] left Zadok the priest and his relatives the priests before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place which was at Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which He commanded Israel.” It would continue functioning for a while longer, but the ark would never be restored within the holy of holies in the old structure. The new, acceptable way of the Lord had begun.
In his book “From Tent To Temple,” George Warnock says;
“If we are going to be spared the frustration of trying to restore something that has served its purpose and belongs to a dying order, we must recognize that God has new things in mind. And that He moves onward and forward and upward, enlightening the path of the just with the Light of a new day… He is not in the least interested in renewing some old religious structure that He may have seen fit to use in days gone by. God has an entirely new order for His people.”
God’s plan is always moving forward. His presence would never again return to the temporary tabernacle of Moses in Mount Gibeon. It had served its purpose, being a temporary means unto the end, but not the end itself.
This is where some within the church have a difficult time today. They have become complacent and comfortable within their denominations and are not willing to set out at the Holy Spirit’s call to “come out” and meet the Lord at the end of this age (Matthew 25:6).
They have become spiritually hard of hearing, preferring to stop and dwell on the wrong side of the Jordan River. They have no desire to cross over and possess the “Promised Land,” or should I say the “Promised Place” in Christ. We will have no excuse one day when we stand before Him and are required to give an account as to why we would not answer the call to enter into the final resting place of His glorious inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (Ephesians 5:5).
As with the moving of the ark of the covenant in David’s day, God is moving toward His final dwelling in Zion, the divinely designated place of His throne, that begins within us first. It is nearing the time of His coming again to His people. We are to rebuild and restore this desired place that now lies in ruin within the hearts of many. The place within His people, the temple of His Body that fell in the Garden of Eden, will once and forever, at the end of this age, be restored to an even greater glory than at the beginning.
The Holy Spirit is presently stirring His people from our spiritual lethargy to prepare His way within us through repentance and consecration so that together we will carry His presence per the prescribed order revealed to us within the Scriptures. The seat of His government will be established within the hearts of His people who respond by consecrating themselves in preparation of His appearing. They are the wise virgins who took oil with them to keep their lamps lit. The oil was “poured” into them because they turned to the Lord’s reproof (Proverbs 1:23).
Because the Lord’s bride has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7-8), she will enter into the wedding feast with the Bridegroom and the door will be shut. Those on the outside will find themselves in a place of darkness, outside the light of His presence, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. We, His children, must humble ourselves and take heed lest we fall through arrogance and presumption.
We are not above Israel, the natural branches. If they were broken off for unbelief, we must not become conceited, but fear. If God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare those of us in the church, the spiritual Israel, who are grafted-in Gentiles that turn away in unbelief AFTER believing either (Romans 11).
Some would say that the people Paul is speaking of are not true Christians. You cannot be grafted into the Tree of Life, Jesus Christ, unless you have become a believer, a disciple, a follower of Him. This will occur en masse during the great falling away from Jesus that occurs before His return (2 Thessalonians 2). It is crucial that we listen to what the Spirit is saying in this midnight hour, and then prepare accordingly.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) (Revelation 19:7-8/NIV) Church, get your hearts ready, per the divine order of the Lord. We must seek out His ways in order to be made ready, before it’s too late.
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