
God tells Moses in Exodus 25:9, 25:40, 26:30 and Acts 7:44 to make the tabernacle according to the pattern he was shown on the mountain. God showed Moses what the tabernacle looked like so he could build it.
Acts 2:30-31 says, "that David being a prophet foresaw that Christ was supposed to sit upon His throne…." So, what did David do? His first decision as king which is found in 1 Chronicles 13, was to bring back God's abiding presence and he did that through setting up a tabernacle on Zion (1 Chronicles 13-16) Amos 9:11 and Acts 15:16 describe how God wants this tabernacle of David, which has fallen down rebuilt. Why does He want it set up? It's for the sake of a harvest of disciples.
Now look at what I've underlined in Isaiah 46:8-11 "Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,' 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it."
God is looking for some men and women of courage in these days. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…" God is looking for a people with a certain quality of faith. Zechariah 4:9-10 puts this in the context of building God a house. It says, "The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. 10 For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth."
Reverse Engineering
God is looking throughout the earth for a people who will build His house. God is looking for a people to do some reverse engineering. What is reverse engineering?
God is the OEM and what He's built is in heaven and He is looking for a people to recreate, reverse engineer that which is in heaven on the earth. I've spent years working with leaders like Northwest Life Center and their Elma House of Prayer to follow King David's pattern. You'll find it well presented in my book Operation Rolling Thunder - Revised Edition and in the "Leaders - 1Church1Day Strategic Planning Course" found in our Officer Candidate School in our Kingdom Academy.
But today what I want to focus on, is the quality of people God is looking for to build with. What are the qualities is God looking for? Well for Pete's sake we'll find that in 2nd Peter!
History Culminates in The Day of the Lord
2 Peter 3:10-13 says, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."
Remember, God declares the end from the beginning to give us the opportunity to reverse engineer on earth, that which is in heaven. He shows us the end so we will know how to begin.
2 Peter 3:11 says, "Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness..." Let's go back to the beginning of 2 Peter. and take a look.
I submit to you; the restoration of David's tabernacle is the pattern or blueprint we are to use to build our Father's house of prayer for all nations. 2 Peter 1 describes the quality of the people who'll do this.
2 Peter 1:2-4 says, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
The Qualities
2 Peter 1:5-11 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
God is looking for people who display:
- Faith = moral conviction of the truth and reliance upon Christ for salvation
- Virtue = manliness, valor, excellent and praiseworthy. Manliness and valor speak to people with courage in a fight.
- Knowledge = intelligence, deep understanding and also science. Remember Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
- Self-control =Temperance, one who masters their sensual appetites.
- Perseverance = Patient endurance
- Godliness = Holiness and holiness means to be set apart to God with reverence and respect.
- Brotherly kindness = A love or brotherly affection for your brothers and sisters in Christ; the family of God.
- Love - This is agape kind of love. It is beyond affection in that it is willing to die to itself in order to do the right thing. The love of God compels them to act in accordance with God's word above all else.
These are the qualities of the people needed to restore David's tabernacle of those Christ is looking for in this day.
God is looking for a people who will hasten the Day of the Lord…..
Isaiah 46:9-11 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,' 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.