“In that day “I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be,     Amos 9:11 NIV

In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:     Amos 9:11 KJV

I have always had a few unresolved questions concerning this passage that I feel need clarity and perspective. My first question was, “Will the Lord restore The Tabernacle apart from His Son Jesus Christ?”

The answer is a resounding No, supported by scripture!  Jesus came to fulfill Scripture and to fulfill every Prophecy in the Old Testament. The Father’s answer of Yes was accomplished in His Son Jesus Christ! Jesus said He was about His Father’s business which was to seek worshipers who would worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.                                                                                                                    John 4:23 NIV

 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”                                                              Matthew 21:13

Raelynn answers questions about the Tabernacle of David

All aspects of the Tabernacle pointed to Jesus as did all of the Feasts. Not only did the traditions point to Jesus, but they were fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus was the Tabernacle that dwelt among us. Also, Jesus was the natural born heir of David, who will rule from His Throne.  But just as David’s heart was to build a House for the Lord, his natural son Solomon was the one to build that house, the Temple of Solomon. Jesus Christ is the natural and Spiritual Son who will restore and rebuild the Tabernacle of David “as it used to be,” or “in the days of old” (KJV). The Tabernacle of David is not only fulfilled but restored through the Son Jesus Christ!

Another burning question is this, “Doesn’t this scripture mean that it will be fulfilled through Israel only? In other words, it doesn’t pertain to the Church, but possibly when the Church is raptured, and this is a part of their reinstatement of Jewish traditions in the restoration of the Temple.”

Again, I believe scripturally the answer is No! Even though it is subtitled, “Israel’s Restoration,” it is not exclusive to Israel only, excluding the Church. In the Old Testament, the Lord was married to Israel. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is married to His Bride, the Church.  Our Lord is Faithful and True and loves His Church, His Bride!

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.             John 15:5, 8 NIV

Jesus said the Church will bear His fruit, from His seed, and that it is to his Gather’s Glory that we bear fruit, showing that we are his disciples, his Church.

For Jesus to only fulfill the Tabernacle of David through Israel, excluding the Church, would be adultery, because He is married to the Church, and the Church will bear His Fruit.

She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. Revelation 12:5

Only the Church can give birth to the Male Child, in the image of the Son. The Tabernacle is restored and fulfilled through Jesus Christ and the Church who will bear His Fruit!

Let me provide a missing key to unlock our understanding a little further.

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.                                                                                                                               Matthew 17:1-5 KJV

Inherent in both versions of Amos 9:11 is obviously the Tabernacle of David, “…and build it as it used to be,” but also the Tabernacle of Moses, “…and I will rebuild it as in the days of old.”  Both tabernacles point to their fulfillment in the New Testament Tabernacle of Jesus Christ Himself.  In the Strong’s Concordance of the Bible, the word tabernacle, is 5521 cukkah or sookkaw, a feminine version of 5520 soke, meaning a hut or lair, booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent.  The word for tabernacles here in Matthew, found in the Strong’s Concordance, is 4633 skene which is literally a tent or cloth hut, a habitation or tabernacle.  It also refers to 4632 skeuos, literally meaning a vessel, implement, equipment, or apparatus.  But figuratively, it is specifically about a wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband. How amazing is that!  Again, we have a reference to the wife or the Bride of Christ! Could she actually be the embodied tabernacle that Jesus inhabits, one that contributes to his continued usefulnees here on earth, the actual hands and feet of Jesus? (From The Heavenly Worship Room)

Consider this also.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.                           Revelation 19:7 KJV

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.                                                                                                                 Revelation 21:2-3, 9-14

The Tabernacle is fulfilled through Jesus Christ and his wife, the Church. But I do not believe this is only a time in the far future. Consider this scripture as well.

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.                                                                                                                                       John 14:2-3

I believe this is present tense word, where He is right now, we have access right now to be where He is presently. If his body was broken for us and the veil of the Temple was rent in two, to provide access into the Holy of Holies, then we can go NOW, into that place, the Tabernacle of David, the Secret Place, the Throne Room, seated with Him in Heavenly Places!

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.                                                    Hebrews 4:16

My final question, “So how is the Tabernacle of David related to Israel’s Restoration?”       I believe the answer is found in scripture.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.  Haggai 2:9 KJV

The one thing Israel has historically is the Glory, the Shekinah Glory that resided upon the Mercy Seat on the Ark of Glory!  They witnessed historically the Glory upon Moses’ face, the Glory that stood in the entrance of Moses’ Tent of Meeting, the Glory that led them in the wilderness, and shielded them from the approaching Egyptians! Jesus birthed His Church in Glory, and He is coming back for nothing less than what He left, the Church radiating His Glory! It is a signpost for the Jewish nation! When they see the Glory manifest in the Church, the Tabernacle of David filled with the Glory, they will recognize the Glory from their history, and they will recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah and as their King of Glory. And when they do, Israel’s Restoration will be fulfilled! Israel can be fully Restored through receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior, their Redeemer, their Messiah, and through that saving knowledge, Israel’s Redemption and Restoration shall be complete! Glory to the Lamb!!!