OPEN ACCESS TO GOD
THE AUDIENCE OF ONE 6 DAYS TO KICK-OFF
"After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it."
Acts 15:16
One question that we should ask is, why did God promise to restore David's Tabernacle and not Moses? Here is the answer-
God wants direct access to His people, Moses created an indirect access to God.
The Making of Moses' Tabernacle?
Exodus 20:18–19 - "When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.’"
Deuteronomy 5:25–27 (Moses recounting the event) - "But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer... Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you
By choosing a human mediator (Moses), the people opted out of direct intimacy which paved the way for the buffer Zones, the complex system of veils, courts, and strict boundaries in Moses's Tabernacle—where stepping past a boundary meant instant death—
Moses conceded to the voices and demand of the people rather than encouraging them to come into direct intimacy with God. The people chose a mediator- Moses
Moses Tabernacle created buffer zones and denied direct access to God in the Most Holy Place; There was a veil. There was distance. Only the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies, and only once a year, carrying sacrificial blood on behalf of the people. The entire structure proclaimed one message: God is holy. Man cannot approach Him on his own terms. Yet hidden within God's eternal purpose was something greater. Moses's tabernacle was permitted because the people rejected direct and open access to God.
The Davidic Revolution: Stepping into the Perfect Will
DAVID SAW SOMETHING
Centuries later, David- " a man after God's own heart" understood something others missed. He looked past the rigid, fear-based structures of the Mosaic system and tapped into God's original desire. When David brought the Ark to Jerusalem, he didn't build a multi-layered temple. He pitched a simple tent (2 Samuel 6:17) and placed the Ark inside.
No Veils: There was no heavy curtain hiding the presence.
Face-to-Face: The Levites worshiped directly before the Ark (1 Chronicles 16:37).
The Inversion of Fear: Instead of approaching God with fear of death, David introduced a vibrant culture of thanksgiving, clapping, dancing, and continuous praise.
David - "A man after God's own heart" realized that God didn't want a buffer; He wanted an audience. God loved this format so much that when He promised to restore His spiritual house in the New Testament:
He didn't say He would rebuild Moses's Tabernacle—He specifically said, "I will rebuild David’s fallen tent" (Acts 15:16). When David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, something remarkable happened.
Instead of placing the Ark inside another replica of Moses' Tabernacle, David pitched a simple tent. The Ark—the symbol of God's presence—was placed in the midst of continual worship. Day and night, singers, musicians, and priests ministered before the Lord. There was no veil separating the Ark from those appointed to minister before God. The emphasis shifted from repeated sacrifices to continual worship. David's Tabernacle became a picture of worship that would one day be made possible through the Messiah- Our Lord Jesus Christ
JESUS FULFILLED WHAT DAVID FORESHADOWED
When Jesus died on the Cross, the veil of the Temple was torn from top to bottom. What David's tent prophetically anticipated, Christ accomplished forever. The barrier was removed. Access was opened. The writer of Hebrews declares:
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus... let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." — Hebrews 10:19–22 This is why the New Testament never tells us to rebuild the Tabernacle of Moses.
Instead, James quotes Amos and declares that God is rebuilding the Tabernacle of David. Why? Because David's Tabernacle points us to continual worship, unhindered access, and a people who minister directly before God's presence through Jesus Christ.
THE AUDIENCE OF ONE
The Audience of One is a celebration of the open access, we are responding to the New Covenant reality that Jesus has already secured. There is no veil. No inner court. No outer court. No restricted access. Christ Himself has entered the Holy of Holies on our behalf, and through Him every believer has been invited to draw near.
This is open-access worship. This is the restoration Amos saw. This is the restoration James proclaimed. This is the invitation that still echoes today.
"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."
— Hebrews 13:15