‘What are we doing?’ Sunday Service ( ) Steve Hwang

Oh, Lord, please speak to me! What are you doing?

Building Your House of Prayer, Lord?

1. Tabernacle of David

1. Original Tabernacle of David 1 Chronicles 16:1-6 1 So they brought [1] the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. 4 And he appointed some of [2] the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God.

1. Prophetic Tabernacle of David Amos 9: “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; 12 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. Acts 15: '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; 17 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.'

1. Prophetic Tabernacle of David John 4: "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

1. Tabernacle of David: ‘God’s ultimate purpose?’ Malachi 1:11 11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations," says the LORD of hosts.

1. Tabernacle of David: ‘God’s ultimate purpose?’ Psalm 67 To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. 1 God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us. Selah 2 that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. 4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. 6 Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

Where will all my true worshippers worship?

2. House of Prayer

2. Prophetic House of Prayer Isaiah 56:6-7 6 “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants; everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant; 7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."

2. Prophetic House of Prayer Mark 11: So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

Where will My people pray?

Tabernacle of David & House of Prayer

House of Prayer PrayerEngage Tabernacle of David Minister (Worship) Ark (Throne) House of God 1 Chronicles 29:1 […] the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the LORD God.

What are you doing?

Lord, we are building Your house, which is Tabernacle of David & House of Prayer!

David’s Desire to build God’s House All throughout David’s life, he had one goal and purpose in his life, and this is written in Psalm 27:4: ‘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.’ This was not an abstract dream but a genuine vision that was accomplished in his life time, not only in his spiritual life but also in his physical life. When you read 1 Chronicles, you will see that his life was wholly focused on preparing for the building of the temple, which his son, Solomon, end up building.

David’s Desire to build God’s House 1 Chronicles 29:1-2 1 Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the LORD God. 2 Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance.

David’s Desire to build God’s House 1 Chronicles 29:3-5 3 Moreover, because I have set my affection [devotion] on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver: 4 three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses; 5 the gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the LORD?"

Leadership for Building God’s House 1 Chronicles 29:3 reveals 2 essential leadership qualities when building the house of God, which we should adopt at SydHOP since our goal & purpose is also to build His house: ‘I have set my affection [devotion] on the house of my God’ 1.A leader who is building a house of the Lord must be wholeheartedly devoted to it because of his/her deep affection and unswerving conviction of it. ‘I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver: 2.Because of the affection and devotion for His house, he/she must be proven to have ‘given over and above’ (time & finance) unto building His dwelling place.

David Inquiring of the Lord 1 Chronicles 14: Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.” 11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water." Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

David Inquiring of the Lord 1 Chronicles 14: Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.” 11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water." Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

David Inquiring of the Lord 1 Chronicles 14: Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

David Inquiring of the Lord 1 Chronicles 14: Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

Inquiring of the Lord Why do we inquire of the Lord? Is it to know: 1.What our next step is? OR 2.What God’s next step is? ‘1’ is about making plans and coming to a decision (in agreement or through other processes) and executing the plan according to the decision. (God as our ‘means’) ‘2’ is about getting ready and preparing but continuously asking and watching for what and how God is revealing and making the next step, and following the pathway that He puts before us. (God as our ‘end’)