Hirelings have a habit of interpreting spiritual things physically and literally. Take for example the prophecy of Amos wherein God said “I will rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David … declares the Lord” (Amos 9:11 and Acts 15:16). In Kansas City, the International House of Prayer also known as IHOP is claimed to be a model for rebuilding the tabernacle of David. There musicians, singers, dancers and other artistic people have “worshiped” God 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, since September 19th, 1999. IHOP Kansas City in and of itself is prima facie evidence that the founders have made a literal and physical interpretation of the prophecy in Amos 9:11 and Acts 15:16.

But does their interpretation reflect a spiritual and Biblical understanding of the prophecy?

I believe IHOP KC is a misguided vain work of the flesh like every man’s effort to replicate old testament temple worship practices while trying to build that which the Lord himself said HE will build. In keeping with apostle Paul who wrote “Do not go beyond what is written” (1 Cor. 4:6), nowhere in the NT are we commanded to go out and erect houses of worship for holding church services.

Concerning every house men have built “for God” and which believers commonly refer to as the “House of God”, scripture still says “God does NOT live in temples, or houses, made by men” (Acts 7:48, Acts 17:24). And let’s not forget what Jesus said upon leaving the temple in Jerusalem for the last time “BEHOLD! Your house has been left to you, DESOLATE” (Matthew 23:38). In other words, God has left the building. We could cover the world over with houses for God and not one would be fitting to serve as His house. That I believe is why the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house, then, could you build for me, what kind of place for me to live in?” (Isaiah 66:1 GNB) Where God uses the earth as His footstool, the best we might do is make Him a foot cushion, but certainly nothing so big and grand as to serve as His house.

So what sort of house, or tabernacle of David will the Lord build? When Simon confessed Jesus is the “Son of the living God”, Jesus replied “you are Petros, and upon THIS Petra, I, Jesus, will build MY ekklesia”. We’ll talk about the 3 Greek words Petros, Petra and Ekklesia in a moment. It’s clear that Simon understood what Jesus would build is a Spiritual house as he wrote in 1 Peter 2:4-5:

As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house—a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua.

About those Greek words, Petros is Greek for “a piece of rock”. For whatever reason translators have rendered it “Peter” which obscures what Jesus meant. Petra means “a mass of rock” which I believe Jesus used in reference to Himself, as the Chief Cornerstone. Ekklesia means “assembly”. How can translators render the word “ekklesia” as the modern word “church” when it originated in the mid 14th century, 1300 years after Christ? Putting the word “church” into the mouths of Jesus and the apostles is not credible. Obviously, translators have let ever evolving church culture drive translations, in lieu of being faithful to Jesus Truth. I would favor a more literal translation of “ekklesia” as simply the “assembly of believers in Christ”. Where Jesus said to Simon “I will build my ekklesia”, He could just as easily said “I will assemble My living tabernacle”. Certainly that’s a more faithful and honest translation and consistent with Peter’s understanding in 1 Peter 2:4-5.

Sadly, men persist in trying to build a physical house or a church for Jesus. Their vain efforts have given us countless denominations and hundreds of thousands of church buildings the world over. Yet still there is just ONE Body (assembly) built by Jesus (Ephesians 4:4-6). So will the efforts of men to rebuild the fallen Tabernacle of David fare any better than their attempt to build a church for Jesus? Or should we leave the job to the Lord who said HE will rebuild it?

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Psalms 127:1 ESV)

In keeping with the clear teaching of scripture, where we let scripture interpret scripture and do not fall victim to the imaginations of hirelings who tend to interpret spiritual things in a literal and physical way (1 Cor. 2:14) to profit the flesh, rebuilding the “Tabernacle of David” began on Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to live IN us. I’m certain God never intended for the Tabernacle of David to be emulated today, rather it was a prophetic and symbolic promise for the living spiritual tabernacle Jesus is assembling with us, as living stones (1 Peter 2:5-9)!

Again, the prophet said “I will rebuild … declares the Lord”. (Amos 9:11 and Acts 15:16).

Mans’s attempt to erect a literal tent, or building, in which we “worship”, or recreate old testament practices through “worship services”, whether for an hour a week on Sunday, or even 24×7 like IHOP Kansas City has done, is blind to the miracle of Pentecost and the spiritual tabernacle the Lord is building beyond the sight of men.

The truth is this: in the same way we are the “Church”, we are also the “rebuilt tabernacle of David”.

About that, I can’t put my finger on any one scripture where it says that definitively, rather, I say that in keeping with a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit. To prove what the Spirit revealed, He prompted me to consider David’s tabernacle as a kind of vessel which housed the Ark of the Covenant in which were kept several spiritually symbolic elements. These the Spirit led me to compare with the tabernacle of our bodies in which the Holy Spirit dwells together with several precious gifts from God.

So how does David’s Tabernacle compare to what the Father has done for us?

Your body is a tabernacle. Within your tabernacle the Father has placed His Holy Spirit, through which comes the Bread of Heaven which is Jesus. By the Holy Spirit, God has written His Law upon your heart. He has also made you a priest in Christ. Each of these were promised and symbolically represented by David’s tabernacle for your body tabernacle; by the Ark of the Covenant for the Holy Spirit. Within the Ark, a jar of manna represents the Bread of Heaven; the tablets of the 10 commandments represents the Law written upon your heart; and the staff of Aaron stands for your priesthood in Christ. And the Ark itself was covered with gold even as you are clothed with Christ.

Isn’t the completed work of God beautiful? The fulfillment of His symbolic promises? And the greater work of joining us all together into a spiritual house for His habitation?

Note, this podcast episode is from an article I first wrote over 20 years ago following a tour of the original IHOP facility while attending a conference in Kansas City. On April 18, 2024, the Kansas City Star reported that IHOP Kansas City would close and reopen under a new, smaller organization to limit their liability following the ouster of the founder. My heart goes out to those who were hurt by recent events there. So many gifted musicians who could have remained where God planted them to use their talents for building up, teaching and admonishing the Body of Christ in local ministry. So many talents wasted by flocking to a vain work and the fleshly vision of a fallen man. What a terrible loss for the body of Christ. In the end, every fleshly work is destroyed by fire (1 Corinthians 3:15).