The Vow That Changed History
I. DAVID’S HISTORIC VOW AND SACRED VOW
A. As a young man, David made a vow to dedicate his life to see a place where God’s manifest presence was released.
This vow changed history and continues today in those who embrace it.
1 LORD, remember David and all his afflictions; 2 How he swore to the LORD, and vowed to the Mighty One: 3 "Surely
I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes…5 until I
find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob"…8 Arise, O, Lord, to Your resting place.
(Psalm 132:1-8)
B. The resting place or dwelling place of God refers to an unusual manifestation of His presence on earth when
Jesus’ name is magnified and the enemies of righteousness are openly defeated.
C. David’s life work was to establish a resting place for God in his generation. He to vowed live in extravagant
devotion to seek the Lord with all his resources (time, talents, treasures).
D. David received revelation of worship according to the order in God’s heavenly sanctuary.
96 I have seen the consummation of all perfection (God’s Throne of Glory)… (Ps. 119:96)
E. He understood that agreeing with God in worship and intercession is the most exalted occupation given to those
nearest God’s Throne. They will do this forever while Satan is in the Lake of Fire. In other words, agreeing with God in
worship and intercession is very dear to God’s heart.
8 The 4 living creatures...do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy…!" (Rev. 4:8)
F. David’s vow positioned his heart to receive insight into the worship that God seeks.
23 True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (Jn. 4:23)
G. David’s vow to find a dwelling place for God is seen in his desire to spend time dwelling in God’s House (Ps. 27:4),
his zeal for fasting (Ps. 69:7-12) and extravagant giving (1 Chr. 22:14).
4 One thing I desired…that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life… (Ps. 27:4)
H. When David became king, one of the first things he did was to give expression to his vow by setting up a worship
tabernacle in Jerusalem.
1 David…prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it…3 He gathered all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring
up the ark of the LORD to its place…he prepared for it…16 David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their
brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music…17 The Levites appointed Heman…Asaph…Ethan…
(1 Chr. 15:1-17)
1 They brought the ark…and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David… (1 Chr. 16:1)
I. David received revelation of the order of worship seen in God’s heavenly sanctuary. David commanded God’s people to
honor this order (2 Chr. 29:25; 35:4, 15; Ezra 3:10; Neh. 12:45).
11 David gave his son Solomon the plans…12 for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD…
13 also for the division of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD…
19 All this," said David, "the LORD made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans."
(1 Chr. 28:11-19)
J. David established the Levites in full-time jobs to worship the Lord in song with instruments.
1 They brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. 4 He appointed
Levites to minister before the ark…to praise the Lord…37 He left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the
covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark regularly, as every day's work required… (1 Chr. 16:1, 4, 37)
K. David established 4,000 full-time paid musicians and 288 paid prophetic singers (1 Chr. 23:5; 25:7). He
established worshippers before the Ark of the Covenant which spoke of God’s Throne. It was extreme to finance over
5,000 people to worship full-time. The concept of establishing a worship ministry on earth that would represent God’s
heavenly sanctuary is unprecedented.
1 David…separated for the service…the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed
instruments, and cymbals…7 The number…who were instructed in the songs of the LORD, all who were skillful, was 288.
(1 Chr. 25:1-7)
5 4,000 praised the Lord with musical instruments, "which I made," said David... (1 Chr. 23:5)
L. Israel’s apostasy damaged their relationship with God. God promised to restore David’s Tabernacle which
included Davidic order of worship as the foundation of political government. This damage or apostasy was reversed
whenever God’s people sought to restore the House of the Lord in the order of worship according to the commandment
of David.
11 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… (Amos 9:11)
1. Each revival in Israel's history involved restoration of aspects of worship that David commanded to relate to the
function and financial support of singers and musicians.
2. When Israel went astray, God raised up reformers who brought Israel back to the Lord. These reformers involved
godly kings, Levites and people who restored aspects of Davidic worship as David commanded.
M. Hezekiah’s revival included restoring full-time singers and musicians as commanded by David.
25 He (Hezekiah) stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments…according to the
commandment of David…for thus was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the
instruments of David…27 The song of the LORD began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David…
(2 Chr. 29:25-27)
N. Josiah’s revival included restoring full-time singers and musicians as commanded by David.
3 He said to the Levites who taught all Israel…4 “Prepare yourselves…following the written instruction of David…
5 stand in the holy place…” 15 The singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places, according to the command of
David. Also the gatekeepers… (2 Chr. 35:3-15)
O. After the 70 years of Babylonian captivity, God raised up godly leaders, Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah who
established full-time singers and musicians as commanded by David.
10 The priests stood…and the Levites…with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David. 11
They sang responsively…giving thanks to the Lord… (Ezra 3:10-11)
24 The Levites…give thanks, group alternating with group, according to the command of David…44 Some were
appointed over the storehouse for the…tithes…for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and
Levites who ministered. 45 The singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God…according to the command
of David… 47 All Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day. (Neh. 12:24-47)
II. APPLICATION IN CHURCH HISTORY
A. The Church began to come into back into God’s order of worship as first established on earth in David’s Tabernacle
using psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph 5:18-19; Col. 3:16; Jas. 5:13).
14 Simon (Peter) declared how God…visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. 15 With this the
words of the prophets agree, as it is written: 16 “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…”
(Acts 15:14-17)
B. The fullness of the Tabernacle of David speaks of Jesus’ Millennial government over all nations.
C. Church history parallels Israel's history. For example, when the Church neglected developing and financing
prophetic worship, it fell into ruins. Whenever God released a season of revival to restore what was lost, we see the
aspects of David’s order of worship released in that generation.
D. Whenever restoration occurs, we find godly reformers who understood some aspect of prophetic worship.
Every revival in history has received God’s "new song and music" for that generation.
E. The Church in spiritual Babylon hangs up their harps and neglects to develop prophetic worship. Today,
God is restoring the worship in the nations according to the commandment of David.
1 By the rivers of Babylon…we wept when we remembered Zion. 2 We hung our harps upon the willows…4 How shall
we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land? (Ps. 137:1-4)
F. The Church is coming out of the spirit of Babylon and God is restoring what was lost in the captivity of Zion by filling
mouths with His song.
1 When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion…2 our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing…
4 Bring back our captivity, O LORD… (Ps. 126:1-4)
III. THE DRAMATIC CHANGES IN HISTORY WERE EXPRESSIONS OF DAVID’S VOW
A. God promised to establish intercessors who will never be silent until He releases His presence.
6 I have set watchmen on your walls…they shall never hold their peace (be silent, NAS) day or night…7 give Him no
rest till He establishes…Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (Isa. 62:6-7)
B. The End-Time Church will be in deep unity with the Holy Spirit in saying and doing what the Spirit is saying and
doing. The Holy Spirit is interceding for Jesus to come.
17 And the Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!" (Rev. 22:17)
C. The End-Time Church will “pray in conjunction with prophetic singing” to invite Jesus to return. Isa. 42:13-15
describes Jesus’ Second Coming in context to a worldwide worship movement.
10 Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea…11 Let the
wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, the villages…let them shout from the mountains…13 The LORD shall go forth
like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out…He shall prevail against His enemies...”
(Isa. 42:10-13)
IV. PRACTICAL FINANCIAL APPLICATION OF DAVID’S HISTORIC VOW
44 Some were appointed over the storehouse for…tithes…for the priests and Levites; Judah rejoiced over the priests
and Levites….47 In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers
and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day… (Neh. 12:44-47)
5 The tithes…were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers...10 I realized that the portions
for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his
field. 11 So I contended with the rulers, and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" I gathered them together and
set them in their place. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe…to the storehouse…14 Remember me, O my God,
concerning this…my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services! (Neh. 13:5-14)
38 The Levites receive tithes AND…shall bring up a tenth of the tithes…to storehouse. (Neh. 10:38)
21 I have given the children of Levi all the tithes…in return for the work which they perform, the work of the Tabernacle…
26 Speak to the Levites, and say: 'When you take…the tithes…then you shall offer up…an offering of it to the LORD,
a tenth of the tithe… 28 An offering to the LORD from all your tithes…29 Of all your gifts you shall offer up…from the
best of them...” (Num. 18:21-29)
7 From the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances…Return to Me, and I will return to you,"
Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?' 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you have
robbed Me…10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,"
Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing that there
will not be room enough to receive it. 11 "I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit
of your ground…" Says the LORD of hosts. (Mal. 3:7-11)