The Tabernacles Church Established

Dispensationalism has divided time into various ages. My way of doing this is different, for it is based upon the feast days of Israel and, I think, is based upon a better knowledge of the Old Testament and the law. I divide the first 7,000 years of time into three ages: the Passover Age, the Pentecostal Age, and the Tabernacles Age. These set forth the true progression of the Kingdom and of its righteousness in the earth.

Israel's journey from Egypt to the Promised land depict these three ages on a smaller scale--in the form of types and shadows. From Egypt to Sinai depicts the Passover Age; from Sinai to the Promised Land depicts the Pentecostal Age; and the Promised Land itself depicts the Tabernacles Age.

In the bigger picture, the time from Moses to Christ is the actual Passover Age. It began on a Passover and ended on a Passover (at the cross). The Pentecostal Age began in Acts 2 in 33 A.D. and began to come to an end on May 30, 1993 (40 Jubilees later on the day of Pentecost). We then entered the 7-1/2 year transitional period into the Age of Tabernacles, according to the pattern of Saul and David (2 Sam. 5:5).

From that perspective, the Tabernacles Age began to emerge on May 30, 1993 and (in terms of Davidic authority), it was fully positioned by Nov. 30, 2000. But even as David himself was then led into warfare to secure that Kingdom, so also were the overcomers led into spiritual warfare in 2001.

The pattern is also seen in the example of Joshua, who led Israel into the Promised Land. It took 7 years of warfare before Joshua divided up the land among the tribes and families of Israel. This proved to be the pattern in our own day as well, for on Nov. 30, 2007 the prophetic word was spoken which established the Tabernacles Church.

My wife and I made a trip to Little Rock, Arkansas the week after Thanksgiving, which is why I was unable to post any web logs during that time. We have pondered for many years how Little Rock might play into the bigger prophetic picture in these times because of its connection with Peter in Matthew 16:18. As you probably know, Peter's name means "stone; little rock," and when it was revealed to him that Jesus was the Christ (vs. 16), Jesus said to him in verse 18,

"And I also say to you that you are Peter [petros], and upon this rock [petra] I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it."

Peter was a "little rock," (petros) and upon this "big rock" (petra) I will build My church. The Roman Church, of course, takes this to mean that Jesus was putting together an earthly organization of which Peter would be the first Pope. But in fact, Jesus was using Peter's name as a prophetic type, a play on words. It shows that the revelation of Jesus being the Christ is the foundation of the church.

Yet even if my view were incorrect and the Roman view correct, at best it would only establish the Roman Church to be empowered in the Pentecostal Age. It would establish Rome as the anti-type of King Saul, the king of Israel whose rule was temporary and yet began on the day of wheat harvest, or Pentecost (1 Sam. 12:17). King Saul's rule had a potential to be unending (1 Sam. 13:13), but after he proved himself unworthy, God limited his rule to 40 years. This became a prophetic type of the 40-Jubilee time frame for the Age of Pentecost.

If the Roman Church wishes to claim supremacy during the Pentecostal Age, so be it. All they are really doing is identifying with King Saul, rather than David, the man after God's own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). As for me, I would rather identify with David and be part of his band of outcasts.

Jesus was at Caesarea Philippi when Peter made his confession of faith (Matt. 16:13). This city was located at the base of Mount Hermon near the beginning of the Jordan River. There was a cave there, reputed to be the lair of the god called Pan. This cave was called "the gates of hades." It was located at the base of a huge rock. You can see a color picture of it if you google "Grotto of Pan."

Jesus took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi specifically to make this declaration. Afterward, he went up Mount Hermon to be transfigured (Matt. 17). This transfiguration provides us with the prophetic type of the Tabernacles Church being established. The Pentecostal Church was only an imperfect church, based upon the reign of King Saul, who was overcome by the Philistines. The Tabernacles Church, based upon King David's reign and his enduring dynasty, was the one that truly would fulfill this prophecy in Matthew 16. The gates of hades will not prevail over this Tabernacles Church.

So over the years we have wondered how Little Rock, Arkansas would play into this prophetic picture in our day. We had no contacts in that city, though I lived in Arkansas for a number of years in the past. But finally last June, I met Pastor Dick King at the Father's Day conference in Peculiar, Missouri. We knew this was a divine appointment, but only last month did I know just how significant this would prove to be.

We are planning to hold a conference at Dick King's church in North Little Rock on the week end of March 7-9, 2008, so I was led to drive down there the end of November to visit and get to know Dick and some of the people in his church. After two days of teaching and discussion (Nov. 29 and 30), the Spirit of the Lord suddenly led me to declare the establishment of the Tabernacles Church. It was Nov. 30, 2007, precisely 7 years after Nov. 30, 2000.

I know that dates can be confusing, so here is the sequence. . . The reign of "Saul" in the Pentecostal Age ended after 40 Jubilees on May 30, 1993. "David" reigned 7-1/2 years in Hebron over a single tribe (2 Sam. 5:5), which prophetically speaks of May 30, 1993 to Nov. 30, 2000.

Then David was crowned King over all the tribes of Israel at the feast of Tabernacles (Oct. 20, 2000). His first official act was to conquer Jebus, rename it Jerusalem, and set it up as the capital city of his kingdom. We saw this type fulfilled on Nov. 30, 2000 at the "House on the ROCK" in Wisconsin. The prophetic word was spoken there establishing the New Jerusalem as the capital of the Davidic Kingdom for the coming Age of Tabernacles.

And now, 7 years later, we saw the word spoken to establish the Tabernacles Church according to the pattern of Joshua, when he divided the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel 7 years after crossing the Jordan. As you can see, there are multiple patterns in the Old Testament, which are fulfilled over time. To understand these things, one must overlay the patterns upon each other, for each pattern gives different details. In this case, we must overlay the patterns of Joshua and David. Their relationship could be known only when the appointed time of revelation came.

Thus, in the progression of the Kingdom of God, it appears that we have arrived at another new beginning point. In correlating these prophetic types, it tells us that from 1993-2000, the Davidic company began to see an increased authority to rule in the earth. On Nov. 30, 2000 that authority was completed by the revelation of the House on the Rock. The house of Saul no longer would rule from its Old Covenant position (Jebus, i.e., old Jerusalem, Hagar).

After seven years of warfare (Joshua pattern), on Nov. 30, 2007 the words of Jesus in Matt. 16 were fulfilled as the word was spoken in Little ROCK, Arkansas. This correlates with Joshua's act of giving the tribes of Israel their land inheritance after 7 years of warfare.

We have broken through into something new, which will be manifested in the years ahead.