Why 24/7 Prayer

The Tabernacle of David

King David was a man of “one thing” (Psalm 27:4). Around 1000 BC, as an outflow of his heart, he commanded that the ark of the covenant be brought up on the shoulders of the Levites amidst the sound of songs and musical instruments to his new capital, Jerusalem. There he had it placed in a tent and appointed 288 prophetic singers and 4,000 musicians to minister before the Lord, “to make petition, to give thanks and to praise the Lord” day and night (1 Chron 15:1-17:27). This was unlike anything that had been done in Israel’s history, but it was God’s plan for Israel.

The Davidic Order of Worship

Although the tabernacle was replaced by a temple, the Davidic order of worship was embraced and reinstituted by seven subsequent leaders in the history of Israel and Judah. Each time this order of worship was reintroduced, spiritual breakthrough, deliverance, and military victory followed.

• Solomon instructed that worship in the temple should be in accordance with the Davidic order (2 Chron 8:14-15).

• Jehoshaphat defeated Moab and Ammon by setting singers up in accordance with the Davidic order: singers at the front of the army singing the Great Hallel. Jehoshaphat reinstituted Davidic worship in the temple (2 Chron 20:20-22, 28).

• Joash (2 Chron 23:1-24:27).

• Hezekiah cleansed and reconsecrated the temple and reinstituted the Davidic order of worship (2 Chron 29:1-36; 30:21). 

• Josiah reinstituted Davidic worship (2 Chron 35:1-27).

• Ezra and Nehemiah, returning from Babylon, reinstituted Davidic worship (Ezra 3:10; Neh. 12:28-47).

Historians have also speculated that around the time of Jesus, in their search to find communion with God, the Essenes of the Judean wilderness reinstituted Davidic worship as part of their life of prayer and fasting.