Raise the Roof!
“How often do you get a chance to reach deep into history and bring something back?” –Rick Brown
“Raise the Roof” was a PBS documentary regarding the reconstruction of an 18th century, Polish wooden synagogue by acclaimed artists/educators Rick and Laura Brown, in the country of Poland. After working for ten years with hundreds of students, educators, scholars and craftsmen, the Browns’ Gwozdziec synagogue reconstruction project has become the iconic centerpiece of the new POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. “Raise the Roof” is the story of this epic journey.
But closer to our hearts a similar project began in Acts 15:16: “After this I will come back, and will rebuild the house of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its [very] ruins, and I will set it up again,…” James, the Pastor of the Church in Jerusalem, was quoting from Amos 9:11. Responding to a division that had occurred in the newly born church of Pentecost fame – Gentiles, Goyim, or Peoples other than Jews were coming to faith in Jesus Christ as their Messiah – presenting a conundrum to the newly birthed Christianity which was still very Jewish. Should these “Goyim” be expected to observe the Mosaic Law, the Feasts and Festivals, and be required to have circumcision? Some believed, “Yes,” others like Paul believed in God’s grace and that the standards held by the Jewish people should not be imposed upon these baby Christians. Thus James alludes to a prophecy regarding the fallen Tent of David. What is the fallen Tent of David? The prophet refers to a time in the history of Israel – in which the Ark was brought up to Jerusalem to sit in a tent David had pitched for it. This was unprecedented in that the Ark had always remained with the Tabernacle of Moses, and it could only be seen by the High Priest once a year. David broke all of those rules by removing the veil that had been positioned to separate the Holy from the common. When that veil came down – King David himself would position himself in front of the Ark, or symbol of the Throne of God, for communion. Not only did David sit before it and interact with the Godhead, he would make sacrifices of praise, clap and lift his hands all to the worship of God before the Ark of His Presence. He would shout, dance, play instruments, seeking the Lord – encouraging others to do the same. None of these things had occurred in the worship of God in the Mosaic Tabernacle. But David knew something of the Mercy of God and his desire and longing to be in God’s Presence was unequalled or paralleled since the days of his Great, Great, Great Granddaddy – Enoch. But this should have never surprised the priests or the people of David’s day, for even Moses had taken his own tent and pitched it far outside the camp of Israel so that people could have the opportunity to pursue, seek and interact with the Living God. In fact the writer of Hebrews refers to this by stating: Let us then go forth [from all that would prevent us] to Him outside the camp [at Calvary], bearing the contempt and abuse and shame with Him. Hebrews 13:13
Thus the true Church, and Christian must sometimes go outside the traditions and expectations of the organizations of men to commune and interact with Jesus. That’s the calling of every true, born-again, blood-washed saint of Jesus. The calling that hungers and thirsts to know Him – to be with Him – to interact with Him – to love Him. David repeatedly stated the same concept and idea throughout his Psalms to God: O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is. Psalm 63:1 Repeatedly Scripture admonishes the believer and sojourner to seek after knowing God; and being with God. Hebrews 11:6 states: But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. These longings of David to know and be with God are shared by the sons of David who, even up to this present time, question the status quo, writing such songs as, “This Is the Air I Breathe, “As the Deer Pants for the Water,” and “I Will Run to You.” The son and daughter of David raises the roof of David’s Tent higher and higher through abandoned worship, praise, prayer and thanksgiving. Moving from more than a song, or an outward expression of physical adoration, to outbursts of passionate, abandoned sacrificial obedience and service. Trapped in the camp they take the journey out from that ordinary, comfortable and expected place to the foot of the cross. Here, at His feet, they find the Living, Loving God. From the dying place they come to know the Living God and can never go back to letting His “Tent” droop to the ground. Rest is not an option for those discontented with the status quo, raising the roof with the Glory and Presence of God.
