So, while the tabernacle of David was Jewish, in a literal sense, and the priests were Levites, the blessings that Jacob inherited were assigned to Joseph. [Genesis 49:26] All of these promises were obtained by Jesus. Paul said, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." [2 Corinthians 1:20]
The tabernacle of David is a tent erected by David to house the ark. David was the tribe of Judah, the tribe of kings not priests, yet he wore the ephod of
the high priest when he returned the [stolen] ark to Jerusalem, and set it in the three sided tent, and danced in front of it. Therefore, David typified the king and priest combination, a type of Christ, and the Melchizedek priesthood.
David erected a tent for the ark in Jerusalem, which was probably similar to the design of the Mosaic tabernacle, except that there was only one room in it, the part corresponding to the holy of holies of the Mosaic tabernacle.
The shape of the holy of holies in the Mosaic tabernacle was a cube, and it seems likely that this was also the shape of the tent David erected to house the ark. This tabernacle is mentioned in 2 Samuel 6:1-23; 7:2; 1 Chronicles 13:1-14; 15:1-16:43. When David determined to build a more permanent house or a temple for the worship of God, and to house the ark, God sent his word to Nathan the prophet:
2 Samuel 7
4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,
5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
According to this, the house of David and his kingdom were to be established forever. And so, while the "tabernacle of David" was a tent during his lifetime, David's house
is to continue forever, and in the New Testament, it is identified with the church. [Acts 15:16] Jesus possesses the "key of David," and so in reality, the "house of David" consists of the followers of Christ, and it is a "spiritual house."
1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house
, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
It is a house built by God. This is the promise made to David; the church is the fulfillment of it.