Dance In The Old Testament – Pt.3

During this feast, the people were to bring two loaves of bread made from newly harvested wheat and flour; to wave before the Lord. In Acts 2:1-5, we see the birth of the Church as we know it because of the advent of the Holy Spirit. These two loaves could represent the two main peoples of the Church – The Jews and the Gentiles. Debbie Roberts declares, “At Pentecost the two loaves were offered – for the church of both Jew and Gentile WITH SIN. The Passover represented Christ, the unleavened bread WITHOUT SIN. Those 3000 Jews and Gentiles were the firstfruits of the Church.” (pg.70) Additionally, Dr. Hardy implies that Jesus referred to His followers as labourers who were needed to bring in the harvest of souls from the world (Matt.9:37-38). She states, “Even as they danced for a natural harvest, we can dance for a spiritual harvest.” (pg.112, Let the Nations Rejoice.) As dancers, our hearts should beat as hard as our feet to see souls won and lives touched by the love and power of God.

The third great feast was the Feast of Tabernacles or “Chag Adony” meaning “God’s Feast”  (Deut.16:15). The word “feast” in verse 15 comes from the Hebrew “chagag” (khaw-gag’) – to move in a circle, i.e. (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication, to be giddy; celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a (solemn) feast (holiday), reel to and fro (Strong’s 2287). Debbie Roberts describes it as “This feast is one in which the men become involved in the dancing and the worship. There was always a procession to the altar and a circle dance around the altar…Here the people marched joyously in sacred procession singing hymns and playing instruments…There were three main parts: Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles.” (pg.72)

The significance of the nine trumpet blasts can be found in Num.10:1-10. It represents the dispensation of the Law and everything that occurred in the Old Testament. Ten days after the Trumpets, the Day of Atonement was celebrated. According to Debbie Roberts, there is a mourning circle dance followed by a procession with wailing up to the temple mount where a prayer was offered for the forgiveness of sins; followed by ten days of repentance. (pg. 74) The sacrificial lamb was killed and the High Priest offered the blood in the Holy of Holies for the sins of the nation. Jesus was the perfect Lamb that was offered and accepted; for the sins of the world (John 1:29) and He was also our High Priest Who entered the Holy Place on our behalf (Heb.9:11-12). The Day of Atonement was followed by the Feast of Tabernacles where the people were to build booths and live in them for seven days to remember their sojourn in the wilderness after they left Egypt. They were also to offer free will offerings and tithes unto God. Debbie Roberts says, “It is significant of the harvest of God’s (provident) abundance…Celebrations of this feast were full of singing and dancing.” (pg. 75)

The temporary tabernacles signifies that the Law was fulfilled in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus because His blood forever covers our sins and therefore, God can now make His tabernacle in our hearts once more; and our relationship with God can be as it was before Adam sinned in the garden of Eden (Ez.37:26-28). To the worship dancer, it signifies that we the Bride, are free from the old traditions and doctrines of men concerning dance as praise and worship in the church, and that He now lives in our hearts. This means that wherever we go to minister, His Presence goes with us and therefore lives can delivered from bondage and souls can be won into the Kingdom.

First Corinthians 14:10 tells us, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” To gain a true understanding of the importance of dance in the church today, a study of the order of worship in the Tabernacle of Moses and the Tabernacle of David has to be done. The reason for this is found in Acts 15:16-17, “After this I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up. That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.” One important feature that was present in both Tabernacles is that service in the temple, in every way, was to be done by the priests. They were to be set apart, dedicated and their entire lives were to focus on God and His ministry. As dance ministers today, just as the praise and worship ministers of the tabernacles, God requires the same of us. Rev. 1:6 says, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God our Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, amen.” We are all chosen and set apart unto God, our bodies should be presented unto Him, “which is our reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1)

In chapter three of her book, Aimee Kovacs explains the significance of each Tabernacle as it relates to praise and worship today. The Tabernacle of Moses represented the dispensation of the Law. There was an Outer Court, a Holy Place or Inner Court and the Most Holy Place where the Ark of the Covenant, which housed the visible Presence of God; rested. Various sacrifices were offered on the Brazen Altar in the Outer Court by the priests for the people and the priests had to cleanse themselves in the Brazen laver here, before entering the Holy Place. Only the High Priest could have entered the Most Holy Place, once a year on the Day of Atonement. In the Holy Place, there were three articles of furniture: the Table of Shew-bread, the Golden Candlestick and the Golden Alter of Incense, that stood in front of the veil which separated the Inner Court from the Most Holy Place. Both of these burned continually.