Official Book Launch
The God Who Covers
The Revelation of God’s Covering in Scripture
Covering is an invitation to us, from God, to pursue Him.
Discover the divine provision that invites us to dwell intimately in the presence of the Holy One.
A Call To Worship and Pray
The God Who Covers invites readers on a profound exploration of scripture, revealing how God’s divine provision has always been intended to draw us closer to His presence, love, and holiness. From the early shadows of Eden to the intricate details of the tabernacle, this journey uncovers a consistent theme of restoration and intimacy that transforms how we see our relationship with the Creator.
Todd McDonald traces the motif of the covering across human history, showing that it is not just a protective barrier but a gateway into God’s presence. Readers will discover the unifying thread of redemption and God's presence are seen throughout the Bible, from the covering of Eden, the burning bush, the encounter at Sinai, the tabernacle, the Davidic tent, the temple, and ultimately in the coming of Messiah and the ministry of the Comforter. From the role of angelic beings to the pictures of heaven in music, the book provides scriptural depth to those called to the worship and prayer ministries and all who love and seek the presence of God in our midst.
Ultimately, this book is a call to worship—a revelation of how broken fellowship is mended through God's grace. Whether you are a long-time student of the Bible or simply seeking to understand God’s heart more deeply, these pages offer a bridge to a vibrant, transformative life in His presence.
Similar Books
Ecclesiastes 12:12 (NKJV)
“And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end,
and much study is wearisome to the flesh.”
The book is positioned as a treatise on worship and prayer but painted on the backdrop of the canvas of God's covering. The work is unique in that it provides a panorama of themes and topics that derive from the study of God's covering and presents a lens of understanding for the entire story of the Bible from the Garden to the New Jerusalem--on par with a systematic theology! It is also unique because it links from scripture the story of God's provision, protection, redemption, mercy, and salvation to His presence and the experience of His glory through singing worship and prayer. There are several books that deal with these and similar topics and this is where The God Who Covers might fit best as a comparable work. For serious students of worship, these books should definitely be on the bookshelf and read!
This is a classic, foundational book on biblical worship written from a charismatic perspective. Judson Cornwall, a highly respected worship leader and teacher, emphasizes that worship is not just singing songs or a Sunday morning activity — it is a lifestyle of intimate relationship with God. Worship as a response to God’s worth — The word “worship” means “worth-ship.” True worship flows from recognizing who God is, not from our needs or emotions. There is also a strong appeal to The Tabernacle of David model and Cornwall strongly advocates returning to Davidic worship — spontaneous, prophetic, wholehearted praise that prioritizes God’s presence over structured ritual. He contrasts this with the more formal Tabernacle of Moses. The book also gives foundations for worship as warfare and intercession. Worship is powerful spiritual warfare. It enthrones God, releases His presence, and advances His kingdom. Cornwall calls the Church back to making worship the central focus of our gatherings and personal lives, rather than treating it as an opening act for the sermon.
Manifest Presence is a passionate, prophetic call to move beyond religious forms into a lifestyle of intimate, abiding, manifest presence with God. Written from Don Nori’s heart as the founder of Destiny Image Publishers, the book emphasizes that God’s tangible presence is the ultimate place of safety, covering, and transformation — especially in times of danger and shaking. There are themes of God and His presence as the true hiding place - not out religion, doctrines, denominations, or human effort. There is great discussion on the tangible, experiential presence of God as our refuge, deliverance, and healing. There is an invitation for believers to move from outer-court Christianity into the Holy of Holies — a place of continual intimacy, worship, and encounter with God. He also ties worship and relationship together and also gives a call that the abiding manifest presence of the Lord as essential for the Church in the last days.
This is a practical, encouraging book focused on experiencing a deeper, more consistent awareness of God’s presence in daily life. Rowlands is senior pastor of Westgate Chapel and writes from a hunger for revival and genuine closeness with God, addressing the common Christian experience of feeling that God is sometimes near and sometimes distant. He highlights God’s desire to be close, provides practical guidance for intimacy, connects revival and transformation, and gives theological truth with real-life application for a lifestyle of abiding in His presence.
Kevin Conner's "Habitation Trilogy" are probably the seminal works on God's dwelling place in the Old Testament and their typology with the Jesus and His Church. He has gone on before us now to be with the Lord, but his works are some of the best you can find on the details and design of the tabernacles and permanent temple.
1. The Tabernacle of Moses
The foundational volume offers a thorough, detailed study of every aspect of the Tabernacle of Moses — its structure, furniture, priesthood, sacrifices, and rituals. Conner shows how each element typifies aspects of redemption, the person and work of Christ, and the believer’s approach to God. The book is filled with charts, diagrams, and illustrations. It is widely used in Bible schools and adult classes for its systematic and visual approach.
2. The Tabernacle of David
This book contrasts the Tabernacle of Moses (a place of structured, sacrificial worship) with the Tabernacle of David (a simpler tent on Mount Zion where the Ark rested without the full Mosaic system). It explores David’s revolutionary order of worship, emphasizing prophetic praise, continual worship, and open access to God’s presence. Conner highlights the shift to New Covenant worship “in spirit and truth,” the role of spontaneous and prophetic singing, and how this model applies to the Church today. It is both devotional and theological, challenging readers to pursue greater intimacy with the Holy Spirit.
3. The Temple of Solomon
This completes the series by examining Solomon’s Temple as the permanent dwelling place of God’s glory. It covers the Temple’s design, construction, dedication (including the great glory cloud), sacrifices, priestly garments, and furnishings. Conner draws rich connections between the Temple and New Testament realities — particularly Christ as the true Temple and the Church as the living Temple of God. It emphasizes order, glory, prayer, and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s desire to dwell with His people.
Why This Book Now
Psalm 27:4-5 (NKJV)
One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
For over 30 years I have had a passion for worship and bible study. My calling as a teacher was focused many times on the principles of worship, prayer, and scripture intertwined. More than that, I saw the value of combining singing, prayer, and worship with God's word as fundamental to the experience of God's presence. The book concept came after I started doing studies on worship and the picture of God's Covering emerged as a unifying theme that tied the entire story of the Bible together. I had been shaped by many great writers such as A.W. Tozer, John Piper, Kevin Conner, Jack Hayford, Don Nori, and Judson Cornwall and many of those seminal ideas all flowed into this lens of seeing the story of God's redemption.
Do you recall those commercials from years ago: "I am not just a spokesman for Men's Hair Growth Product X, I am a customer too!" This is really me in a nutshell. I am not just a writer about experiencing the manifest presence of God, but I am a customer too. I have been transformed over the years by singing the Scripture, by combining prayer and worship, and by pursuing the musical aspects of God's covering--yearning much like David did to dwell in the house of the Lord and behold His beauty all the days of my life. I understood the power of these things privately and individually, but as a teacher I wanted to share these truths and experience them corporately.
As I began to study and teach on the Tabernacle of David and the implications of its restoration eschatologically, it then all gelled together. God's covering is a lens through which we can see the story of redemption, His offer of protection, mercy, provision, grace, and presence. I saw it as the glue that could help bridge the gap between traditional theology on topics such as the blood, faith, holiness, obedience, consecration, praise, order, fellowship with God, and intimacy. These are juxtaposed with worship, prayer, and music as the carpet of agreement that we lay to experience the presence of God and His abiding in us and among us.
I wanted the book to also provide practical resources for those in the worship and prayer ministry. There is somewhat a joke about how modern and contemporary worship can be shallow, and I wanted to create a resource that would help build theological depth for all of those who are passionate for the Lord and His presence and who cry for His Kingdom to come. It's one of the few books that I think combines aspects of music, worship, prayer, and deep theology together. I pray it will be a blessing to the Body of Christ.
At the end of the end of this age, the Church needs to be solidly founded on this vision: God has us covered. That covering involves aspects of His nature, mercy, and love as He dwells and abides with us individually and corporately.
If you are enjoy or are interested in singing scripture and spontaneous worship and prayer, check out the Songs of Intercessory Worship podcast or the Spotify channel!
Author's Perspective
Are You Crazy?
A 600 page book? Are you crazy?
Yes, I've pondered this trust me. In our modern culture where attention spans are less than 5 minutes, I have been told multiple times that I am crazy for creating something so big- no one will read it and no one will buy it certainly. I started writing this material and formulating the thoughts almost 30 years ago in the late 1990s. Back then, big theological books were not that uncommon. Now they are quite rare-unless you buy a systematic theology like Wayne Grudem's. To be honest, I've never thought about the size, whether big or small, during the intervening years or even now. I am an academic by nature also and I have bookshelves full of books - many Christian and many non-Christian and very technical and geeky by most observations. Some are big and some are small-but either way, they are on my bookshelf because I wanted to read them. I wished I could say I have read all of the books I have - but I haven't. But they are a resource to me -- I know that when I want to focus on something in particular, I know which books to pull off the shelf.
I don't really want this to be that kind of book that stays on the shelf, but in my mind I am writing on the subject that I have a passion about and I am putting it all out there. Yes, the Lord has probably given me some insights along the way (I pray) that are unique. Much of the thoughts are indeed consolidations of other great men and women of faith. Ultimately, I have to be me. I probably have one of the biggest MS thesis documents and PhD dissertations from either of my home institutions in academia. It's just me -- I think big. When approaching the Bible, I think big, abstractly, and then practically. The book is a reflection of that.
So, there are different ways I could have approached the work - break it up in to smaller portions or focus areas, divide it into multiple volumes, break it into distinct books on different subjects, etc. I decided to keep it all together. The core thesis is seen in a figure (seen on the Table of Contents page) that shows the story of the progressive revelation of God's covering from Genesis through the New Testament. Where would I cut that diagram into parts and parcel it out? I felt like it would be a disservice to be honest. It would be like ordering a Happy Meal from McDonald's and realizing you only got the prize and the French fries in the box but would have to go buy part 2 to get your chicken nuggets.
So, I decided to keep it as one volume, for better or worse.
It's a resource, yes. It's packed with a wide range of topics and themes and studies--all unified in this picture of God's covering. There are plans to make the themes and topics more accessible and more focused for those who are interested in specific ideas. Study guides for small groups and Bible studies are in view-yes. Topical guides are in view for worship and prayer, for the tabernacle and temple, for eschatological themes, for personal devotion, and others. I will break the entire book down into 15-20 minute podcasts and there will also be an audio version of the book. I realize most people will read the book on Kindle or other e-format readers. There are other books coming as well--several will also be as big.
My guide has always been to write, put my heart into it, and put it out there. If just ONE person reads it and finds salvation, draws closer to the Lord and feels His presence, is put on a journey of discovery, is set free from religious strongholds of thinking, or is edified, comforted or exhorted then it will be worth it. I am guided by a quote many years ago from Charles Spurgeon:
“It is not my business to succeed, but to do what is right. God is responsible for the results.”
What Readers Are Saying
Under Construction! - Enjoy some quotes from the book in the meantime!
"What was the Father’s vindication of His Son? ... As Paul put it, Yeshua was emphatically declared to be the Son of God with power by His resurrection from the dead. Yes, the empty tomb speaks far louder than any skeptic can yell. The empty tomb was God’s answer." - Chapter 1
"Some, if not most, may have forfeited the experience of the God of the Bible and satisfied themselves with doctrines about the God of the Bible instead." - Chapter 2
"The progressive revelation of covering through the Scripture introduces broken fellowship with God, faith, holiness, consecration, obedience, praise, intimacy, order, and ultimately, fellowship restored. That’s what this book is mostly about." - Preface
"This book is, and always was, intended to build theological depth for those who are called to be part of our modern-day version of the 'incense ministries' that are intended to be in the Inner Court or Holy Place." - Preface
"I highly recommend this book to all
who are involved in worship ministry: singers, musicians, worship leaders, choir directors, worship pastors, elders, senior pastors (those who ultimately direct the worship ministry), and everyone who loves to worship. ... I give the same recommendation for all who have an intercessory calling." - Preface
"Jesus wants to sing in our midst. Jesus wants to declare the glory of His Father, in our meetings, in our gatherings, in the assembly of his brothers. Jesus wants His praise of His Father to come forth in our corporate praise and worship. Jesus wants His voice to be heard. This is the prophetic spirit of worship that the Church is in desperate need of." - Chapter 1
the author
About J. Todd McDonald
J. Todd McDonald brings over three decades of scholarly writing and spiritual observation to his debut theological work. A retired US Air Force Lt Colonel and PhD in Computer Science, Todd has spent a lifetime balancing the rigorous logic of academia with a deep, personal calling to worship and teaching. His journey, spanning academic journals and ministry halls, has always been centered on uncovering the eternal truths found in scripture. In 'The God Who Covers', he translates years of study into an inviting narrative for anyone seeking to draw closer to the presence of God.