Exodus 25:9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.
The tabernacle of Moses gives us a foreshadow and footprints to the stages of prayer. The best and sweetest flowers of paradise God gives to His people when they are upon their knees. Prayer is the gate of Heaven – Thomas Brooks. Prayer is a gate and its name is “Jesus” to enter in the supernatural paradise of communion with the Lord.
Moses was given an impeccable design of a tent of God’s dwelling which then became the architectural design for the temple built in Jerusalem decades later. There was an outer court, Holy place and The Most Holy place or the “Holy of Holies”. Only the priests could enter ‘The Holy Place’ and the High priest into the ‘Holy of Holies’ but anyone was welcomed into the outer court through ‘The Gate’. There was only one gate, in the center of the outer court (about 30 feet wide), to enter the tabernacle. The tabernacle design is metaphorically the pattern and the stages of prayer.
Jesus categorically said, worship is not restricted to a temple, place or building. Prayer transforms our body into God’s tabernacle, temple and dwelling. So to worship Him in Spirit, we have to enter the gate of the divine tabernacle called “prayer” through The Gate “Jesus Christ”. This is why when we pray we begin our prayer in the name of Jesus. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).
The first stage of prayer is to enter “The Gate”:
- Price: Everyone who entered the tabernacle had a sacrificial lamb, turtledove or grain offerings. The Lord God was not hungry for meat or bread but He taught them the sacrificial discipline to enter His presence. The price to a systematic pattern of prayer is ‘discipline’ and a set routine of prayer. The sacrificial price that we pay to enter ‘The Gate’ is to pull ourselves out of the heated duvet and the warm cozy bed to kneel down in prayer. Set an appointment with God everyday and don’t miss it. The sacrificial price is your time, routine and disciple of prayer.
- Penitence: Secondly, they carry their burden of sin, sickness and succumb through ‘The Gate’ in repentance and penitence for their failing. The first stage of prayer is submission, confession and surrender. It is like dusting, sweeping and vacuuming the house every day. If we fail to do so, layers of dust will automatically accumulate. Similarly, at the first stage of prayer, the Lord will surface the envy that has insidiously crept in or the pride that had unconsciously settled-in. Penitence and confession will dust, clean and tidy the tabernacle of our hearts for prayer.
- Purpose: Thirdly they always had a clear purpose to enter ‘The Gate’. It was for a celebration of a festival with ‘freewill offering’ or repentance with ‘sin offering’ or jubilee with ‘thanksgiving offering’. The purpose of prayer is to worship Him. Prayer is not a time to be wasted in regret of the past, complaints about our cares or recitation of all our needs. The purpose of prayer is to worship.
The first stage of prayer is entering ‘The Gate’ joyfully at a set time, set place to confess, reconcile and worship God.
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John 10:9).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to have a disciplined time of prayer to enter your Gates with thanksgiving and into your courts with praise. Amen.
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