Exodus 25:22 There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you.
The design, layout and archetype of the Tabernacle of Moses is the model to the stages of prayer. There were three entrances to the three compartments of the tabernacle. The traditional ancient Judaic idiom for ‘The Gate’ (the entrance to the outer court) was “the Way”; the entrance to the Holy Place was “The Truth” and ‘the veil’ that served as a covering to the Most Holy Place was called “The Light”. Hence Jesus said to His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6). In other words He said, ‘I am the way to closeness, communion and consecration with the Heavenly Father’. At every stage of the tabernacle we have met Jesus. We entered our prayer closet in His name, we received forgiveness through His blood, were sanctified by His Living Word; strengthened with the “Showbread” (John 6:35) and enlightened by the lampstand (John 8:12). Then, worship at the altar of incense will drift us into the Most Holy place through the veil.
There is only one element in the Most Holy Place – The Ark of the Covenant. It was made with acacia wood and overlaid with gold. The gold covering to the ark which was also called “the Mercy Seat” had two winged angelic beings (cherubim). ‘The Mercy Seat’ was the private meeting place of Moses and the Lord.
This is the seventh stage of prayer where we are immersed in His Holy presence and are oblivious to the world. We have no more words, requests or supplications. Stage seven is the crescendo before the culmination of prayer. We will enjoy exhilaration of His presence, ecstasy beyond description and receive supernatural visions, instructions and commissions.
Stage seven is a personal place of intimacy with the Lord:
- Meeting: To have a vibrant prayer life, meet with the Lord in the ‘Holy of Holies’ before you meet people. Don’t check your phone, instagram or FB before your time of prayer. If we do we will miss meeting with the Lord as the affairs of life will swallow our attention. God will never cancel His appointment with us, it is we who fail to meet Him. Prayer is our personal appointment with the Lord.
- Mercy: In the Holy of Holies we receive new mercy for the day (Lamentation 3:22-23). Mercy is like the morning dew. If we allow the busyness of life to swallow the coolness of the morning, then, by evening, mercy would have melted away. God’s grace blesses us with what we don’t deserve and His mercy saves us from the punishment we deserve. Mercy is the dew that keeps the grass green. If mercy dries, grace will wither. Prayer is saturating ourselves in God’s mercy.
- Method: The tabernacle prayer pattern is the divine method and steps to have intimate fellowship every day with the Saviour. We can spend hours in prayer if we practice the tabernacle pattern of prayer. Prayer is soaking in His presence.
The climax of prayer is our intimacy with Jesus Christ. Prayer is not a monologue but a method of meeting the divine Saviour and marinating in His mercy.
Exodus 25:22b Upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, walk me through the tabernacle to meet with you for a personal time of intimacy in the Holy of Holies. Amen.
Leave a Reply