Why Your Prayer Life Should Mirror the Tabernacle

Hebrews 9:1-12 David Yonggi Cho, who pastors a church of over a million Koreans, uses the tabernacle as a pattern of prayer. In today’s reading we see the order of the tabernacle. This passage describes three of the parts of the tabernacle. Each division of the tabernacle included certain altars and emblems, which all represent the different parts of prayer we are to experience daily. Cho prays four hours a day, utilizing each of these parts of prayer. Here are the three parts of the tabernacle and what they represent in our own prayer life:

THE OUTER COURT

Enter His courts with praise (Ps. 100:4-5); praise and thanks.

• The Brazen Altar—Offer your body as a living sacrifice and confess (Rom. 12:1)

• The Brazen Laver—Wash your heart and mind with the WORD (Ps. 119)

THE INNER COURT OR HOLY PLACE

The veil is torn, and we can enter boldly.

• The Golden Candlestick—Be filled with His Spirit (Isa. 11:1).

• The Table of Showbread—Consider God’s provision in His Word (Ps. 104:15).

• The Altar of Incense—Your prayers and supplication are as a sweet incense (Rev. 8:4).

THE HOLY OF HOLIES

Worship God (Ps. 24:3, 46; Heb. 10:19-24; Isa. 57:15-21).

Cho reverses this pattern of prayer because now that Jesus has shed His blood for us, we can enter boldly into His throne of grace and find help in time of need. Jesus also reverses the order of the tabernacle when He gives His disciples His pattern of prayer:

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name

The Holy of Holies—Worship God

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

The Altar of Incense—Making our requests known unto the Lord

Give us this day our daily bread

The Table of Showbread—God’s Word, our daily feeding

Forgive us our debts as we forgive debtors

The Laver—The washing of the water of God’s Word and cleansing of our sin as we make confession for them

And lead us not into temptation

The Candlestick—We’re now ready to go out into the world with our light shining brightly filled with the fresh oil of the Holy Spirit. We are the light of the world.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.

The Outer Court—As we exit our prayers with thanksgiving and praise through the gates of praise into the world, we are reminded of our mission in life. We were created for the praise and glory of God.

Father, glorify Yourself in my heart (spirit) and soul (mind, will and emotion), and let me glorify You, Lord, today in attitude, word and deed. Amen.

READ: Ezekiel 18:1-19:14; Hebrews 9:1-12; Psalm 106:32-48; Proverbs 27:10