Praying Through the Stations of the Tabernacle

Prayer is talking with God, and while it doesn’t need to be formal or formulaic, it can sometimes help to use a “prayer path.”

Prayer paths are just a sequence of steps (often direct from Scripture) that you can take as you talk with the Lord. Prayer paths can be simple. The Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6:9-13 is a great place to start by simply praying each line, then pausing to add your own words before starting the next line. Prayer paths can also be a little bit more complex, like taking all the prayers that the Apostle Paul prayed in his epistles and praying those same prayers over yourself and those you love.

One path I have been taught is using the stations of the tabernacle to walk into deep connection with the presence of God. It can help to mentally visualize walking through each step.

Entering the Gate - Thanksgiving and Praise

When approaching the tabernacle, you will come to a wall with a gate.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.“ Psalms 100:4 NKJV

As you imagine yourself entering the gate to the tabernacle, begin with a prayer of thanksgiving. Thank the Lord for who He is, and what He has done for you. At this point, I always thank Him for something I’ve never thanked Him for before.

After pouring out Thanksgiving, we enter the courts with praise. You can sing a song, dance a dance, recite a poem… Whatever form you use to praise the Lord - do that. Bring Him the praise He is worthy of.

The Court

In the center of the court you will see the brazen altar and the washing laver. On the opposite end of the courtyard is a tent which contains the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.

The Brazen Altar - Repentance

Once inside the courtyard we first approach the brazen altar. This is where priests would sacrifice and burn offerings to the Lord to atone for both their sins and the sins of the nation of Israel. This is where we must come time and time again in our journey with the Lord. He is merciful and just to forgive us, but we must bring repent of our sins and appropriate the blood of Jesus on our lives.

At this stage I pause and grow quiet. I both listen to the Lord to reveal sin in my life that I am unaware of, while also reflecting on any sin I am conscious of. I pray this portion of the psalms:

“Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

Psalms 19:12-14 NKJV

Once I have paused to allow the Lord to reveal any sins that I am unaware of, I begin repenting for my sins. I sometimes visualize Jesus as a lamb brought to slaughter for my sins as I confess. It is my sin that He died for, and I apply His blood to my life.

The Washing Laver - Cleansing

The next station we approach is the washing laver. This is a large basin in the tabernacle that priests would use to wash themselves after performing sacrifices. For us today, this stands as a reminder of the power of baptism, and that while it was our sin that nailed Jesus to the cross, His cleansing waters have washed us clean of the guilt and shame of our sins.

This station can be an opportunity to remember your water baptism, or to imagine being baptized again. As you finish washing, the water grows still. With this stillness you can see your reflection, only this time you can see you look more like Jesus than you did before.

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20 NKJV

When leaving the washing laver, you leave behind all guilt, shame, and condemnation for the sins that Jesus has forgiven you for.

The Holy Place

Once finished at the laver, you now approach the tent at the far side of the tabernacle. This tent has two sections. Upon entering the tent, you enter the section called the Holy Place. Inside this section is the golden lamp stand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense.

The Golden Lamp Stand - The Holy Spirit

To your left when entering the tent is a large lamp stand in the traditional shape of the menorah. The only light in this section of the tent comes from this lamp stand.

The seven fires represent the seven-fold nature of the Spirit of God.

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:2 NKJV

Here you can pray that the Holy Spirit will come and rest upon you in greater measure that you may know the fullness of His power and character. It can be helpful to pray these prayers from scripture because they each mention different aspects of the 7-fold nature of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:11

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

Ephesians 1:17-23

17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

22And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 3:17-21

that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Colossians 1:9-14

… ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Philippians 1:9-11

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Proverbs 2:3-6

'For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord And discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. '

The Table of Show Bread - Communion

Across from the lamp stand is the table of show bread which holds the Bread of the Presence. At this stage you can partake in communion with the Lord.

The Altar of Incense - Prayer and Intercession

The last station in the Holy Place is the altar of incense. This represents our prayers and intercession. At this stage, pray for whoever the Lord brings to your mind. Pray His best will over their life. Pray for them the way you hope someone would pray for you in their situation.

The Holy of Holies

The final section of the tabernacle is the Holy of Holies. This room is paneled with gold and has the Ark of the Covenant in the middle of the room. In the old covenant, the Ark was the representation of God’s presence on the earth. While in the new covenant He lives inside of us, this is the portion of the tabernacle where you can simply rest in His presence. You can worship Him, or just be silent before Him. This is a room that, before Jesus, only the high priest could enter. Only once a year could the high priest enter this room, and now we have the privilege of enjoying the Lord’s presence every day. Enjoy Him.