Coming before God

This is the final passage concerning the details of the tabernacle, and as I look at it, there are different reminders of our relationship with God.

The altar in the Holy Place, for example, was to always have incense burning there.

In several places in the Bible, we see that the smoke of the incense was a symbol of the prayers of the people rising up to God. Revelation 5:8 and 8:3–4 are examples of this.

The reminder is that God always hears our prayers. Not a prayer we breathe escapes his attention.

But as we come before him with our prayers, there are other things we need to remember.

First, we need to remember that our sins needed to be atoned for. That God paid a price through Jesus Christ in order for our sins to be covered.

The Israelites paid a census tax they called atonement money as a reminder of this.

Each person, rich or poor, gave a half-shekel, reminding them that each person was considered equally valuable in God’s sight and each equally needed God’s atonement.

The second thing that we see is that the priests had to wash themselves before coming into God’s presence.

In the same way, if we are to come before God, our sins need to be washed daily.

Our sins can block our prayers.

In Psalm 66:18, it says,

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.

And so as we come before him, we need to be sure to confess our sins. In 1 John 1:9, it says,

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Finally, the priests had to be anointed with oil.

Oil is often used as a symbol for the Holy Spirit.

When we become Christians, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside of us. (John 16:7)

He counsels us, intercedes for us, and gives us the power to live the life God has for us. (John 16:13; Romans 8:27; Acts 1:8)

Lord, I thank you that you always hear my prayers. As David once prayed,

May my prayer be set before you like incense. (Psalm 141:2)

As I come before you, I remember that you paid the ransom price for my life, and I thank you for that.

I pray that you would reveal the sin in my life and forgive me.

Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Help me to hear your Spirit’s voice as he guides me. Fill me with his power to live as you want me to live.

And may his voice always be heard by the Father as he intercedes for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.