As Moses was confronting Pharoah to let the Israelites leave Egypt he spoke for God, "Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert." Little did Moses or the Israelites realize just what God had in mind. There followed very specific instructions concerning how worship was to take place. It involved building a grand, yet portable, tent of meeting. There are many lessons to be gleaned from this tabernacle. Most importantly, God has a desire to be with His people. This was all God's initiative. The Bible tells us that this earthly tent was a shadow of a greater heavenly reality. Jesus did not operate within the earthly tent but within the heavenly one. (Heb. 9:23ff) So each piece of furniture in the earthly tabernacle has a greater heavenly reality. Focus will be put on the Altar of Incense.

It was before this altar in prayer that the priest interceded for people. Jesus intercedes for us. We are also called to intercede for those around us.