Tabernacle (part 3)

I am the light of the world (John 8:12).

Today we continue our look at the Tabernacle of God.

I said earlier that there were two altars in the Tabernacle—the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Altar of Incense. The Altar of Incense was tended each day, sending fragrance throughout the Tent of Meeting and up towards heaven. The Altar of Burnt Offering was concerned with bringing God’s mercy to the people; the Altar of Incense was about showing appreciation to the Lord of heaven. God’s people wanted to honor Him by burning sweet perfumes for His enjoyment.

The Altar of Incense is also connected with prayer. In the Book of Revelation chapter eight, we read the following: Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. God loves hearing our prayers; they go up to Him like fragrant incense. He wants us to thank Him for His blessings. He wants us to entrust Him with our lives. Through Jesus, God has proven that He wants to share our joys and sorrows, so He urges us to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Another item in the Tabernacle was the Golden Candlestick. In a room with no windows, this was the only source of light, and it was always kept burning. This candlestick represented the Light of God that pushes back the darkness of sin and death. This light shines in our lives through Jesus, who described Himself as the light of the world; He said, Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). The Golden Candlestick of the Tabernacle lives on in churches that fill the sanctuary with candles.

The Tent of Meeting also included a table filled with loaves of fresh bread. This represented how God watches over His followers, providing for their every need. However, we must remember that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD (Deuteronomy 8:3). The Word of God came to us in human form; it is Jesus who gives nourishment to the soul. He said, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35). It is only through Jesus that we can truly have life, life that is full and everlasting.