When the priest (we) approached the Gate of Giving, the books of ones heart and life are open to G-d. We come giving of ourselves and of our increase understanding that it is the Lord that has made provision for us on this earth. For the Hebrew, the law required a tithe of the tenth of his increase to be given to G-d by placing it in the care of his priest. All is the Lord's and we must come to G-d in his Tabernacle with an open hand and heart.

The daily service consisted of the morning and evening burnt offering, the offering of sweet incense on the golden altar, and the special offerings for individual sins. And there were also offerings for sabbaths, new moons, and special feasts.

The Altar of Forgiving was the place were the blood of the sacrifice was shed. Every morning and evening a lamb of a year old was burned upon the altar, with its appropriate meat offering, thus symbolizing the daily consecration of the nation to G-d, and their constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ. G-d expressly directed that every offering presented for the service of the sanctuary should be "without blemish." Exodus 12:5. The priests were to examine all animals brought as a sacrifice, and were to reject every one in which a defect was discovered. Only an offering "without blemish" could be a symbol of His perfect purity who was to offer Himself as "a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter 1:19. Paul points to these sacrifices as an illustration of what the followers of Christ are to become. He says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto G-d, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1. We are to give ourselves to the service of G-d, and we should seek to make the offering as nearly perfect as possible. G-d will not be pleased with anything. It was symbolic of the coming lamb of G-d that would die for the sins of the whole world. At this station of the Tabernacle, we come to G-d to receive His forgiveness. In the measure that we are to be forgiven, we must also forgive others. Saul told us, "Beware that a root of bitterness not grow up within you for from this many [believers] have been defiled."

A few steps forward we come to the Lavor of Washing is the stage where we are to fully commit ourselves to G-d and take on the Name of Yeshua as our only Messiah. This symbolism is sealed in the act of baptism becoming dead to sin and raised into eternal life in the Messiah and into the Word of the Messiah. Yeshua said, "It is not the hearers of the word, but the doers of the word that are my disciples." The act of baptism is the commitment of discipleship to the Messiah. This mystery was also evident when Yeshua baptized his own disciples in the form of foot washing just prior to the last supper before his crucifixion.

The showbread was kept ever before the Lord as a perpetual offering. Thus it was a part of the daily sacrifice. It was called showbread, or "bread of the presence," because it was ever before the face of the Lord. It was an acknowledgment of man's dependence upon G-d for both temporal and spiritual food, and that it is received only through the mediation of Christ. G-d had fed Israel in the wilderness with bread from heaven, and they were still dependent upon His bounty, both for temporal food and spiritual blessings. Both the manna and the showbread pointed to Christ, the living Bread, who is ever in the presence of G-d for us. He Himself said, "I am the living Bread which came down from heaven." John 6:48-51. Frankincense was placed upon the loaves. When the bread was removed every Sabbath, to be replaced by fresh loaves, the frankincense was burned upon the altar as a memorial before G-d. Then we see ahead to the right the table of Showbread where power of the Kingdom of G-d was not given to any individual, but to the People of G-d. To share in the bread of the Word. It is to his congregation that we must become committed. To share of the same loaf and to drink of the same cup at the Table of Covenant is to commit to those with which we share of these same elements. The Messiah showed us that these elements are supernaturally the body that was broken for our weaknesses and blood that was shed for our sins by our Messiah at Calvary.

To the Left of where we stand we see the Lampstand the Light of Him that illuminates our souls---The Holy Scriptures speak of the 7 eyes of G-d and the 7 spirits of G-d that are in the earth show His glory. The prophet Isaiah tells us that the spirits of G-d are prophesied concerning the coming Messiah. They are the 1) Spirit of the Lord, 2) the Spirit of Wisdom, 3) the Spirit of Understanding, 4) the Spirit of Counsel, 5) the Spirit of Might, 6) the Spirit of Knowledge and 7) the Spirit of the Fear of the L-rd (Isaiah. 11:2). It is the work of the Holy Spirit to be our comforter, teacher and couselor that will reveal to our heart and mind the will of G-d so we might obey him. Once we hear His word, we can then pray with His authority.

When the priest offered incense before the Lord, he looked toward the ark; and as the cloud of incense arose, the divine glory descended upon the mercy seat and filled the most holy place, and often so filled both apartments that the priest was obliged to retire to the door of the tabernacle. As in that typical service the priest looked by faith to the mercy seat which he could not see, so the people of G-d are now to direct their prayers to Christ, their great High Priest, who, unseen by human vision, is pleading in their behalf in the sanctuary above. Our call at this stage is to intercede our prayers rise up before the throne of the Most High as a sweet incense. We are called to intercede for others that are to come to the knowledge of Yeshua the Messiah. To bring in the Kingdom of G-d is to bring down the strongholds of evil and to raise up the banner of righteousness in its place. Since we have waited upon G-d for the revelation of His will, it is understood that the prayers that follow will be answered since the request is clearly within the will of G-d. Angels act on our behalf in bringing about the answer and do fight against the fallen angels in the battle for the souls of mankind.

Then as we turn to the right, we have come before the Ark of the Covenant inside the Holy of Holies. We stand before the Lord our G-d purified set apart feed in the Word brought to our knees. Made now to have a giving heart and have forgiven all that have offended us. We have been washed in the waters of baptism, sat at the table of covenant and listened at the menorah of revelation. We have then prayed at the sensor of intercessions poured out of self with the release of G-d's Power. Now we are clean to enter the Holy of Holies to be in His presence. It is here that we can have true heart communion and fellowship with our G-d. Here, we do worship him and are raised up into the heavenlies to view earth from where G-d sits as a joint heir with the Messiah in His Kingdom.

The Tabernacle points to the Lord's promise that He will once again tabernacle with His people when He returns to reign over the entire world from Jerusalem (Micah 4:1-7)

For more resources online: Virtual tour

http://www.bright.net/~kevadams/outercourt.html

http://www.inforamp.net/~mdcanada/tabern.htm

Tabernacle of Moses

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2175/tabernac.html#Mishkan

Jewish Perspectives

Bible Headquarters