We Pray In The Name Of Christ (Sacred Sites Part 8)

The Alar Of Incense that stood before the veil of the tabernacle/temple represented the prayers of Israel ascending into heaven. It is a type of Christ inasmuch as we pray unto the Father in the name of the Son. He is also our intercessor with the Father. This is the location where the Angel Gabriel met with Zacharias (the father of John the Baptist) to tell him that his prayers and the prayers of Israel would be answered.

The Institute Student Manual p. 153 states:
The third piece of furniture found in the holy place along with the sacred candlestick and the table of shewbread was the altar of incense. It stood directly in front of the veil (see v. 6). Like the ark of the covenant and the table of shewbread, it was made of shittim wood covered with gold and had rings and staves for carrying. Hot coals were placed on the altar, and each morning and evening (see vv. 7–8) the high priest would burn incense. This ritual seems to signify that one can approach the presence of God only through prayer, for scriptures elsewhere indicate that incense is a symbol of prayer (see Revelation 5:8; 8:3–4; Psalm 141:2).

After the Altar Of Incense came the veil of the temple which had angels portrayed on it. Paul the apostle refers to the veil as the flesh of Christ (Hebrews 10:20). The Savior declares that his is the door in John 10:9. We must enter into the presence of the Father through him. Also, the sacred vestments of the High Priest was made of the same materials as the veil of the tabernacle/temple. In some ways, when he dressed in his sacred vestments he was putting on Christ.

The Institute Student Manual for the Old Testament gives this insight:
Both on the veil, separating the holy place from the most holy, and on the lid of the ark were cherubim, or angels. This use of angels provides a beautiful representation of the concept taught in latter-day scripture that one passes by the angels on his way to exaltation (see D&C 132:19).