Exodus 25:23-30
“Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.” (Exodus 25:23-25)
The next item of furniture was a small wooden table, eighteen inches wide, thirty six inches long and about twenty seven inches high. It was to have a four inch skirt around the table top and a gold rim projecting above the table top to keep things from rolling off. The entire table was to be covered with gold leaf.
“And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.” (Exodus 25:26-28)
Like the Ark, the Table of Showbread was designed to be carried from place to place. Gold rings for poles to carry it were to be placed where the legs joined the skirt on the long sides. The poles were also to be overlain with gold leaf.
“And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.” (Exodus 25:29)
Solid gold utensils were to be made to be used on the Table of Showbread, including spoons, and covered plates and bowls. The rim around the table and the covered containers were necessary because as the next verse says, there was to be showbread on the table at all times. Without the rim it might fall of when being transported, and the covers were necessary to keep out dust and flies, and to delay drying.
“And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me alway.” (Exodus 25:30)
The showbread was a food, or meat offering to the Lord but it was reserved for the priests to eat. Leviticus 7:9-10 states, “And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it. And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.” It was reserved for the priests according to Leviticus 22:10. “There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.”
The construction of wood and gold again reveals Christ as both God and man, but the showbread, as food for the priests reveals him as the bread of life Jesus described in John 6:53-58. “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” The showbread was a permanent model that continued throughout Jewish history. The manna pictures the same thing, but it only lasted about forty years.
“Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.” (Exodus 25:23-25)
The next item of furniture was a small wooden table, eighteen inches wide, thirty six inches long and about twenty seven inches high. It was to have a four inch skirt around the table top and a gold rim projecting above the table top to keep things from rolling off. The entire table was to be covered with gold leaf.
“And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.” (Exodus 25:26-28)
Like the Ark, the Table of Showbread was designed to be carried from place to place. Gold rings for poles to carry it were to be placed where the legs joined the skirt on the long sides. The poles were also to be overlain with gold leaf.
“And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.” (Exodus 25:29)
Solid gold utensils were to be made to be used on the Table of Showbread, including spoons, and covered plates and bowls. The rim around the table and the covered containers were necessary because as the next verse says, there was to be showbread on the table at all times. Without the rim it might fall of when being transported, and the covers were necessary to keep out dust and flies, and to delay drying.
“And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me alway.” (Exodus 25:30)
The showbread was a food, or meat offering to the Lord but it was reserved for the priests to eat. Leviticus 7:9-10 states, “And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it. And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.” It was reserved for the priests according to Leviticus 22:10. “There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.”
The construction of wood and gold again reveals Christ as both God and man, but the showbread, as food for the priests reveals him as the bread of life Jesus described in John 6:53-58. “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” The showbread was a permanent model that continued throughout Jewish history. The manna pictures the same thing, but it only lasted about forty years.
Thanks, dfish, for this excellent exposition of Bible truth and for the symbolism in this chapter. May God bless you and your ministry.
ReplyDeleteLaurie Collett
http://savedbygracebiblestudy.blogspot.com/