The Table of Showbread and the Seven-branched Lampstand (Exodus 25:23-40).
This Table and Lampstand were a perpetual reminder of Yahweh's provision for His people, and especially of His gifts of bread, and of life and light, and could be seen as a constant appeal to Him (through their maintenance) to continue their supply. But the primary significance of the lampstand was as reminding Israel that He was their light. Yahweh made His face to shine on them (Numbers 6:25). Yet they were within the Holy Place lest any think that His blessings could be obtained lightly. Light and life were available to Israel, available to those whose hearts were right towards Him, when they approached Him sincerely in the way that He ordained.
Thus when Jesus came He came offering Himself as the Bread of life (John 6:35) and the Light of life (John 8:12). The blessing symbolised in the Tabernacle became a reality in Him, to be enjoyed by those who became the Temple of His Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6:16-18). On Him they would feed spiritually and from Him they would receive understanding and truth.
This passage may be analysed as follows:
a The making of the table of acacia wood covered with gold (Exodus 25:23-24).
b The making of a border and golden rim round about (Exodus 25:25).
c The making of four rings of gold to put on the four feet at its corners placed so as to take the carrying staves (Exodus 25:26-27)
c The making of four staves of acacia wood made with gold for the carrying of the table (Exodus 25:28).
b The making of vessels of pure gold for use on the table (Exodus 25:29).
a The showbread to be set on the table before Yahweh always (Exodus 25:30).
We note that in ‘a' the table is constructed which is worthy of the Sanctuary, and in the parallel the showbread is to be set on it before Yahweh for ever. In ‘b' the making of the border and golden rim for keeping the vessels on the table are described, and in the parallel the vessels of gold are themselves described. And in ‘c' we have the golden rings for making the staves, and in the parallel the making of the staves.
“And you shall make a table of acacia wood, its length will be two cubits and its breadth one cubit and its height one and a half cubits.
The table is to measure approximately a metre (or three feet) long, by half a metre (or eighteen inches) wide, by three quarters of a metre (two foot three inches) deep. Its purpose is to carry the showbread.
“And you shall overlay it with pure gold and make on it a moulding of gold round about, and you will make it to a handbreadth round about and you shall make a moulding of gold to its border round about.”
“Overlay it with pure gold.” The result of the ‘spoiling' of the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36) was now being used to good effect. The gold demonstrated the majesty of God and the holiness of the purpose of the table.
The moulding of gold round about (Exodus 25:24) is described, in the form known to him, by Josephus, a Jewish historian in 1st century AD, in these words, ‘it was hollowed out on each side to a depth of about three inches, a spiral border running round the upper and lower portion of the body of the table'. But that may not describe accurately the original table. The main point is that it was not plain but decorated, demonstrating God's care for detail and beauty.
There is some doubt as to the meaning of Exodus 25:25, although it would no doubt be quite clear at the time. (Compare how a modern carpenter might speak of ‘a piece of four by two'. Everyone now would know what he meant but in two centuries time it might be a total mystery, and they might say ‘something must have dropped out from the text'. We can imagine the fun commentators might have with it). Some see it as meaning that an eight centimetre moulding went round the top of the table going upwards as a rim, others as signifying an eight centimetre wide horizontal border, and others as eight centimetre wide cross-struts between the legs of the table. The last seems to have been the interpretation put on it when the table was made for Herod's Temple. RSV takes this view and translates, ‘and you shall make around it a frame a handbreadth wide, and a moulding of gold around the frame'.
“And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on its four legs. The rings will be close by the border (or frame), for places for the staves to bear the table.”
The rings are either attached half way down (by the frame) or near the top (by the border). They are to take the staves with which the table will be carried.
“And you will make the staves of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them.”
The staves are similar to those that bear the Ark (Exodus 25:13). The wood provided the strength, the gold their uniqueness, as expressing appreciation of God and as symbols of His holiness.
“And you shall make its plates and its dishes, and its flagons and its bowls with which to pour out, you shall make them of pure gold.
All is made of pure gold as befits the God of all the earth. The plates were for carrying the showbread, the dishes for carrying incense, the flagons and bowls for pouring out libations (see also Exodus 38:16).
“And on the table you shall set the bread of the Presence (showbread) before me always.”
The ‘bread of the Presence' or showbread is literally ‘bread of the face', that is bread set before the face or presence of God. It consisted of twelve very large baked cakes made of fine flour each containing two tenths of an ephah (Leviticus 24:5). They were set on the table in two rows, six to a row. Frankincense was then placed on them ‘as a memorial' and this was then offered by fire to Yahweh (Leviticus 24:7). This and the bread were seen as ‘the most holy to Him of the offerings by fire to Yahweh', the frankincense being burned for Yahweh and the bread being eaten by the priests (Leviticus 24:9). This demonstrates the huge importance of the showbread. New showbread was baked every sabbath and the old was then eaten by the priests in the holy place because the cakes were ‘most holy' (Leviticus 24:8-9). Certainly later it was unleavened bread (according to Josephus).
The significance of the showbread is never explained, although it is stated to be for an everlasting covenant on behalf of the children of Israel (Leviticus 24:8). This may confirm their connection with the everlasting covenant of Genesis 9:16 which guaranteed the rain that provided bread. It also confirms that the number twelve relates to the number of the tribes of Israel. Compare for the everlasting covenant Genesis 9:16; Genesis 17:7; Genesis 17:9; Genesis 17:13 where the everlasting covenant guarantees the seasons for ever, with resulting fruitfulness; promises the land as an everlasting possession, and assures them that the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be His for ever and He will be their God. It would seem therefore that the twelve loaves represent the twelve tribes of Israel before God, as the twelve pillars did previously (Exodus 24:4), keeping them ever before His face that He might show His love towards them, and in their eyes ‘reminding' Him of His covenant with them, and of their need for bread.
But we are also reminded that Abram set bread before Yahweh (Genesis 18:5). They are thus also an indication of Israel's welcome to Yahweh in His house. They continually signify the welcoming by the twelve tribes of His presence.
But the fact that the bread was eaten by the priests further suggests it has a God to man significance. While it is probable that they were to be seen as a continual offering of thanksgiving to God for food provided and a reminder (memorial) to God of His promise of provision, they were also a reminder to Israel of the food God put in their mouths, that the daily bread that they ate came from God. That it was given to them from God.
Thus Jesus will have these loaves in mind when He speaks of Himself as ‘the bread of life' (John 6:35). Jesus is the One on Whom we must continually feed by constant faith (John 6:53-55). He who ‘eats' of Him (by believing) will live because of Him (John 6:57)). It is also called ‘holy bread' (1 Samuel 21:4; 1 Samuel 21:6), ‘continual bread' (Numbers 4:7) and ‘bread of setting out (or layering)' (1 Chronicles 9:32; 1Ch 23:29; 2 Chronicles 13:11; Nehemiah 10:34).
The setting of bread before gods was common practise elsewhere and the Assyrians at least placed twelve loaves before their gods which were associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac. Consider also the cakes kneaded for the Queen of heaven (Jeremiah 7:18). In the apocryphal story of Bel and the Dragon food was set before the god and supposed to be eaten by him, although the eating was done secretly by the priests (Exodus 1:11-13). Israel reinterpreted the practise and removed the dishonesty. There is no suggestion that the loaves were to be eaten by Yahweh. They were eaten by the priests.
“Always.” This practise was to be maintained in perpetuity. The bread of the presence must never cease before God as long as Israel never ceased before Him.