THE TABLE OF SHEWBREAD.
Exo_25:23-30; Lev_24:5-9.
"Why seek ye the living among the dead?" Why seek the living Saviour among these dead forms and symbols? He is not here. He is risen. Yes! But we come to see, "the place where our Lord lay." If these are only "grave clothes," they are the grave clothes of our beloved, glorious Redeemer. Everything connected with Him is deeply interesting to those who love Him with all their heart.
I. The Table. Like the altar of incense and the ark of the mercy-seat it was made of shittim wood, overlaid with gold, telling out again, as with silent tongue, the divinity of the Son of Man. The table suggests at once the thought of fellowship. The bread was the "Bread of God," yet it was to be eaten by the priests. God and the priestly worshippers had communion and fellowship at the table. Blessed privilege, to feast on that which satisfies the heart of God. This sacred joy is ours. Christ is the "Bread of God" (Isa_6:33). Think of it, the holy heart of God feasting on the character and work of His Son as our Saviour. He finds infinite satisfaction in Him as man’s Redeemer and Representative. "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mat_3:17). But Christ is more, He is the "Bread of Life," bread for man as well as bread for God. Wondrous grace, Christ satisfies both God and man, meets all the claims of the one, supplies all the needs of the other. At the table-in Christ as the Living Bread-we have fellowship with the Father and with His Son. Truly, we have a meat to eat which the world knows nothing of. Is Jesus Christ to us what He is to the Father- enough? It would seem from Exo_25:24-25 that the table had two crowns of Gold, one upon the table itself, and one upon the "border thereof." In the holy place Christ is crowned by God and by the worshippers. It is only when we enter into the full enjoyment of Himself as the heavenly bread for our souls and the strength of our lives that we will be able to crown Him Lord of all. God has crowned Him, giving Him to be "Head over all." In all things He has the pre-eminence with the Father. In all things He has the pre-eminence with us? Is it God first? Crown Him, crown Him, and your fellowship with Him will be more sweet and abiding.
II. The Loaves. It seems to us that while the table, made of wood and gold, represents Christ in His twofold nature as God and man, the loaves represent His own moral character and also the character of His people in union with Himself. They were-
1. Made of Fine Flour. Flour is the product of earth, and the necessity of man. The human body of Jesus Christ may be seen here. His earthly life was like fine flour, perfect in its whiteness. Pilate testified to this when he said, "I find no fault in this Man" (Luk_23:4). He was without spot. As fine flour He was tested and tried- tempted at every point by God, and men, and devils, but all and everywhere He was the same. No unevenness, no irregularity; everything was methodic, uniform, straightforward, pure. You turn "fine flour" any way you may, it is still fine flower. No sifting, pressing, or bruising can alter its character. Such was the earthly life of our Lord, because the leven of sin was not in Him.
How does our character correspond with the fine flour? Are we the same joyful, trusting Christians in adversity as in prosperity? Are we always and everywhere alike? Does change of circumstances never bring out any pride, impatience, or self-seeking? Alas! Alas! "Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and my heart" (Psa_26:1-2). "Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." (Mat_11:29).
2. Had to be Baked. Although the flour had to be baked into cakes, or loaves, it was "fine flour" still. The baking did not change the character of the flour. The Lord Jesus had no sin, yet He suffered for sin. He was indeed baked in the hot oven of Jehovah’s wrath. "Made a curse for us" (Gal_3:13). See Him in the garden in that awful hour of agony and blood. Oh, how fierce was the fire through which our loving and devoted Saviour had to pass! Yet in the midst of it all He remained the same pure, unchanged, and unchangeable One. Fine flour still-glory to His Name! May He make us partakers of such a nature. There are some Christians who are like inferior flour, they don’t bake well. The firing does not seem to improve them much. The flour had to be baked before it could be eaten as holy bread. Our lives will not be of much good to others until we ourselves have passed through the testing fires. Artificial baking-powders will not make up for lack of purity of flour. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psa_51:10).
3. Twelve in Number. We naturally infer from this that the twelve tribes were represented in them. All God’s people stood before Him in these loaves, and stood on one that was well able to bear them up-the golden table. What a picture of our high calling in Christ! All resting on Him who is able to lift us up and keep us ever fresh and acceptable to God. There were great differences among the people in the camp outside; inside they were all alike before God. Judah may go first and Dan last while on the march in the wilderness, but such distinctions vanish on the table. It is so still. We may have gifts, talents, and experiences, differing the one from the other, but before God we are "all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal_3:28), all accepted in the Beloved. Not only is our oneness with Christ clearly taught here, but also our oneness with one another. This is of great importance to us. No matter from what part of the camp the twelve loaves came from, in the holy place they were all united to the table and to one another. Being members of Christ, we are members one of another. This double union comes out very fully in that great revelation prayer of the Lord in John 17, "That they all may be one."
4. Renewed every Sabbath. The bread of His presence must be ever fresh. Christ as the "Living Bread" is always fresh in the eyes and estimate of God. And what is true of Christ is true also of His redeemed people who are one with Him. The story of the Gospel may appear old and time-worn to many, but to the awakened and hungry soul it is fresh bread from Heaven. The secret of all soul freshness is feeding continually upon Christ the hidden bread. Those who minister in the holy place never need to cry out about their leanness, they walk in the light, and they have a meat to eat that the world knows nothing of. We cannot keep fresh if we live upon the stale bread of old experience. We ought to have a renewal at least once a week. There is ample provision made that we should be so "strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Eph_3:16-20).
III. The Frankincense. The loaves were placed in two rows upon the table, the frankincense, pure, white, and fragrant, was put on the top of the loaves. This pure incense covering the loaves speaks to us of the righteousness of God-or the merit of Christ’s atoning work-imputed to us as we stand by faith upon redemption ground. "Unto all, and upon all them that believe" (Rom_3:22). The loaves, though pure in themselves, had no fragrance. A man, though he be righteous, has not whereof to glory before God. The frankincense is more than human goodness, it is divine worthiness, something that rises unto God with a sweet, soul-pleasing savour. "In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing" (Rom_7:18). In Christ, through the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit, God is able to work in us that which is pleasing in His sight. Amen.
Autor: James Smith