THE TABLE OF THE SHEW BREAD- FELLOWSHIP

SERIES: THE TABERNACLE

TEXT: LEVITICUS 24:5-9, EXODUS 37:10-16; 25:30

Beware of the fellowship that resorts to worldly means and amusements. The living word and the written word must be at the center of our fellowship as priests of this new dispensation. Let us learn from the table of the showbread at the Holy place in the tabernacle-Exodus 25:23-30. The table of the shrew bread stood on the worth side of the Holy place.

A table always speaks fellowship.

One day in the plains of mamre, Abraham hosted three strangers into his home and gave them a meal at his table.

Because of these fellowship, Abraham became a recipient of God’s revelation concerning the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah-Gen. 18.

About this table in the tabernacle the sons of Aaron ate the shrewbread. This spoke of fellowship with God.

This table of the shrewbread was the sixth step of the journey toward God, in the Holy of Holies-Exodus 25:23-30, Matt. 12:3-4; John 6:33-35. Let us learn:-

1. THE TABLE.

• Like the other articles inside the tabernacle, the table was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold.
• The table was 3ft long 1^1/₂ wide and 2^1/₄ feet high.
• Its height was the same as that of the blood sprinkled mercy on the ark of the covenant.
• Fellowship is based on the blood sacrifice.
• The publican man prayed at the temple and said “Be merciful toward me as thou art when thou lookest upon the atoning blood.”
• The table had a double crown, indicating the security of the bread from being dislodged.
• We are much secure in Christ than most people think especially Pentecostalals of believe that a believer cab lose salvation for any sin.

1. THE BREAD.

• The name SHEW-BREAD meant “presence bread” or “bread of faces.”
• These Shew bread was ever in the presence of Jehovah. His eyes was continually upon it as He looked out from the glory cloud.
• “He, when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high”-Heb. 1:3.
• The father looks upon Him (Jesus Christ) always.
• Christ was the bread from heaven in His earthly ministry-John 6:33-38.
• This bread brought life to man. But the believer-priest feeds upon the man in the glory-Heb. 12:2-3.
• THE MATERIAL
• The bread was made of fine flour. The “Corn of wheat” had to fall into the ground and die-John 12:24.
• It was tramped out, ground between the mill stones, then baked in the oven.
• All this process of making the SHEW-BREAD spoke of what Jesus did to save us.
• There was no leaven used in the making of this bread. Leaven in scripture speaks of evil or sin.
• The leaven (yeast) introduces microscopic organisms yeast introduces decomposition.
• There was no sin or decay in Jesus Christ, therefore His body defied the laws of decay in the tomb (Decay and decomposition came into the world because of sin). Death-decay-decomposition and corruption-Psalm 16:10, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

1. THE NUMBER OF LOAVES.

• There were twelve loaves representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
• The 12 loaves of bread were equal in size. The little tribe of Benjamin was represented on this table in the same way as the large kingly tribe of Judah.
• Every believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ the same way-1^st 12:13.
• All have the same rights before Him, although their functions in the body of Christ may be entirely different-1^st 12:21.

1. THE RENEWAL.

• This bread was renewed every Sabbath. It was always fresh and never allowed to become stale.
• God has three words
• The living.
• The written.
• The spoken.
• Believers are to feed on the word every day with daily freshness.
• Those who experience God daily live longer lives!!

10. PROHIBITIONS:-Lev. 22:10.

• The father and the hired servant could not eat of this bread.
• The stranger means the unsaved church member, the unsaved cannot feed on spiritual things-1^st 2:14.
• The natural man cannot feed upon spiritual things because the natural man has not made a decision to follow Jesus Christ and therefore is still in darkness.
• The hired servant stands for the person who attempts to work for their servant. They too cannot feed upon spiritual truths-Lev. 22:4.
• The seed of Aaron with a running issue could not eat. These men were priest but had become defiled. Defilement hand caps prevented them from offering but not from eating this pictures those weak in the faith but not defiled by sin.WARNING
  • The living word, the written word, the spoken word are to be the center of fellowship for the priests in this dispensation.
  • Matthew 18:20, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
  • Beware of the fellowship that resorts to worldly means and amusements! It is from below and not from above.
  • Notice that in the section of the tabernacle everything was brass (judgement). In the Holy place everything was golden-divinity of Christ.
  • In the Holy place these were the candle sticks, the altar of incense and the table of SHEW BREAD.
  • The table pictured the: The Savior, Salvation, Security and Satisfaction.
  • The priest ate the old bread as they placed the fresh bread every Sabbath.
  • Jesus Christ is the bread of life.