In Exodus 25:23-30 (37:10-15), God continued to give Moses the details for the furnishings for His Tabernacle. He had begun with the Ark of the Covenant where He would dwell with His children of Israel.  Now, He adds The Showbread Table to be placed in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle.

The table was to be made of acacia wood like the Ark and was also to be covered with gold.  The dimensions were given to be 1’6” wide, 3’ long and 2’3” high.  The Ark and the Showbread Table both had a ‘crown of gold” like a molding around the outside edge of the top of the table.  Also like the Ark, the Showbread Table was to be carried with gold-covered poles held in place with gold rings at each corner.  On the table were to be placed golden plates, and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings.

Twelve loaves on unleavened bread were to be kept on the Showbread Table, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.  The loaves were to be placed in two stacks with six loaves in each stack and were to be replaced fresh every week on the Sabbath.  (Leviticus 24:5-9) This was to be fresh food in the house of God for the priests.

As Christians we see Jesus Christ as the Bread of God who came down from heaven to give Life to the world! John 6:33    These loaves of unleavened bread remind us of Jesus saying, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger.” John 6:35 

The Showbread is also called the Bread of the Presence. It is for all the priests to eat in fellowship with one another in God’s presence. We are considered royal priests according to 1 Peter 2:5  ^“ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”  and 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people..”    As priests, in order to eat Christ as the Bread of Life, we must be in the presence of God, who is Spirit. (John 4:2-4)

We pray the Lord’s Prayer from Luke 1:2-4 “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread….”  

Luke 11: 5-8 “And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;  and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.”

Based on that parable in Luke 11:5-8, we need the Bread of Life not just for ourselves, but also for our needy friends. Jesus said that people in the world are hungry, but we can’t live by bread alone.  Jesus came that He might give life to the world, so that those who believe in Him may have eternal life, (John 6:33. 47).  Therefore, we should ask, seek and knock, in prayer (Luke 11:9), until He gives us as much Bread of life as we need for ourselves and for our friends .  Our friendly Father delights to do this! (Luke 11:13)