Two months later

The past time has been special. I received the last infusion more than 6 weeks ago and it has taken my strength so badly that I am still trying to get over it. Shortness of breath is one of the symptoms. Also the complete lack of energy to do anything. That is slowly coming back, but it has also led to me not being able to make a blog in March, however small.

Since about 6 weeks we all have the misery of the corona virus. We live in seclusion from the beginning. But before that we had many visits from family and brothers and sisters in the Lord, whom we remember with gratitude. In one of the conversations at that time it was about 'the table of showbread in the tabernacle. Following are a few considerations.

What was it like?

There are many details in the description of the tabernacle that you can have very long conversations about, exactly what it would have looked like. The broad outlines are not a problem, but when it comes to the details you see all kinds of differences in opinion. This was no problem for Moses: he saw all the details (Exodus 25:9; Hebrews 8:5), but when we see pictures of the tabernacle and its objects, it is striking how many different interpretations there are of various parts.

This also applies to the table of showbread, where two things stand out.

One concerns the placement of the loaves ('cakes') on the table.

Most pictures show two stacks of 6 loaves each, as in the left picture; only a single one shows two rows of 6 loaves of bread, as on the right. While the text reads:

“Then put them in two rows, six in a row, on the table overlaid with pure gold] is before the LORD” .

Leviticus 24:6

When the loaves are a representation of the people of God, the rows appeal to me more. God has an eye on each individual, He knows and sees each individually and that is most beautifully expressed in the rows of loaves, in which each loaf is visible as a whole. God's eye is constantly upon each of His children:

“ [it has to be there] be constantly before Me”  (Exodus 25:30)
“(…) my eye is upon you.” (Psalm 32:8b)
“I will keep my eye on them for good . . .” (Jeremiah 24:6)

The second point concerns the edge (or rather the edges) of the table.

“Then you shall overlay it with pure gold and make a gold border around it. You should also make a molding about a hand wide around it and you should make a gold border around that molding.”

Exodus 25:24,25

Each picture of a (display) table shows a different 'solution' for the edges and the decorative frame and how they should be positioned relative to each other and to the table. That's why I think it's best to simply start from the text and not from a picture.

The text tells us that there were two golden edges around the table so that the loaves would not fall off the table during the journey through the desert. You could say a double certainty, which immediately reminds us of what the Lord Jesus says about His hand and the hand of the Father:

“(…) and they shall by no means perish for ever and none shall pluck them out of My hand. My Father who gave them to Me is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and the Father are One.”

John 10:28-30

Our assurance is that – whatever may happen during our desert journey – we are secured by the two golden rims: the hand of the Lord Jesus and the hand of the Father. Both of their hands make sure that we'not be lost in eternity', will not fall from the table on the way, but will arrive safe and sound.

The Priest's Privilege

One might ask why the table of showbread had to be specially placed in the holy place. Couldn't it just as well stand in the forecourt? For then many more Israelites could have seen the table with the loaves, and whenever they came into the courtyard with an animal sacrifice, they could be reminded of God's eye on them and His guarding hand around them. Wouldn't that have been nice?

Yet the table stands in the holy place, the place where the priests daily brought the incense fragrant to God. So apparently those two things are related. 

Let me try to put it very simply – in New Testament language – to the extent that we as believers offer the Lord our daily sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, so will our trust in Him in the things of life. The latter is to the glory of the Lord: people who trust Him in the (often unpleasant) circumstances of life. There was frankincense on the loaves (Leviticus 24:7): it was sweet-smelling, to the glory and joy of the Lord.

It is also a blessing for our souls for ourselves when we can rely on the Lord in all circumstances. It was the privilege of the priests to eat of the showbread (Leviticus 24:9).

Encouragement

However, it may be that sometimes doubt overtakes you, you are depressed and sadness dominates. Wiersbe writes about this in response to Psalm 42, among other things:[1].

“What is the remedy for all this? "Hope in God, for I will again praise Him for the complete redemption of His countenance" (verse 6). You have a secure future in Jesus Christ. The best has yet to come. Hope in God and go and praise Him. Do not wait! Start right now. The best thing I can do when I am discouraged, I have found, is immediately to praise the Lord. Praise is the best medicine for a broken heart. The Psalmist praised God "for the complete redemption of His countenance." However you feel or whatever your circumstances, if you look up to the face of God, you will find that He looks down on you in love.”

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[1] W.Wiersbe in “365 days of living from the Psalms”, page 107 (Gracepublishinghouse.com)