We are looking at the tabernacle in Leviticus. This chapter was written 3,000 years ago, but if you know a little of the ideology behind today’s politics, today’s major wars are rooted in a misunderstanding of the nature of God’s old temple. However people may view the Iran war politically, there is a deeper ideology behind it based on the false teaching of dispensationalism. The goal of these wars is for Israel to occupy more Palestinian land, eventually remove the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, rebuild the third temple, and then believe that the Messiah will come to make Israel a global power and reign for 1,000 years.
Rebuilding the Old Testament temple is their great aim. This is not only wrong; if you read the Bible properly, you will not find that teaching there. In fact, when I prepared that as an introduction to this sermon, I realized it became a whole sermon in itself, and we would not get to Leviticus. So I put it as a website blog article explaining why that is wrong and shared the link in the WhatsApp group. Some of you never read it, continuing in your ignorance and narrow thinking. For those of you who want to read it, you can find it in the “Ask Pastor” section of our website in both Tamil and English.
Consider the careless attitude of asking why we need to know all that, choosing just to eat and sleep instead. We do not realize that the quality of our life is nothing more than what we know and believe to be true. Ignorance will keep our lives not only narrow, but walking in darkness.
In Leviticus 24:1–5, we saw the Old Testament temple’s golden lampstand, which belonged to God’s ancient people of Israel. Then, we saw in Revelation 1:20 that the lampstand clearly represents the church. This shows that the Jewish stone temple was a shadow of the coming temple of the living God—the church—which includes both Gentiles and Jews. The dragon tries every way to quench that lampstand (or the woman in Revelation 12) through political persecution, the religious world, the world of money, and the world of lust, trying to put out the light of this lampstand for 2,000 years. But our Lord promised, “I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it.” We see Him constantly keeping the light burning through His heavenly High Priest ministry. No winds of hell can ever blow out the lamp of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Interestingly, in Revelation 12, after trying everything else, the serpent finally spews water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman so that she might be carried away by the flood. That represents the river of false teachings. If you are not rooted in the truth, you will be tossed here and there, and Satan will easily drag you away.
Today, we come to the second piece of furniture in verses 5–9, which we will study under three headings: the description of the table, its Old Testament importance, and its New Testament fulfillment (samugathu appangal mejayinmel).
Description of the Table
1. The Bread
Verse 4 states: “And you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it. Two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake.”
மெல்லிய மாவை எடுத்து, அதைப் பன்னிரண்டு அப்பங்களாகச் சுடுவாயாக.
The wheat used was high-quality, finest wheat—the best of the harvest, hand-picked. The process of making fine flour involved crushing, grinding, and then sifting the wheat through a sieve (marav salithedakkappattathu), and through multiple sieves (up to eleven times, according to Jewish tradition) to remove every bit of bran, husk, and grit (thavidu, oodu, mannu). The result was a “pure” or “fine” flour.
Each loaf was made of two-tenths of an ephah, which is around 2.5 kg in our measurement. A loaf made with that much flour is huge and very large. Since they had to make twelve loaves, it totaled 30 kg of bread.
2. The Table
Verse 6 states: “You shall set them in two rows, six in a row, on the pure gold table before the Lord.”
பரிசுத்தமான மேஜையின்மேல்.
The table itself, as described in Exodus 25, is only three feet long by a foot and a half wide. These twelve big loaves were to remain ever on that table, laid out in an orderly manner in two rows or piles (verse 6: irandu adukkaga). On top of this pure gold table sat the twelve loaves of bread, known as the showbread, or literally, the “bread of the face,” meaning this bread was ever before the face of the Lord.
Verse 7 adds: “And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that the bread may be on it for a memorial, an offering made by fire to the Lord.”
சுத்தமான தூபவர்க்கம் போடக்கடவாய்.
3. Location and Consumption
Where was this table located? It was in the holy place—the exact same room where the lampstand stood, so that the light from the lampstand illuminated what was on the table. The ark of the covenant lay just beyond the veil, representing the presence of the living God and the manifestation of His character in the Ten Commandments on the two tablets. Thus, this bread was ever before the Lord.
Interestingly, verse 8 states that every Sabbath day the High Priest shall set it in order before the Lord continually:
ஓய்வுநாள்தோறும் கர்த்தருடைய சந்நிதியில் அடுக்கிவைக்கக்கடவன்.
Every Sabbath, a fresh batch of twelve loaves was exchanged for the old twelve loaves.
Then verse 9 tells us who was to eat those twelve loaves. Did they just throw them away in some kind of ancient garbage disposal? Not at all:
அது ஆரோனையும் அவன் குமாரரையும் சேரும்; அதைப் பரிசுத்த இடத்திலே புசிக்கக்கடவர்கள்.
The priests, the sons of Aaron, were to eat these loaves. As they ate the older loaves, the beautiful, sweet, delicious aroma of the fresh loaves left behind upon the table filled the room. We notice that the bread was consumed by men, not by God. And these loaves, as verse 8 indicates, constitute an everlasting covenant (nitya kattalaiyak) for the sons of Israel. In other words, these loaves symbolized a covenant promise from God to His people Israel.
Old Testament Significance
What is the purpose and significance of these loaves to the people of Israel? The most important question we need to ask is: For whom is the bread present? Is the bread put there because Almighty God needs bread from us?
If you look at other religions, even in our country, people believe food is offered to gods. In Babylon, there was a temple for Marduk, the highest god depicted with a big dragon, where people brought special foods of different varieties to the gods, closed the temple, and left. When they opened it in the morning, everything was empty, so for generations, the people believed their god actually ate the food, and many stories were written in their texts about what he liked most. Then came the apocryphal story revealing it was a sham (poli): at night, the priests would come in secret and take the food that was brought, while all the people thought the statue had eaten it.
Is that what is being depicted here? Is the bread for God to eat? No. The verse clearly says we are not offering to God because He lacks anything. He gives life, breath, and all things; He does not need bread from us. Then why was it commanded? Symbolically, that bread was kept in God’s house for a week, becoming bread coming from the presence and the face of Jehovah—hence called “showbread.”
It was then given to be eaten by Israel’s representative priests, as stated in verse 8. The twelve loaves represent the twelve tribes of Israel. This acts as a symbolic portrayal of God as a host in His own house, hosting His people and the twelve tribes. He provides not small, stingy portions, but very large, heavy loaves—each over 2.5 kg, which is more than enough for a man’s stomach. It measured two-tenths of an ephah, whereas when manna was measured, it was one-tenth given per person per day; thus, this was a double portion.
God’s table is never scantily spread. He does not give us a “merely enough” grace; He gives “exceeding abundantly” ($Eph\ 3:20$). Every tribe had a loaf so large they could not possibly finish it alone, speaking of overflowing satisfaction.
What does bread indicate? In the ancient world, bread is called the staff of life—the very thing a man leans on to uphold him so he does not collapse. The Lord depicts Himself as the host who gives Israel the bread that sustains and upholds their life. Bread also stands for all physical needs. When our Lord taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” that was the only physical petition, with all others being spiritual; bread symbolized everything else needed for life.
Matthew Henry puts it this way: a loaf for every tribe, for in our Father’s house there is always bread enough. They were all provided for by divine bounty and were all welcome to divine grace. And what did they eat? Bread, designated as an everlasting covenant because it is God’s pledge and promise to His people: “I will sustain you, I will feed you, I will take care of all your needs, and I will uphold you so that you will not collapse.”
Someone might ask, “Pastor, doesn’t God provide the physical needs of everyone in the world?” Yes, it is God who provides even for all the beasts of the earth so they do not starve, as the Psalms talk about. Likewise, God provided for Gentile nations like Persia, Babylon, and even the Canaanites. The Apostle speaks of this theme in Acts 14:17, saying to the people of Lystra that the Lord has given fruitful seasons:
அவர் வானத்திலிருந்து மழைகளையும், கனிவுள்ள காலங்களையும் நமக்குத் தந்து, ஆகாரத்தினாலும் சந்தோஷத்தினாலும் நம்முடைய இருதயங்களை நிரப்பி, நன்மை செய்துவந்தார் என்றார்கள்.
If He gives to animals and even Gentiles, what is the profound character of this promise of providing food for His covenant people? It is that God has given them bread before His face. It comes from His presence, and they eat it in His house with His blessing, knowing it comes directly from Him. They dine not at a long distance from the orbit of God’s presence, but right before the face of God. They are able to eat in the divine presence—which is why it is called the “bread of the face.” Unlike beasts or Gentiles, they dine at the very table of the living God, meaning they possess His special favor.
That in itself is a great blessing and satisfaction. Whatever you eat normally only satisfies the hunger of an animal body, never truly satisfying your soul. Only when you realize it comes from the hand of God—specially given for you in His love and presence—do you experience satisfaction beyond animal gratification.
There is a striking picture of men eating at the table of God right after the law is given and God thunders from Sinai. An interesting account appears in Exodus 24:11, which speaks of Moses, Aaron, and the seventy-two elders: they saw God, and they ate and drank. Sinners crept up to the top of Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, and when they arrived, they saw that under His feet there was a paved work of sapphire stone, clear like the very body of heaven. And then it says they ate with God, and God did not raise His hand against them.
How could it be? Seventy-four sinners who had broken His law and violated His holiness went up to the top of the mountain into the presence of God, yet God did not raise His hand against them. Instead, He hosted them at a table, and they ate to their hearts’ delight. You see the Father’s heart in the story of the prodigal son: the son deserved to be cut down for ruining his family’s reputation, yet the father hugs and hosts him. That is our God—a gracious, hospitable host.
We see Him doing that for the Israelites in the wilderness. Even when they regularly complained, He fed them by providing manna from heaven to sustain His people in impossible situations. We see Him providing for Elijah during a severe famine when many were dying and Elijah was so tired he wanted to die: God sent an angel with food that sustained him for forty days and forty nights, and even sent ravens to feed him daily meat. You see the Father’s trait mirrored in the Son when people listened to His message until evening; the Son did not send them away hungry, but hosted them, leaving twelve baskets of leftovers. He does not give us old food; every Sabbath, He continually replenishes it with fresh supplies. That is the table of showbread—God will provide for His people.
New Covenant Fulfillment
What does this mean for us today? We are not replacing Israel; rather, we are saying that the church of God, comprising both Jews and Gentiles, is the fulfillment of all that Israel and its worship shadowed. For Israel, God promised worldly blessings and worldly bread, and through that taught them that man shall not live by bread alone.
In the New Testament, where does this shadow lead us? Just as the lampstand pointed to our Lord saying, “I am the light of the world, which enlightens every man,” regarding the showbread, Jesus taught in John 6 after feeding the 5,000 that they should not worry about worldly bread alone. He is able to feed multitudes in heaping amounts with much left over. But physical hunger is a small thing compared to your greatest hunger—soul hunger. That hunger can only be satisfied by the Bread of Life. “I am the Bread of Life, the true manna that came directly from heaven.”
Every aspect of this showbread is perfectly fulfilled in Christ:
- The Material (“Fine Flour” / Sannamaana Maavu): Just as the old bread was made of high-quality, pure, finest wheat, this Bread of Life was made with the finest and holiest wheat of the Holy Spirit, purely without any mixture, stain of sin, or the best of the harvest. Just as the flour was shifted many times to remove every husk and grit, Christ possessed pristine humanity. He was “tempted in all points” by the tempter ($Matthew\ 4:3$), the world, and the flesh, yet was found without sin. There was no thavidu (grit) of pride or mannal (husk) of disobedience in Him. He is the only one pure enough to be our sustenance.
- The Measurement (“Two-Tenth Deals” / The 2.5 kg Loaf): More than enough for man, representing a “double portion.” The Lord Jesus Christ as the Bread of Life is more than enough for us for this life and all ages. He has showered us with “exceeding riches” ($Eph\ 2:7$). If you are whimpering (munagal) with spiritual hunger, it is because you have not realized the size of the loaf Jesus has provided. He is midha-minjiya (overflowing).
- Twelve Loaves: One specifically for each tribe. Every elect child of God has a portion; there is a specific loaf for you at His table. No tribe was left out, and no citizen of heaven is forgotten by the Host.
- The Arrangement: Two rows of six on a pure gold table. Our God is a God of order, not confusion. Jesus’ life and sacrifice were perfectly timed in history, planned step by step. You are not just thrown into salvation haphazardly; you are placed there in perfect order and security. Furthermore, the bread was offered on a pure gold table, mirroring how Jesus’ humanity was offered in the pure gold divinity of His being.
- The Seasoning (“Pure Frankincense”): Just as a sweet-smelling aroma came from that bread, Jesus’ life and death were a “sweet-smelling savor” to God. The verse calls this an eternal “memorial portion.” Jesus’ ongoing work as He intercedes before God for us, based on His life and death, is an eternal sweet-smelling fragrance before God. “He ever lives to make intercession for us” ($Hebrews\ 7:25$).
- The Time (“Every Sabbath”): Just as the bread was replaced with fresh bread every Sabbath, doesn’t He feed our souls with fresh glory every Sabbath, satisfying our soul hunger?
He was the Bread of Life from the presence. He came down from the presence and blessing of God to meet our deepest hunger and needs. He not only came from the face of God; He is the “Face of God” for us.
As the final fulfillment of the temple scene, we see in the upper room in Jerusalem in 30 A.D. the true Bread of Life satisfying the soul hunger of every man, hosting twelve men at a table—the twelve apostles, the twelve patriarchs of the New Covenant Israel, one might say.
On the last night in the upper room, Jesus takes the loaf, breaks it, and gives it to His disciples, saying, “Take, take and eat, for this is My body.”
Consider what a marvelous host He is—there is none like Him in the universe. While a human host might spend a lot of money and cook for hours (such as a daughter cooking fifty items for her parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary, or a relative slaughtering a precious lamb or hen), have you ever seen a host who offers His own body and blood to feed us? What is more precious to anyone than their own body and blood? If that is what it takes to sustain us and keep us from collapsing into eternal destruction, that is what He gives to feed us at His table. He spares nothing, not even the breaking of His own body, to satisfy the hunger of His guests.
Christ as Our Spiritual Sustenance
This showbread points directly to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life who alone can satisfy our spiritual hunger. He is our New Testament manna. As we are the new covenant people of God moving toward Canaan, fighting against sin, the world, and Satan during our wilderness wanderings, what sustains us, renews us, and gives us the energy to continue? It is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as our physical bodies require regular meals because our souls are like leaky buckets—filled to the brim on one Lord’s day only to be empty again by the next—our inner man needs daily feeding. Without spiritual food, we grow weak. While the golden lampstand reminds us how our High Priest continually trims our wicks to keep us burning brightly, the showbread represents how He feeds our souls with His Spirit and His Word. When we come hungry to church and engage with His Word in faith, prayer, and listening, we experience spiritual nourishment far more joyful and satisfying than any earthly feast.
The Gracious Host and the Covenant Promise
Great earthly kings typically ban wicked men from their presence, and we see rulers like David and Solomon executing the wicked. Yet look at the graciousness of our holy King: we who are depraved sinners under wrath deserve the sword at the table to cut us into pieces. Instead, our gracious God allows even the worst among us to enter His presence. In place of a sword, we find bread, and the living God Himself hosts us, sitting us down to serve and feed us.
This is an amazing covenant pledge. Although we were once enemies of God, we now stand before His face. The promise is that on the day of judgment, when everyone else faces execution, you will not be destroyed by the King. Instead, He will host you, granting you huge portions of His favor and affection, and for all eternity, He will host you with His eternal feast. Heaven itself is spoken of as a wedding feast before God. Why do we receive this eternal feast instead of eternal torment? Because Jesus took the sword of divine justice, absorbing the wrath of God on Golgotha to consume our eternal agony.
How to Feed on Christ Daily
God’s promises and our duty to feed on Christ go hand in hand. We have a new life that demands daily food, and we cannot survive spiritually on weeks of neglect. Instead of feeding on the thavidu (husk/social media/worldly entertainment), we must learn to feed on the true bread of life:
- The Word as Food: Man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Just as you chew physical bread so it becomes part of your blood and bone, you must “chew” on Scripture. Take a verse, meditate on it, and ask how it sustains you today.
- Prayer as Spiritual Digestion: Reading the Bible without prayer is like eating dry flour; praying without the Word is like burning incense with no substance. Prayer is the spiritual digestion that moves truths from your head into your heart, producing joy and peace.
- Trusting the Provision: Remind yourself of the 2.5 kg loaf. Stop trying to solve problems through self-reliance, and rest in the overflowing grace the Host has already placed on the table.
Our Two-Fold Responsibility: Feast and Fetch
Finally, we have a two-fold responsibility: to feast and to fetch.
We are called not only to enjoy the banquet ourselves as lampstands shining in a dark world, but also to extend the King’s invitation to those who are starving outside. There is a famine in the world, yet a feast prepared in God’s house. Just as the master in Matthew 22 sent his servants out to the highways and byways to compel guests to come in, we are commissioned to call the lost.
If you are a soul-starving sinner, stop eating the putrid “pig slop” of this world—which may taste momentarily satisfying but ends in a miserable spiritual bellyache and eternal agony. Come to Christ’s table, eat of His saving work, and find full, soul-satisfying peace. There are still places waiting for you at the feast.