Topical Bible: Priests: Services of Placing and Removing Show-Bread

◄ Priests: Services of Placing and Removing Show-Bread ►

Topical Encyclopedia

The service of placing and removing the showbread was a significant duty performed by the priests in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. This sacred task was part of the broader responsibilities of the Levitical priesthood, which was established by God through Moses as recorded in the Old Testament. The showbread, also known as the "bread of the Presence," was a symbol of God's continual provision and presence with His people, Israel.

Biblical Foundation

The instructions for the showbread are found in the book of Exodus. God commanded Moses, "You are to set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times" (Exodus 25:30). This bread was to be placed on a specially designed table made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold, located in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple.

Composition and Arrangement

The showbread consisted of twelve loaves, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. These loaves were made of fine flour and were arranged in two stacks of six on the table. Leviticus 24:5-6 provides specific instructions: "You are to take fine flour and bake twelve loaves, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf. Arrange them in two rows—six per row—on the table of pure gold before the LORD" .

Weekly Ritual

The service of placing and removing the showbread was a weekly ritual, performed every Sabbath. Leviticus 24:8 states, "Every Sabbath day the bread is to be set out before the LORD on behalf of the Israelites as a lasting covenant" . The old loaves were removed and replaced with fresh ones, ensuring that the bread was always present before the Lord.

Priestly Duties

The priests, specifically the descendants of Aaron, were responsible for this sacred duty. They were to ensure that the bread was prepared according to the divine specifications and that it was placed and removed at the appointed times. The old loaves, once removed, were not discarded but were consumed by the priests in a holy place, as they were considered most holy. Leviticus 24:9 explains, "It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a holy place, because it is a most holy part of their perpetual share of the food offerings made to the LORD" .

Symbolism and Significance

The showbread served as a powerful symbol of God's provision and His covenant relationship with Israel. It reminded the Israelites of God's sustenance and His promise to be with them. The continual presence of the bread before the Lord underscored the perpetual nature of God's covenant and His unwavering faithfulness.

In the New Testament, the symbolism of the showbread finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who declared Himself to be the "bread of life" (John 6:35). This connection highlights the continuity of God's provision from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, where Christ becomes the ultimate sustenance for His people.

The service of placing and removing the showbread was a sacred duty that underscored the holiness and order of worship in the Tabernacle and Temple. It was a tangible expression of God's presence and provision, faithfully carried out by the priests as part of their divinely appointed service.