The Sustainer and The Sustenance

Introduction

The overarching purpose of writing the epistle to the Hebrews was to help immature Jewish believers by strengthening their faith, grounding them in truth and helping them to be reminded and reassured that Christ was the mediator of the new and better covenant that once for all the elect paid the price for the sins. That Christ Hebrews 1:3 “who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” that He was in fact, greater than the angels and greater than Moses, that He was the Great High Priest and the One Mediator between God and Man, the only one who was able to, according to Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

The reason that the writer of this great letter can make such an amazing argument is because he is able to show that the things written within the Old Testament are but shadows and types of things which find their fulfillment in Christ. When we get to the ninth chapter of Hebrews the writer draws out for us in magnificent form the connective tissue linking the Old Covenant and the Tabernacle directly with the New Covenant and how the old foreshadows and speaks of promises that become real in the new. In Hebrews 9:1-10 we read:

Hebrews 9:1–10 LSB

Now even the first covenant had requirements of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle prepared: the first part, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread, which is called the holy place. And behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tablets of the covenant. And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the first part of the tabernacle performing the divine worship, but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the holy places has not yet been manifested while that first part of the tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, requirements for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

The particular text focuses in our attention on two specific areas within the tabernacle, the holy place and the sanctuary or as you would know it, the Holy of Holies. Last week our discussion centered around the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, the one piece of furniture that was housed within the Holy of Holies, the mention of the altar of incense, was not a piece of furniture but rather an implement, something similar to a censure that we see being used in some churches, a pot on a chain in which incense was burned. This was what the incense was burned in for the high priest to begin his entry into the presence of God. As a reminder once the high priest made the offer of incense he was then able to enter for the purpose of making a propitiation by sprinkling blood on the mercy seat. It is that blood sprinkled mercy seat that speaks of Christ and reminds us that He and He alone is the basis of fellowship with God, which is what God coming to dwell among His people is all about.

As we move outward from the Holy of Holies we come to the next chamber in the tent of meeting, called the Holy Place here in verse 2 from Hebrews 9. It describes for us the contents of that area of the tent as being “the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread”. This is the place within the tabernacle where the daily worship and ministry of the priests would occur. Unlike the Holy of Holies, which was only entered once per year and then only by the high priest, this area was entered daily. It is in this section that we find our focus for today’s conversation, the table and the sacred bread.

As we mentioned, the blood sprinkled mercy seat points us forward toward Christ as the basis of our fellowship with God, the table and the bread of presence or the sacred bread, also point us toward Christ, but towards the Him as the sustainer and substance of our fellowship with God. As Paul was writing to the Corinthians he pointed out to them that table of the Lord is symbolic of fellowship with Christ as opposed to those who would fellowship with the enemy, 1 Corinthians 10:20–21 “No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I do not want you to become sharers in demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”

Just as David welcome Mephibosheth to eat at His table, demonstrating that he had been welcomed into the most intimate place of fellowship. God, through Christ, welcomes believers into the most intimate place of fellowship with Himself. Let us turn now to our text for this morning and look at the table and the bread which it held and what it symbolizes to believers today.

Text

Please stand out of reverence for the reading of God’s Holy Word.

Exodus 25:23–30 LSB

“You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long and one cubit wide and one and a half cubits high. “You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a gold border around it. “You shall make for it a rim of a handbreadth around it; and you shall make a gold border for the rim around it. “You shall make four gold rings for it and put rings on the four corners which are on its four feet. “The rings shall be close to the rim as holders for the poles to carry the table. “You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that with them the table may be carried. “You shall make its dishes and its pans and its jars and its offering bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. “You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.

Father, we thank You for this Holy Word, for its principles, promises, directions and light. In this Word may we learn more of Christ, be enabled to retain His truth and have the grace and strength to follow it. Father, we pray that Your words be written upon our hearts and inscribed on our lips; so shall all glory be to You as we study Your Word together in this place today. Amen

You May be Seated, our prayer for this morning was adapted from “The Valley of Vision; Puritan Prayers and Devotions”

The Table

The next item on God’s construction list for Moses was a table. The instructions and specifications that God gave to Moses for it’s fabrication are very similar to the instructions for the Ark. While it would sit at the same height as the Ark, it was smaller in width and length. Like the Ark it also was to be fashioned out of acacia wood and covered in gold and was to have a border around it. In addition to the border that was to be constructed, the table was also to contain a rim. This rim was to be one handbreadth in width extending up from the border, although this is not specifically stated the word translated as rim here literally means to close-up, and was used to describe the side panels of a building and is even used to describe a strong hold.

We then see that, like the Ark, the table is to have four feet (legs) on which are to be mounted four rings for the purpose of carrying the table as the Israelites moved from location to location in the wilderness. One major difference to note here, is that unlike the Ark, these poles do not remain inserted within the rings when the table is put into place. This gives us an indication that while the table is holy, set apart for the purpose of serving God, it was not as holy as the Ark. Again, as we move outward from the Ark, the place of the presence of God, and toward the profane, that is ordinary, then the holiness of the objects themselves diminish. The feet, rings and poles, just like the rest of the table were to be covered in solid gold. In fact, as you would enter the Holy Place, you couldn’t help but notice that everything contained within this space is golden. These items are near to the presence of God and as such are holy. When the temple is built the entire interior of the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies is covered, floor to ceiling, in gold, to note the magnificence, purity and Holiness of God.

The final verses contain a quick description of the items that were to be placed upon the table. These included dishes, pans, jars, and offering bowls . While we are not given a description of these items, what we do know is that these are not your ordinary tableware. Each item was to be constructed of solid gold but even beyond that, the Hebrew words used here are only ever used for the purpose of describing dishes, pans, jars and bowls that are used for the express purpose of worshipping God. It is likely that the dishes, pans and bowls were related to the bread and the frankincense that was also placed on the table. The jars however were more like pitchers and would have been used in connection with the drink offerings that are later described, which has led some theologians to speculate that the table was merely a convenient storage space for the pitchers while not in use because the drink offerings were poured out on the exterior of the tabernacle in the courtyard.

Which brings us to the final item mentioned in connection with the table, the bread, which many people have and do refer to as shewbread. This word is an English translation for the German word shaubrot, which means display bread, which is how Martin Luther translated the Hebrew. After Luther used this word, Tyndale picked it up and came up with the English word shewbread. A more literal translation of the Hebrew would be as it is rendered in some translations bread of faces, or here bread of the Presence, called such because it was always in the presence or displayed, before the face of God.

While there are many who argue that the implements and items that we find within the description and instructions for the tabernacle are just taken from surrounding cultures and religions, especially Egyptian, and therefore have no real significance to us today, I would argue from the standpoint of Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.” and that because all of it is profitable, there is something of profit in each item of the Tabernacle, and it is the responsibility of the people of God, along with the work of the Holy Spirit, to seek to understand the truths that we find and the application that should be made in our lives.

The Sustainer

As we transition from the basics of the text to the understanding and application it is helpful to again be reminded of Hebrews 9:2 “For there was a tabernacle prepared: the first part, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread, which is called the holy place.” Note here that the author of the Hebrews specifically calls out the table and the bread separately, which is an indication to us that there are distinct purposes for each of these items, distinct yet intricately related.

It is necessary, for just a moment, to be recalled to the situation and circumstances surrounding them people of God. They have been freed from captivity, from bondage, in Egypt. The Lord has lead them across the wilderness, provided deliverance by parting the Red Sea, provided water by both sweetening the waters at Marah and from the rock at Horeb, not to mention the quail He provided when they desired meat and the continual supply of manna that had fallen to sustain them as they made there way here to the foot of the Mountain of God. Now that they had arrived at this place, God has ratified His covenant with them and is telling Moses all of the things which he is to teach the people, and in a massive demonstration, to construct a dwelling place for Him among His people for He desires to commune and fellowship with them and a table is a key element to this fellowship, this communion.

For the Israelites the table would have represented the care and providence of Yahweh as they had made their journey thus far and as they continued on forward. David wrote in Psalm 23 of a table being prepared in the presence of his enemies, a statement of being sustained even in the face of danger, fear and dread. For us, today, the table points toward Christ, the basis or foundation of our fellowship or our communion with God.

Dr. M.R. DeHaan, founder of Radio Bible Class, the producer of “Our Daily Bread” devotionals, wrote in his work on the Tabernacle the following “The table in the Tabernacle pointed to the Lord Jesus, our sustainer.”

The word sustain means to support, hold or bear something from below. When we speak of Christ as our sustainer we are talking about our utter dependence upon Him. Gathering around a table, and breaking bread together or having a meal, is a key element in the life of the early church. From the beginning in Acts we see this as being central to who they were. In Acts 2:46 we read “And daily devoting themselves with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,”. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that there are two things being discussed here, one of which is a normal meal for the purpose of taking in food. Gathering around the table with those who are brothers and sisters in Christ offers an opportunity to grow closer as a family. It is around a table where we get to know each other more deeply as we share the stories of our lives with each other. We draw closer because we open ourselves up and become vulnerable with each other, trusting each other with intimate knowledge of our lives and as we do so, we also build each other up and encourage each other in the Lord, strengthening who each of us are as believers.

The second thing that is being discussed here is of paramount importance, partaking of the Table of the Lord. Just as the table within the tabernacle spoke to the people of communion and fellowship with God by reminding them of His sustaining provision, so too does the Lord’s Table speak to us about communion and fellowship with God as we are reminded of the price that Christ paid which is the very foundation and entry point for us into that fellowship and communion. When we partake of the Lord’s Supper we are reminded that not only was Christ the entry point, the payment that allows us to enter into the presence of God, but He also sustains us in His presence. We know that Christ is, even now, continually interceding on our behalf, it is still His blood that secures our future, atoning for our sins.

In John 10:28–29“and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish—ever; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” we are told that none can remove us from the hand of the Father. This security, this promise, this being held is done only through faith in Christ, apart from true saving faith, faith that comes through and by the grace of God granted to His elect, are we brought into this fellowship. The table in the tabernacle was constructed so that even when the Israelites were on the move, the items on the table were held there. They were held there by the handbreadth rim surrounding the table, keeping the items continually secure before the face of God.

The Sustenance

The reminder of God’s sustaining provision for the people of Israel was not complete apart from the sustenance of that provision and the bread of presence and the other articles on top of the table, served that exact purpose. The jars containing the drink offering, which is an offering expressing thanks, would demonstrate for the people that God was their basis for the continual giving of thanks. The dishes, pans and bowls served the purposes of holding and preparing the bread. In Leviticus 24:5–9 we read:

Leviticus 24:5–9 LSB

“Then you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it; two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake. “And you shall set them in two rows, six to a row, on the pure gold table before Yahweh. “And you shall put pure frankincense on each row that it may be a memorial portion for the bread, even an offering by fire to Yahweh. “Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before Yahweh continually; it is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel. “And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy to him from the offerings to Yahweh by fire, his portion forever.”

This passage gives us greater insight into the most important of the elements on the top of the table, the bread of presence. It is interesting to note that in verse 5 we see that each of the twelve cakes that are to be made, likely one to represent each of the twelve tribes, was to contain two tenths of an ephah of fine flour. There are some who point out that the fine flour would have contained no grit or unevenness foreshadows the moral perfections of Christ, and this is certainly plausible, although not clearly defined in scripture, but we do know something of the ephah. In order to make up an ephah, one would need to have ten omers. The omer is a measurement that we have previously encountered in our walk thus far in the book of Exodus, specifically regarding the manna from heaven. In Exodus 16:16 Moses relays the commands of God - ““This is what Yahweh has commanded, ‘Gather of it every man as much as he should eat; you shall take an omer apiece according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent.’””

A daily portion, each omer of manna was sustenance for one person for one day, each loaf of the bread of presence was made of two portions. There has been much discussion and debate about this “double portion” but I am immediately reminded of August Toplady’s “Rock of Ages”

“Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee; let the water and the blood from Thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure; cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.” The double cure of refers to the redemption and the sanctification of the people of God, which requires the sustaining sustenance of God’s grace upon His people, daily.

We also note that each the bread is to have frankincense poured upon it, which was a fragrant resin used in so that the bread would continually be a sweet aroma before the presence of God. We also see here that the bread is to be changed each sabbath and that it stands as an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel and finally that when the bread is removed from God’s presence it is only to be consumed by the priests and only in the holy place.

The bread of presence serves as a representation of the people being presented to God and found acceptable in His sight by symbolizing the covenant and their pledge of fidelity to the Word of God. It also symbolized and continually reminded the people of God’s provision for them. In speaking of this Philip Ryken writes:

Exodus—Saved for God's Glory The Holy Bread

The showbread symbolized God’s constant awareness of their daily needs. In case they were ever tempted to doubt his providence, it reminded them that their needs were ever before him. God saw what they needed. Their needs were always on his mind

Along with this, as I alluded to earlier it also symbolizes fellowship with God. As the table sustained served as the sustaining basis for their fellowship, the bread serves as the sustenance of that fellowship. An invitation from the Creator to His creation to share in His provision and protection. The conclusion of the quote by Dr. MR DeHaan that I began above concludes in this way: “the bread on the table is symbolic of His own body.” That is the body of Christ. Just as the bread on the table and in the presence of Almighty God was the sustenance of the life of the Israelites, so too is Christ our sustenance before the Father.

In John 6:26-51 we read:

John 6:26–51 LSB

Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, set His seal.” Therefore they said to Him, “What should we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, Moses has not given you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. “For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. “But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. “Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. “I am the bread of life. “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and also the bread which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

Over and over again, Jesus identifies Himself as the bread. This is the true bread, the real sustenance. The bread of presence reminded the people of Israel of God’s provision in the wilderness, indeed that the bread was the very sustenance of that provision, but it was still a temporary sustenance only. Christ is the true, eternal sustenance. Note that He is the “food which endures to eternal life”, the “bread of God that comes down from heaven and gives life”, the bread that forever eliminates hunger, the bread again that comes down from heaven “so that you may eat of it and not die”. We get the point, hopefully.

Note that the bread was to be completely eaten within the holy place and only by the priests, AW Pink notes “None but the priestly family ever [entered the holy place], telling us that only those who, by wondrous grace, are a “holy priesthood,” those who by sovereign mercy are “a chosen generation and royal priesthood” can enter into the spiritual significance of its symbolic components.” The consumption of the true bread of life, Christ, is only for those who have faith in Christ.

This is seen magnificently when we come to the table of the Lord. We are reminded that none but believers can partake. Again we point to Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth specifically what we read in 1 Corinthians 10:16-21

1 Corinthians 10:16–21 LSB

Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Look at the nation Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I do not want you to become sharers in demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

There is a larger, overarching principle that is at play in this passage that is best dealt with at a later time, however, within the larger there are smaller principles that are no less important. Here is the understanding of exactly who is able to partake of the table of the Lord, who can consume the bread of life. Only those who believe, you cannot be partakers of both. The principle is that you cannot walk the fence, you cannot be of God and the world at the same time, it is the either/or principle of faith…you either believe in Christ or you don’t, you either have saving faith, or you don’t. This is not to say that the believer, the justified, cannot sin, but it is to day that if you have true saving faith, your response to the sin in your life becomes one of great sorrow and detest, you move from one at enmity with God to one at enmity with sin. In the words of the Apostle Paul, we often practice the very evil that we do not want to do as a result of the flesh, but our response to that sin becomes the response we see from Paul, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”.

From Paul’s answer to that question we get the evidence of the sustaining power and grace of Christ “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Paul is relying on the sustenance in the sustaining grace of Christ to keep him, to fully and finally deliver him from this wretched body of death! He understands that Christ is the true sustenance, that because of Him and Him alone we are made acceptable to be continually in the presence of Almighty God.

The Conclusion

As we close and think on the purpose and profound symbolism of the elements within the Tabernacle, we are invited into a deeper understanding of God’s covenantal faithfulness and His provision of sustaining grace. The table and the bread of presence—the sacred bread displayed before God—served not only as a reminder of His provision but also as a representation of His desire for communion with His people. This bread, kept continually before God’s face, is a powerful foreshadowing of Christ, who embodies the fullness of God’s provision and our communion with Him.

The bread of presence, in particular, held great significance. Just as the Israelites would see this bread and remember God’s provision of sustenance, their dependence on Him, and their covenant relationship, so too does this bread point us forward to Christ. He is the true Bread of Life, sent down from heaven to sustain us spiritually, to nourish our faith, and to draw us continually into the presence of God. In John 6, Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” This invitation reveals that Christ is not only the fulfillment of the bread of presence but also its ultimate purpose. Just as the sacred bread symbolized the Israelites' dependence on God’s provision, Christ’s broken body and poured-out life represent our complete reliance on Him for spiritual life and eternal sustenance.

The bread was to be arranged on the table weekly as a continual offering and consumed only by the priests. This arrangement signifies the holiness and exclusivity of communion with God—available only to those set apart. In the New Covenant, we, too, are invited to partake in this holy communion through faith in Christ, our Great High Priest. As believers, we are now a royal priesthood, welcomed into the Holy Place to partake of the true bread that sustains us in our relationship with God. When we gather at the Lord’s Table, we are reminded that Christ is not only our initial entry into God’s presence but also our sustaining presence, keeping us close to the Father through His intercession.

The bread of presence is, therefore, more than a symbol of provision; it is a symbol of eternal communion. Just as it stood before God in the Tabernacle, Christ stands continually before the Father, interceding for us, maintaining our access to divine fellowship. In Him, we are held secure, no longer relying on our own strength but on the Bread of Life who is both the foundation and sustenance of our faith. The sacred bread calls us to remember not only our spiritual dependence but also our spiritual privilege—to be in fellowship with God and to share in His covenant blessings.

As we partake of fellowship with God, let us do so with reverence and gratitude, recognizing that it is through Christ alone that we are sustained in this fellowship. Just as the bread in the Holy Place sustained Israel’s communion with God, so does Christ’s presence sustain our relationship with Him today. May we approach the table with humble hearts, giving thanks for the One who feeds us, holds us, and welcomes us into eternal communion. To God be the glory, now and forever. Amen.