Exodus 25:23-30 "Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway."
Like the ark of the testimony, the table for the shewbread was a thing of beauty. We find the same materials used in the table as were used in the ark. As there was a foreshadowing of Christ in the making of the ark, so there is a foreshadowing of Christ in the making of the table. Like the ark, the table started out with shittim wood, representing the humanity of Jesus.
In the same fashion, that humanity was covered with the very essence of God. When we are blessed to sit down at the LORD’s table, we find great beauty and glory there. His table is constructed with a border so that nothing on it might fall off and be defiled or lost. The table was made so that it might be moved as God directed the travels of His people, and it could be carried without men putting their hands to it.
This table was designed as a place for the twelve loaves of shewbread (bread of faces). This represents the entirety of God’s covenant people, who rest on Jesus Christ. Our faces are always before Him, and His eye never leaves us. While the table and all upon it was fashioned so as to never spoil, this shewbread was still bread.
As such, the shewbread was replaced (renewed) every sabbath. This assured that the bread set before the LORD as a reminder to the people that He was the provider of their daily bread was always fresh. To this day, we who are always before His face need to be renewed by the LORD’s sabbath. His house is still glorious and filled with precious, beautiful works as designed by His own hand. We are so blessed to have a place in His house!