As the Israelites wended their way across the desert to the land God had promised to them, they built a tabernacle--a tent-like structure designed as a place of worship. Near the entrance, the priests offered animal sacrifices to God, usually lambs. These they burned on the altar, and their blood was sprinkled to free the people from their sins. The animal died in the place of the one who had sinned.
There were twelve family groups involved in this exodus from Egypt--the twelve "tribes of Israel." Within the tabernacle, on a table, were twelve loaves of bread, one to represent each tribe. These loaves were to remind the people of the covenant which God had made with them--that He would be their God if they would be His people. The bread was considered holy.
On the wall of the tabernacle opposite the table was a lampstand to provide light. It was the duty of the priests to see that the lamps were always filled with oil so that the light would not go out. The lamps were on a golden lampstand in a group of seven so that the light shone brightly toward the table where the bread was displayed (Exod.25:23-40).
Everything in the history of the Israelites crossing the desert represents some aspect of the Christian life. We, too, are on a journey in an unknown land with only God to guide us. The Old Covenant made between God and the Israelites has been replaced with a New Covenant where the blood of another Lamb, Jesus Christ, is used to cleanse people of their sins. He was the sacrifice of the New Covenant (Heb.9:26).
In the days of the Old Covenant, any leaven or yeast in the house must be swept out before each Passover celebration because leaven represented sin. For that reason, there was no leaven in the bread on the table in the tabernacle. Jesus Christ is that sinless Bread of Life whose body was broken for the sins of the world. Just as the bread was considered holy, Jesus' body is also holy. The twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel, and Jesus had twelve disciples to carry on His ministry. The tabernacle bread was considered holy, so also is the body of the perfect Lamb most holy.
Only the light given by the Holy Spirit enables us to see what is on the table as we celebrate our Lord's last supper with His disciples. Without light, we cannot see. As more and more of God's Holy Spirit is poured out upon the world today, more and more people are seeing the truths in the Bible. It was the duty of the priests to fill the lamps with oil so the light would not go out; it is the duty of all true Christians to keep the Holy Spirit flowing in their churches so that the truth of Jesus Christ will be seen by all. If they are faithful, the world too will see that Jesus Christ is the only Light who can save our dark world.
The perfect sacrificial Lamb is sitting at the table of shewbread in the tabernacle of the hearts of Christians. The Jews looked for a King to rule Israel, but got instead a King to rule over hearts which have been cleansed by the Lamb.
It is impossible to see that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God without the oil of the Holy Spirit. And when we do see it, we must keep our lamps daily filled with the oil. Otherwise the darkness of this world will overtake us.
"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
© 1999, Doreen Palmer
