23 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.
24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
25 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.
26 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.
27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
29 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.
30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.
23 “Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood.”
The ark of the covenant, as we have seen, sets forth Jesus as the center of gathering to the church of God, the witnessing company on earth to the name and truth of Christ the Son of the living God. The table presents him as the center and ground of communion.
“A table of shittim wood.”
The incarnation and humanity of the Lord Jesus lies at the foundation, and an incarnate Savior, God manifest in the flesh, is the center of our communion in church fellowship.
“A table,” not tables; there is but one.
“Thou shalt also make a table.”
Where two or three are gathered together in the name of Jesus, it is the will of God that his dying love should be commemorated among them. Each habitation of God should have a table, and is incomplete without it.
“Two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.”
God has fixed the dimensions of his own table, and man is not at liberty to extend or limit it. In length and breadth extending to all believers, while walking worthily, yet excluding the unconverted and the defiled. Its height also is of divine appointment. It is on a level with the mercy seat. It is for believers, and for believers only-for those who, through faith in Jesus, have an interest in his atonement; whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
The length and breadth of the table is half a cubit less than the ark and mercy seat; for there are more saved by Christ, than actually and worthily sit at his table.
24 “And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold.”
Gold is the emblem of divine excellency, and pure gold, of the purity and holiness of the divine nature. The table of shittim wood, overlaid with pure gold, typifies the divine excellency and purity of the person of the Lord Jesus, as the ground of communion, in whose person the divine and human natures are united.
That is not the Lord’s table, according to the mind of God, where the divinity of? Christ, and his divine excellency and glory is not held and maintained. The Christ in whose name we meet is Immanuel, God with us.
“And make thereto a crown of gold round about.”
We meet indeed in the name of an incarnate Christ, to commemorate his dying love. But he who was once made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, is now crowned with glory and honor. We meet, therefore, in the name of a divine and glorified Christ.
At his table we remember what he was, and what he did and suffered on earth for us, but at the same time, what and where he now is, crowned with glory and honor at God’s right hand. And we do this “until he come,” in the expectation of his return to receive us to himself.
25 “And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about.” (Hebrew misgereth, a border or enclosure, from sagar, to shut up, to close).
The length and breadth of the table is fixed by God himself, as we have seen (v. 23), and also its height: but the table thus extended and limited by divine grace and infinite wisdom, is also guarded. There was to be a border to the table. And God has also fixed the limits of the border; it was to have a border of an hand breadth.
There are four fingers to an hand breadth, and there are four things indispensable to real and right communion at the Lord’s table, according to God and his word, if there is to be real and full blessing. And we are to be guided by God’s word alone in guarding his table.
The first thing is saving faith in Jesus. This is generally admitted (John 20: 31; 1 Corinthians 10: 16)— “we.” Secondly, the holiness and consistency of walk which becomes the confession of his name (1 Corinthians 5). Thirdly, soundness in holding and maintaining the truth of the person of Christ (2 John 1010If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: (2 John 10)). Fourthly, subjection to the authority of Christ (2 Thessalonians 3: 14). For we meet at the Lord’s table as believers, and in the name of him that is holy, him that is true, and of him that bath the key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth (Revelation 3: 7).
It is all-important to see that the table sets forth Christ himself. That the ground of our communion together in church fellowship, is the person of Christ; an incarnate, divine, and glorified Christ: and hence the absolute necessity of examining and judging ourselves, and of the exercise of the strictest church discipline in connection with the table of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5, and 11).
The table is not to be looked at merely as the gathering point of believers, where all christians may meet simply because they are christians, without regard to walk and doctrine. This were to make a table without a border.
It is in connection with the table that discipline comes in: this we learn from 1 Corinthians 5, and 11. And it is observable that the Lord Jesus, at the passover, previous to his instituting the Lord’s supper, having first washed his disciples’ feet (John 13: 1 to 11), then led his disciples into the closest self-examination (Matthew 26: 20 to 25; John 13: 12 to 30); the result of which was, that Judas having received the sop went immediately out. Then, and not till then, could Jesus divide the bread among them, and also the cup, saying, “drink ye all of it.
In Luke’s account, indeed, who states things in their moral order and connection, and not always in their historical order, it would appear otherwise; but a careful examination of all the passages will confirm the fact.
25 “And thou shalt make unto it a border.”
This is imperative, it is not left to man’s will or likings. He that said, “thou shalt make a table,” said also, “and thou shalt make a border.” And a border of an hand breadth, not a border of one finger, or of two, or of three, but, of an hand breadth.
Faith is indispensable; but not only faith, but holiness; and not only holiness, but truth; and not only truth, but subjection to the Lordship of Christ in his church—his supreme and exclusive Lordship—for he opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens.
“A border of an hand breadth round about.”
It was to extend all round, to be guarded on every side, no gap left in the fence, no breach to be left in the walls (Nehemiah 6: 1). This will not please everybody. See Nehemiah 5: 7-9. And there are not only little foxes that spoil the vines, but there are foxes who seek to break down stone walls (Nehemiah 4: 3). This is dangerous work (Ecclesiastes 10: 8). The border is to extend all round.
“And thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.”
This is very striking! There is not only a divine glory connected with the, person of Jesus as the ground of communion, as shown by the golden crown to the table, but also God has put divine honor on the jealousy which guards the communion of saints, because it is connected with the glory of the person of his Son.
And as the border extends all round, so does the crown:—for it is the jealousy that guards the person of Jesus in every point in the matter of communion, that has this divine honor put upon it by God himself.
26 “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.”
Thus adapting the table to the wilderness condition of God’s people; so that wherever two or three are gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus, there they might break the bread and drink of the cup in remembrance of him.
27 “Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
Thus especially connecting the rings and staves with the border.
And are we not thus reminded that our exposed condition in such a wilderness as this renders the border of all importance? And further, that the border is necessary in every place?
28 “And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.”
Both the human tenderness and sympathy of the Lord Jesus, as shown by the shittim wood, and his divine grace and all-sufficiency, as shown by the gold, adapt him to the wilderness need of his people, in their church communion here.
“That the table may be borne with them.”
Neither the ark nor the table were to be carried, after the example of the Philistines, on a new cart. That is, both testimony to the person of Christ, and communion together in his name, are to be matters of individual responsibility.
29 “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.”
All that is connected with the communion of saints, on the ground of the person of the Lord Jesus, is to be of God, and done in the power of divine grace. Human will, human authority, human wisdom, has no place here.
“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Christ Jesus.”
Let all things be done, not only decently and in order, but also by the grace of God, and to God’s glory. And however important these directions are in all manner of service, they are never more so than in things connected with the table of the Lord.
30 “And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.”
See Leviticus 24: 5-9.
5 “And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof; two tenth deals shall be in one cake.”
The fine flour is typical of the pure and excellent humanity of Jesus.
The twelve pierced cakes (so the Hebrew) are typical of his suffering and broken body, the provision for all the people of God (John 6).
Two tenth deals, or two omers to each cake. A double portion: a portion for time and for eternity. As the provision made on the sixth day, which was for that day and also for the sabbath. See Exodus 16: 22-26.
6 “And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the Lord.”
Christ the bread of life set forth, a full provision for all believers. But it must be on the pure table. A pure and holy Christ the basis of communion: and the table guarded from defilement. And “before the Lord: for the eye of a jealous and holy God is ever resting on the communion of saints.
7 “And thou shalt put frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord.”
Thus presenting a memorial of the rich fragrance of the character and ways of Jesus in his life, as well as the sweet savor of his sacrifice in death.
9 “Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.”
Renewed weekly. So on the first day of the week the disciples came together to break bread (Acts 20: 7). And on the day of his resurrection and the following Lord’s day Jesus himself allowed his disciples to handle in his own precious body, the sacred memorials of his sufferings and death (John 20).
To the church indeed the weekly period is not the seventh day, the token of creation rest, but the eighth day, the sign of resurrection, and the rest of a completed redemption.
“Before the Lord continually.”
This is repeated, for it is all-important. The feast is not provided for the guests only, but in honor of the Father and of the Son. The table is not spread for the family only, the Father takes his seat at the head. His language is, “Bring hither the fatted calf and kill it; and let us eat and be merry.” For the full joy of communion is in the Father’s presence. We are but partakers at the altar: the first and best portion belongs to God.
9 “And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire by a perpetual statute.”
“Aaron and his sons.” The high priest and his house. That is, to us, “Christ as a Son over his own house, whose house are we” (Hebrews 3: 6).
By virtue of the anointing as an holy priesthood, our fellowship is not only with the Father, but also with his Son Jesus Christ. “If any man hear my voice,” says Jesus, “and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”
“And thou shalt eat it in the holy place, for it is most holy” (Lit. “holy of holies”).
How God guards the holiness of this feast of love, whether we do so or not! The very atmosphere of the place where it is eaten must be holy, for that which is here set forth, and on which the believer feeds, is “most holy.”
“By a perpetual statute.”
“As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,” says the apostle, “ye do skew the Lord’s death till he come.”
It is of perpetual obligation till then. And the often eating is as obligatory as the eating at all. When he comes the obligation ceases. It is an ordinance peculiar to the present dispensation. After this he will drink the new wine with us in his Father’s kingdom.
In the millennial period the divinely appointed and divinely restored sacrifices, which till then will never have fully accomplished their divine intention, these sacrifices will take the place, if I may so say, of the simpler, but grand memorials of a Savior’s sufferings, at the table of the Lord; and then the “mountain of the Lord’s house” will be the center of communion to the whole earth.
But till the Lord come, may true disciples be everywhere found gathered by twos and threes, or more, around the person of the Lord Jesus, to commemorate his redeeming love, in the recognition of his present glory, and in the hope of his return; “esteeming all God’s precepts concerning all things to be right; and hating every false way.” T. N.