Dear Friends,

Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple: the golden altar; the tables on which was the bread of the Presence (2 Chronicles 4:19).

The bread of the Presence, also called shewbread, was considered sacred. The literal Hebrew name (lechem hapanim) means “bread of the face.” Some references make it plural, rendering it “bread of faces.” Made with the finest flour, it was baked into twelve loaves. They were set out on a special table, called the table of the Presence, in two rows of six each. The table was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. Every Sabbath, the priests removed the loaves and replaced them with freshly baked ones. They would eat the old loaves in the holy sanctuary area.

The bread of the Presence, which sat on the table of the Presence, has divine significance for all believers. Besides the obvious connection to the twelve tribes of Israel, the shewbread represents a deeper truth about the manifest presence of God: His face is always before His people—and His people are always before Him.

Prayer Suggestion: Thank You, Lord God, for always watching over me.