The table of the bread of the Presence was set up before God. This is why the bread on the table is called the bread of the Presence—the presence of God. This indicates that the priests enjoyed Christ as a feast before God. In contrast, many of those who ate manna did not eat in God’s presence. They could eat manna in any place, whether or not they were in the presence of God. The table, on the contrary, was before God. It was not far from the ark of the testimony in the Holy of Holies.
The table of the bread of the Presence was inside the tabernacle. This signifies that the table is within, or among, the builded saints. Although it may seem unusual to express it this way, I would like to ask this question: Who is the tabernacle today? I do not ask, What is the tabernacle? Instead, I ask, Who is the tabernacle? The answer to this question is that those believers who have been builded together in an actual and practical way are God’s present tabernacle as His dwelling place. Within this tabernacle, the saints who have been built together, there is a table. The tabernacle was a building. This means that it was built of many pieces. For this reason, we can say that the table was within a building.
We who have been in the church life for a period of time can testify that the enjoyment of Christ as a table for our nourishment cannot be found anywhere else. Apart from the church life, we cannot enjoy Christ in this way. Yes, Christians may experience manna everywhere. But if they enjoy Christ as their manna when they are doing something worldly, Christ will supply them to turn away from that activity. For example, some who still go to the movies may contact Christ as their daily manna. As a result of this contact with Him, they know they must stop going to movies. A husband or wife may touch the Lord as manna even in the midst of an argument. Then one of them may stop quarreling, go to another room, and pray to the Lord and be supplied by Him. This is the experience of manna, not of the table.
Certain Christian teachers say that this table typifies Christ as the nourishment for God’s people. In their application, however, they make the table too general. The table is not general; rather, it is particular. In contrast to the table spoken of in Psalm 23, the table set up on the battlefield before the enemy, this table was near the ark in the tabernacle. Praise the Lord for this particular, precious table! I repeat, according to typology, this table signifies the enjoyment of Christ as our nourishment for serving. Furthermore, this table is located next to God’s embodiment in the midst of the builded-up saints.
Suppose certain believers meet together week after week, yet there is no building among them. As long as they are not built up together in a practical way, they cannot have the experience of the table, for the table is located within the tabernacle, God’s dwelling place. Since these believers do not have a tabernacle, they cannot have the table. I wish to emphasize the fact that the enjoyment of the table requires the building of the tabernacle—the church. Then in the tabernacle we may enjoy the table. This means that we must be those believers who are built up together as God’s present dwelling place in an actual and practical way. Then within this building there will be the table of the bread of the Presence. Our experience in the church life proves that this is true.
From my experience of Christ and the church I have learned that this table is found only within the tabernacle, only in the midst of the builded saints. When I studied the typology of the tabernacle many years ago, I did not realize that the table was among the builded saints. At that time I did not have any experience. But now I can strongly testify that I enjoy my Christ as a particular portion, the table, within the tabernacle and close to the ark as God’s embodiment. Oh, how rich is this enjoyment of Christ!
The table of the bread of the Presence was also to be the daily life supply for God’s priests. By means of this supply, they were able to live and serve in God’s dwelling place. Our living and serving of the Lord should not be in any worldly place, nor even restricted to our home. Our living and serving must be in God’s dwelling place. For this, we have the daily supply from the table of the bread of the Presence.