Shew bread.... what does the name mean?

[newbie]

Hi Everyone,

I understand that the bread is representative of Jesus and the Word of God.  I also understand that there were 12 loaves of bread to symbolize the 12 tribes of Israel but there has been something that has bothered me for a long time....

What does the term 'show' bread really mean?  It is an odd term and God is not frivolous, so what does He mean when He calls the bread 'shewbread'.  Why didn't He just call it unleavened bread. 

I can't seem to find scripture to tell me anything so I'm hoping some one here can help me with this...

God Bless,
newbie

[Raven]

The term in Hebrew simply means "layer bread,"  or sometimes "bread of the presence."  The Greek equivalent means "loaves to set before (God)."  I'm not sure why the KJV translators used the term "shewbread," although it was a perpetual thank offering--to "show" the Jews' thankfulness to God.  The English word used in translation is not so important as the original Hebrew, which just seems to describe the bread.

[Ed Sutton]

1st Chronicles 9:32  And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread <03899>, to prepare it every sabbath.

It was baked on Sabbath by the priests with leaven (yeast) if I remember correctly, and put on it's gold covered special table on the north side of the Sanctuary within the first apartment (holy place), sprinkled on top with frankensence as a holy annointing.   Raven correctly calls it the "bread of the Presence" .

It symbiolized the eternal ageless ever vital presence of the members of the GodHead, thus leavened - (Their Life resides in Them by Their Nature).  Sabbath = S-ABBA-TH = sign of the Father & SAB - BATH or BETH = House where God dwells - God's presence.

It was on the side of the north - the position of Power - the position of God's Throne.

As bread it was food to sustain life, and Christ is the Bread of Life, and said in John 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

Christ was annointed by the Father and the Holy Ghost upon His head at His baptism - frankensence annointed top of top loaves of shewbread when put on table of shewbread hot and fresh from the oven on each Sabbath.

It was holy, God is holy.    It was never allowed to decompose - God does not wear out or diminish or decay.  it was eaten after it's time of presentation on the table of shewbread was over.    After Christ's time of ministry was over and He became available to all through the Holy Ghost - He was in a better position to feed all believers in Him.

Ps 16:10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Ac 2:27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Ac 2:31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

That's all off the top of my head.   I suggest the book "Christ in His Sanctuary"-EGW & "The Cross and it's Shadow" - S.N. Haskell

[newbie]

thank you