When the priest entered the Holy Place he was entering the tabernacle structure, which was the
main feature in the complex. The priest had at his right hand the table of showbread, which is
from the Hebrew word meaning “bread of face,” or also referred to as the table of the presence.
The purpose of the golden table was to hold 12 cakes of bread made of fine flour, representing
the tribes of Israel. The Old Testament showbread placed on the table in the tabernacle provides
a wonderful picture of Jesus, the Bread of Life. It is impossible to consider the table of showbread
without thinking of Holy Communion. While we celebrate the Sacrament of Communion as a
powerful aspect of corporate worship, it is meant to be more than that; it is a way of living. It is
entering into communion and intimacy with the Lord, joining our lives to Christ’s life.