God’s Daily Bread

Counting the Omer: Day 22

Leviticus 24:5-9 “Take the finest flour and bake twelve loaves of bread, using two-tenths of an ephah  for each loaf.⁶ Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold before the Lord. ⁷ By each stack put some pure incense as a memorial portion to represent the bread and to be a food offering presented to the Lord. ⁸ This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. ⁹ It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in the sanctuary area, because it is a most holy part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.” 

We know from our previous studies that bread, and grain referred to throughout the Bible can be a symbol of the Word of God. What few fail to see is what the Bible is alluding to when it mentions incense; especially in relation to the Old Testament. The Bible is often the best interpreter of itself. From its pages we discover its symbolic meaning. Revelation 5:8 states: And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.

Leviticus 24:5-9 communicates some important truths in regard to God’s Bread accompanying the incense of prayer. This act of Tabernacle and Temple worship was to be presented to the Lord as a food offering. But a food offering for whom? From the context of this passage it appears that this “bread” was for the priests. Yet, this bread was to be set before the Lord continually, Sabbath after Sabbath, as an everlasting covenant. This seems to imply that God’s Bread – is our prayers. I was puzzled for years by Revelation 3:20‘s claims that if the person who heard Jesus calling, and knocking, would open the door – He would come in and eat with them. I struggled with knowing how to interpret its meaning till I prayed and sought the Lord. Once during a time of personal communion after examining myself I began to receive downloads of revelation from the Spirit and Word of God. This annoyed me. I was attempting to focus on Jesus being with me in communion and these “thoughts” interrupted that process. It took some time to recognize that Jesus, in answer to my prayers to understand, had sat down with me – desiring  to “break bread” with me – through His Word. Luke 24:15 echoes this idea by stating: Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat – this Passover with….you…before I suffer….” Jesus fervently desires to eat with us through prayer and His Word. You could conclude that Jesus is “dying” to talk with us, commune, or fellowship. Now take some time to mull that over. What if you were the only believer in the entire world. How well “fed” would He be from the “bread” of your prayers? Do your prayers “count” as God’s Bread?