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the younger (25: 23); of men serving man (27: 29, 40); and of Jacob's service to
Laban (29: 15, 18, 20, 25, 30; 30: 26, 29; 31: 6, 41). The apostle uses the two
words in Rom. 1::--
"Paul, a bond salve (doulos) of Jesus Christ" (Rom. 1: 1).
"Whom I serve (latreuo) with my spirit in the gospel" (Rom. 1: 9).
"Who worshipped and served (latreuo) the creature" (Rom. 1: 25).
If the distinct aspects of service that these two words indicate are kept in mind, the
meaning of the apostle will become more clear. Coming now to Exod. 25: we bring
with us the thought that here in the first tabernacle, where priests ministered daily, we are
dealing with service, and it is in connection with service that we must view the table of
shewbread.
Divine sustenance.
The table not only held the twelve loaves of shewbread, but also was laid with "dishes,
spoons, covers, and bowls of pure gold". It was a table, not an altar, a table spread in the
presence of the Lord with food wherewith those who rendered service might be fed. The
margin of Exod. 25: 29 renders "to cover withal" by "to pour out withal", and the LXX
reads:--
"And thou shalt make its dishes and its censers, and its bowls and its cups, with which
thou shalt offer drink offerings; of pure gold shalt thou make them" (Exod. 25: 29).
This makes us think of the supreme act of service contemplated by the apostle Paul in
Phil. 2: 17, and carried through in II Tim. 4: 6, where we have the only occurrence of
spendomai in the N.T. He was willing to be poured out as a drink offering upon the
sacrifice and service of faith. While therefore the bread is the important item on the
table, the drink offering must be remembered.
This feminine form of the word occurs seven times in Scripture. The passages are Lev.
2: 2, 9, 16; 5: 12; 6: 15; 24: 7 and Numb. 5: 26. Zikkaron, the masculine for,
occurs twenty-four times. We give a selection only. We use the word "reminder" as
variant, as familiarity with the A.V. sometimes blunts our senses: "This day shall be unto
you for a reminder" (Exod. 12: 14). "It shall be for a sign . . . . . and a reminder" (Exod.
13: 9). These two passages refer to the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread:
"Stones for a reminder unto the children of Israel . . . . . their names before the Lord . . . .
. as a reminder" (Exod. 28: 12, 29). Here the names of Israel engraven upon the
stones of the ephod and breastplate are a reminder both to Israel and to the Lord. We
cannot give all occurrences, they can easily be found. Zikkaron is used seven times in
blessing, and once in judgment against Amalek in Exodus. Zeker, another masculine
form, occurs several times. The first occurrence is Exod. 3: 15, "This is My name for
the age, and this is My reminder unto all generations".