The showbread was kept ever before the Lord as a perpetual offering. Thus it was a part of the daily sacrifice. It was called showbread, or "bread of the presence," because it was ever before the face of the Lord. It was an acknowledgment of man's dependence upon God for both temporal and spiritual food, and that it is received only through the mediation of Christ. God had fed Israel in the wilderness with bread from heaven, and they were still dependent upon His bounty, both for temporal food and spiritual blessings. Both the manna and the showbread pointed to Christ, the living Bread, who is ever in the presence of God for us. He Himself said, "I am the living Bread which came down from heaven." John 6:48-51. Frankincense was placed upon the loaves. When the bread was removed every Sabbath, to be replaced by fresh loaves, the frankincense was burned upon the altar as a memorial before God.

Skuebrødene lå stadig for Herrens ansigt som et evigt offer. De var en del af det daglige offer. De kaldtes "skuebrød", fordi de stadig var foran Herrens ansigt. De skulle tilkendegive, at menneskene er afhængige af Gud både med hensyn til timelig og åndelig føde, og at denne kun modtages ved Kristi midlertjeneste. Gud havde givet Israel brød fra himmelen i ørkenen, og de var stadig afhængige af hans rige gaver, både med hensyn til timelig føde og åndelige velsignelser. Både mannaen og skuebrødene viste hen til Kristus, det levende brød, der altid står for Guds åsyn for vor skyld. Han sagde selv: "Jeg er det levende brød, som er kommet ned fra Himmelen." (Joh. 6, 48-51.) Der blev lagt røgelse på brødene. Når brødene blev fjernet om sabbatten og erstattet med friske brød, blev røgelsen brændt på alteret som et mindeoffer til Gud.