Leviticus 2:1-16 And when any will offer a meat offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it… Whereas in burnt-offering Christ is seen glorifying God in His death, in — I. MEAT-OFFERING (or meal-offering, R.V.), the chief feature is Jesus honouring the Father in His life, each alike a "sweet savour unto the Lord." The Blessed One must live as man before He could die for men; and here we have the perfect character of the sinless, holy "Man Christ Jesus" (Acts 10:38; John 9:4). See, then, how the holy life and sacrificial death are inseparably connected; how former must culminate in latter. Hence meat-offering is found constantly in conjunction with "burnt" and "peace" offerings (Numbers 15:3, 4, 9, 11, 24; Numbers 28:4, 5, 12, 13, 27, 28; Numbers 29:6; Leviticus 7:12), but never with sin or trespass-offerings, each of which shadows forth some aspect of the death, and both are "sweet savour" offerings. Observe, too, that while life, not death, is the prominent feature in meat-offering, there is a thought of latter in "memorial" burned upon brazen altar (ver. 2, 9, 16), upon and around which blood had been sprinkled, and on which burnt and peace-offerings were consumed. Hebrew word. Mincha, translated meat-offering, signifies gift or "present" could any offer to the holy God that would be acceptable save His own "unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15), Jesus? Component parts of meat-offering were most significant. 1. Fine flour (vers. 1, 4, 5, 7), well sifted, free from every unevenness, coarseness, or speck; or could not have typified Jesus, who was (1 Peter 1:19); every grace alike perfect; perfect evenness of character and temperament; every quality perfectly adjusted and evenly balanced; and this from birth, for He was "the Holy One of God." 2. Oil, both mingled with and poured upon (vers. 4-6). Jesus filled with Spirit from birth (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:20). Spirit filled the human body that veiled Divinity, imbuing the whole nature with His graces; yet was Jesus "anointed" for service on earth (Acts 10:38; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18) at His baptism, when Spirit descended and abode upon Him (Luke 3:22; John 1:33, 34). Given not "by measure," but in sevenfold power (John 3:34; Isaiah 11:2). 3. Frankincense further illustrates this. It was white and fragrant. White betokens purity, innocence; striking characteristics of the Blessed One (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:22, 23). His judge could find "no cause of death in Him," and the centurion "glorified God," and pronounced the Crucified One a "righteous man" (Acts 13:28; Luke 23:1. 4, 47). Fragrance was what Jesus truly ever shed around, as He spake the words (Song of Solomon 5:13) and did the works of Him that sent Him (Luke 4:40-44: John 17:8; John 8:28; John 12:49, 50; John 14:10). The name of Jesus "is as ointment poured forth" (Song of Solomon 1:3), and when He dwells within, the heart is filled with sweet fragrance — as was the house at Bethany (John 12:3) — and He is to that soul, as to the Father, "a savour of rest" (Genesis 8:21, mar.); and truly the Father could "rest" in the love and devotion of His beloved Son. II. "MEMORIAL," BURNED UPON THE ALTAR, shows this still more. Fire brings forth more fully the sweetness, and tells of the Father's delight in Jesus, and acceptance of that holy, consecrated life of devotion to His service, laid on His altar. Observe, too, that all the frankincense was to be burnt (ver. 2, 16, 6:15), telling of the special fragrance, intended only for the Father, in whose service He was consumed by zeal (John 2:17), and whom He "glorified on the earth" (John 17:4; John 13:31). The burning, as before said, seems likewise to point to death, in which the holy life culminated; but no question of judgment because no question of sin, as shown by word used for burning. Still, though judgment is not portrayed in meat-offering, yet is Jesus there seen as "a Man of sorrows..." (Isaiah 53:3), and such expressions as "Baken in the oven," "in the frying-pan," "the firstfruits, green ears of corn dried by the fire," "corn beaten out" (vers. 4, 7, 14), surely tell of the grief and sufferings of the Holy One. But the more He was tried, the sweeter the fragrance that ascended, as in all things He showed Himself submissive to His Father's will. Observe further — III. "THE SALT OF THE COVENANT" must not be lacking from the meat-offering (ver. 13). Salt typified both the incorruption and incorruptibility of our Blessed Lord (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27). Salt thus betokens perpetuity. Hence the "covenant of salt" (Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5) tells of the enduring character of Jehovah's "everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure" (2 Samuel 23. 5-7; Isaiah 55:3). Assured in Jesus — given "for a covenant..." (Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:8), and Himself "the Amen" of God's covenant promises (Luke 1:72; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 3:14). Again, see "speech,... with grace seasoned with salt" (Colossians 4:6), exemplified in Him of whom it is written, "Grace is poured..." (Psalm 45:2). Truly gracious words proceeded out of His mouth (Luke 4:22), but ever seasoned with salt, its pungency, its enduring and incorrupting influence. See how He gave right answers to each, so that no man could "entangle Him..." (Matthew 2:15-46). The like is enjoined to His people (Colossians 3:16; Mark 9:50), whom He calls "the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13; see Proverbs 12:18); and while He would have them follow His example in this, as in all else, He Himself — the Unchangeable — preserves them from corrupting influences; He would have them pure (1 Peter 1:14-16), "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18), testifying of Jesus, and thus made "unto God a sweet savour of Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:15). IV. Two THINGS FORBIDDEN in meat-offering. 1. Leaven. Used in Scripture as type of evil, of false doctrine (Matthew 16:6, 12; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8); hence strictly forbidden in every Levitical type of our Lord. It also indicates sourness of temper and puffing up, not uncommon in man; but impossible in the perfect, spotless "Man Christ Jesus," "the second Man, the Lord from heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:47). 2. Honey. Sweet to taste, but producing sourness afterwards, as sometimes is the case with the words and ways of man; and likewise with Satan's tempting baits, by which he seeks to lure men to their destruction; but as impossible as the characteristics of leaven in the God-man of whom the meat-offering is type. Lastly, an important question arises: Who are — V. PARTAKERS OF THE MEAT-OFFERING? Aaron and sons (vers 3, 10, 6:16-18). They represent the Church; and the "Church of God" is to feast on Jesus, "the Bread of Life"; to feed on His words (John 6:35, 47-54, 63; Jeremiah 15:16); to meditate on details of holy life of Him who was the Father's delight. The "remnant" of the acceptable "memorial" burnt upon the altar of the Lord was given to the priests; that is, all that is not specially appropriated to the Father, who joys in the Son, is bestowed for the-sustenance of His people. Further mark, the priests were to feed on the meat-offering "in the holy place"(Leviticus 6:16), consecrated to the service of God. How can any feed on Jesus in places devoted to the world? (Lady Beaujolois Dent). Parallel Verses KJV: And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon: |
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