The Meal Offering
Leviticus 2
Leviticus 2
The Meal Offering. The second offering given in Leviticus is the meal offering (Heb. ‘Minchah’). The meal offering does not speak of atonement, as there was no blood sprinkled (like the burnt offering). Further, it was not to be wholly burned, but only a part was offered up to Jehovah, and the remainder was to be enjoyed by Aaron and his sons. The meal offering represents Christ, not in bearing our sins, but in the perfection of His life here below. The Lord Jesus was tried to the utmost through His life, increasingly tested by circumstances leading up to the cross, but the divine “sifting” only brought out His entire subjection, devotedness, and obedience, in the face of His difficulties and sufferings. The meal offering presents the aspects of His sinless humanity as here on earth, and then the perfections of His character brought forward by various trials.
The Order. The meal offering is not Christ offering up Himself in death, but rather the sweet savor of Christ in his perfect life down here. In chronological order, His perfect life had to come before his death, but the order here is different. If the Lord Jesus had merely come into this world as a perfect man, lived a perfect life as a sweet savor to God, and then gone back to heaven, He would have been the grain of wheat that abode alone (John 12:24). But if that corn of wheat fell into the ground and died, it would bring forth much fruit. Before the eye of God that which Christ did for God in death is paramount! Further, in a practical sense, our walk is governed by Christ’s perfect life, but our heart is governed by his death. So, the burnt offering comes first.
General Instructions (2:1-3)
CHAPTER 2
1 And when any one will present an oblation to Jehovah, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense thereon.
v.1 Basic Description. Once again this offering was a voluntary one; “when any one will present an oblation to Jehovah”. There were times when the meat offering was necessary, and times where is was needed to accompany a burnt offering or peace offering. The substance of the meal offering was fine flour, with two condiments: oil and frankincense. The “fine flour” speaks of the perfect, sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus. There were to be no lumps or grains in this flour; no imperfections as in every other man. It was perfectly consistent, just like our Lord (John 8:25). Every aspect of His human character was in perfect balance. The “oil” poured on the flour speaks of the Spirit of God who was the power of Jesus’ walk and characterized all His actions (Luke 4:14,18; John 3:34). An example of this is seen in Luke 3:21-22, where we have the sinless humanity of Christ proclaimed (fine flour), and the Holy Spirit descending as a dove and lighting upon Him (oil), and the Father’s pleasure in His Son as man declared (frankincense)! Compare with “mingled with oil” in v.4. The “frankincense” speaks of the fragrance of grace that characterized the Lord’s walk, primarily for the delight of God the Father, but also for the appreciation of the believer (Luke 4:22; Psa. 45:2; Col. 4:6). Hence in the law of the meal offering (Lev. 6:15), “all the frankincense” was to be burned, indicating that all that none was kept for the priest, although the priest could certainly appreciate the sweet order. Just so, everything our Lord Jesus did was for the glory of God, but others could value it as well.
2 And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests; and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial thereof on the altar, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour. 3 And the remainder of the oblation shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is most holy of Jehovah’s offerings by fire.
vv.2-3 The Lord’s Part and the Priest’s Part. The offeror was to bring his offering to Aaron’s sons, who were to offer it.1 As with the other offerings, the meal offering is an aspect of the handling of Christ in the soul of the believer and in offering it up to God as worship. The whole offering was not to be burned. A “handful” of the flour, with oil, and “all” the frankincense was to be offered by fire to Jehovah, as a “memorial” of the whole offering.2 The remainder of the offering was for Aaron and his sons. This handful, in a sense was the whole sacrifice, and it was burned to Jehovah. All that He was as a man in this world was went entirely up to God; He never did anything to be seen of men. In actuality, the majority of this offering was for the enjoyment of the priests, but after Jehovah had His part. Hence, it was still an offering “most holy” unto Jehovah. Perhaps the use of the term “most holy” by the Spirit of God with the meal offering (only used with the meal and sin offerings) is to guard the holiness of the Person of Christ, in cases where man might be careless in that regard. There was in the life of Christ here below that which was for the delight and pleasure of God. But in His grace, God has seen fit to give that very thing that satisfies His own heart to be the portion of the saints. It is similar to the manna, which represents Christ as the bread come down from heaven (John 6). Aaron and his sons could eat the remainder. It becomes the food that sustains the shared life that we have with one another and with Christ, as dependent on Him.
Details Based on Baking Method (2:4-7)
Preparation. The meal offerings were to be prepared before they were presented at the tabernacle, presumably at home. In a practical sense, our private meditation is where the meal offering develops in the appreciation of our own soul. The various baking methods would represent the various trials that tested the Lord Jesus, bringing forward the perfections of His character. It answers to the expression concerning the Captain of our salvation, who was “made perfect through sufferings” (Heb. 2:10).
4 And if thou present an offering of an oblation baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
v.4 Offerings Baked in the Oven. The oven is characterized by extreme, internal heat. The intensity of the heat is not observable to a person standing by. In this way, the offering baked in the oven pictures the perfection of Christ as brought forth by the trials and temptations He endured that man could not see. We might think of the temptation in the wilderness when the Lord Jesus was hungry for forty days. We might also think of the terrors of death which Satan pressed upon His soul in anticipation of the cross. The cakes and wafers were make of fine flour, which represents the sinless humanity of Christ, balanced and consistent in every way. The cakes were made by mingling the flour with oil, while the wafers were anointed with oil. Oil in scripture often speaks of the Holy Spirit. The anointing of the Spirit was true of Christ (Matt. 3:16; Acts 10:38), and also of the believer (1 John 2:20; 27; 2 Cor. 1:21). The Holy Spirit indwelled the Lord Jesus and was the power of all that He did, and He also indwells the believer now. But the “mingling” of the oil in with the flour is something that was only true of Jesus; the mystery of His Person as human and Divine. The Holy Spirit was involved in the Lord’s conception (Matt. 1:18-20; Luke 1:34-35). All of His person is pictured in that meat offering: perfect God and perfect man in one Person! Whether as cakes or wafers, there was no leaven in the offering. We see clearly from 1 Corinthians 5 that leaven speaks of sin, and there was none in the man Christ Jesus.
5 And if thine offering be an oblation baken on the pan, it shall be fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil. 6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is an oblation.
vv.5-6 Offerings Baked in a Pan. The pan is characterized by its shallow depth and open top. Something baked in a pan over a fire is observable to someone standing by. In this way, the offering baked in the pan pictures the perfection of Christ as brought forth by the trials and temptations that man could see. We might think of the hatred, rejection, opposition, and violence that the Lord Jesus faced. In all of it His perfection shone out! Peter speaks of Christ in this way; “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). This offering was to be parted into pieces, then anointed with oil. This speaks of how the perfection of Christ is seen in the little details as well as the big ones, and all of His ways displayed the power of the Holy Spirit.
7 And if thine offering be an oblation prepared in the cauldron, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
v.7 Offerings Baked in a Cauldron. The final baking method is that of a cauldron. The cauldron has an open top, but is much deeper than a frying pan. Therefore, it represents the combination of private and public trials that our Lord passed through. In many of the things the Lord Jesus passed through there was a part of it that man could see, but also an aspect that was hidden. In all of this the Lord Jesus was perfect, and His life rose up as a sweet savor to Jehovah.
Presentation to the Priest (2:8-11)
8 And thou shalt bring the oblation that is made of these things to Jehovah; and it shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar. 9 And the priest shall take from the oblation a memorial thereof, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour. 10 And the remainder of the oblation shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is most holy of Jehovah’s offerings by fire.
vv.8-10 Two Parts. When someone brought a meal offering to Jehovah, it would be presented to the priest, who would take the memorial (a portion) and burn it upon the altar as a sweet savor. The rest of the offering was given to Aaron and his sons. It speaks of how, after God has His portion first, the believers as priests, in fellowship with Christ as our great High Priest, enjoy the perfect life of Christ. We enjoy the very thing God enjoys! It is important to see that the Hebrew verb translated to our English verb “burn” here is the same that is always used in connection with the sweet savor offerings burned on the altar of burnt offering (brazen altar) and is the idea of burning incense. It is a different word than that used for the burning of the body of the sin offering outside the camp, which has to do with putting away sin. The burning here is that of putting the offering to the test, with a view to causing fragrance to come out!
11 No oblation which ye shall present to Jehovah shall be made with leaven; for no leaven and no honey shall ye burn in any fire-offering to Jehovah.
v.11 No Leaven or Honey. There were two things that were not allowed in the meal offering. The first was leaven, which speaks of sin that spreads and defiles until judgment comes in (1 Cor. 5). There was no sin in the blessed Lord Jesus. The second thing not allowed in the offering was honey, which speaks of the sweetness of nature. Honey in its proper place and measure is a good thing (see Prov. 25:16). A little bit of honey brought energy to Jonathan when his father forbid eating (1 Sam. 14:27). Samson was characterized by including too much in honey; both hands (Judges 14:9). We see in a few instances in the pathway of the Lord Jesus how He kept that which is of nature in its proper place and priority (Luke 2:49; Matt. 12:48; John 2:4). But in the meal offering, which was to be a sweet savor “to Jehovah”, there was to be no honey. That which the natural man could appreciate – and there was that in the life of the Lord Jesus – forms no part in the meal offering. Instead there was to be “salt”; entire devotedness to God (v.13).
Offering of the First-fruits (2:12-16)
12 As to the offering of the first-fruits, ye shall present them to Jehovah; but they shall not be offered upon the altar for a sweet odour.
v.12 Offering of the First-fruits. At first it may be hard to reconcile v.12 with v.14. In both it speaks of offering the first fruits, but in v.12 it could not be burned as a sweet savor, while in v.14 a memorial was burned. However, as several helpful commentators point out, v.12 is a reference to the “new meal offering” that was two loaves made of “fine flour, baken with leaven”, and offered at the feast of weeks (Lev. 23:15-20) where they would be be waved before Jehovah. These loaves represent the assembly as “a kind of first-fruits of his creatures” (Jam. 1:18), and they were made with leaven to express the truth of the Christian’s two natures. The leaven is no longer working but has been baked in the loaf. The old nature is put in the place of death, but is still there. Hence, a sin offering was also required with the two wave loaves (Lev. 23:19). The two wave loaves represent an adequate testimony to the power of His resurrection. But the injunction here is that even in an offering on a feast day, if there was leaven in it, it could not be burned on the altar as a sweet savor. However, in v.14 we are back to Christ as the first-fruits, and that could be burned as a sweet savor.3
13 And every offering of thine oblation shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thine oblation: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
v.13 Salt with the Offering. We find that every meal offering was to be seasoned with salt, and it was called “the salt of the covenant of thy God”. We also find it was to be included in all the offerings (Lev. 2:13). Salt is mentioned many times in scripture, and it has typical significance. We find that salt speaks of inward, unchanging holiness that has a gracious outflow and results in preservation. Up until the 20th century and before the invention of refrigeration, salt was used not only for seasoning (Job 6:6) but as a preservative. It was useful in preserving the quality of stored food, and is was a very valuable commodity in the world. The entire economy of opulent Sodom and Gomorrah was based on the production of salt, which is abundant in the Dead Sea.4 When sowed in the ground, salt makes ground infertile (Judges 9:45; Jer. 17:6). So we see that salt can be used for good (preserving and seasoning) and for judgment, as in the case of Lot’s wife. In the offerings salt seems to be connected with the maintenance of the holiness of God; the savor of what Christ was to God the Father as a perfect man in a sinful world. It characterized the Lord Jesus here below, and should also characterize our offerings of worship! There are two references to a “covenant of salt”, first when God promised the kingdom to David (2 Chron. 13:5) and second when He promised the heave-offerings to the priests (Num. 18:19). Both are unchanging agreements.5 This supports the idea that salt has to do with what is unchanging or immutable. Read more…
14 And if thou present an oblation of thy first-fruits to Jehovah, thou shalt present as the oblation of thy first-fruits green ears of corn roasted in fire, corn beaten out of full ears. 15 And thou shalt put oil on it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is an oblation. 16 And the priest shall burn the memorial thereof, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering by fire to Jehovah.
vv.14-16 Oblation of the First-fruits. Next we have the offering of the first-fruits. This is similar to the wave-sheaf that was offered annually at the feast of first-fruits (Lev. 23:9-14), except here it is general: a voluntary offering that could be given at any time of the year. The meal offering is Christ in His pathway before the cross, not Christ in resurrection like the wave-sheaf. They were to take green ears of corn (wheat), and roast them in fire, then beat out the kernels. To this corn was then added oil and frankincense, and a memorial was offered by fire to Jehovah like the previous meal offerings. This method of cooking the offering differs from all previous methods: the oven, the pan, or the cauldron. Here the ears of corn were roasted directly over the fire. The “green ears” might represent the life of the Lord Jesus cut short in the midst of His days, notwithstanding they were “full ears” because His work on earth was complete. This is the highest intensity of testing in our Lord’s pathway, it served to bring forth His perfection in every way!6
- Aaron himself speaks of Christ as our great high priest, and his sons represent believers. When Aaron is mentioned together with his sons, it speaks of Christ and the saints as a company of priests.
- It is hard to determine who was to take out the handful: the offeror or one of the priests. Mr. Kelly says: “All this was brought to the priests, one of whom took out his handful.” – W. Kelly. The Offerings.
- Ver. 12 seems to be the new Meal offering (fully described in Lev. 23:15-20) where the oblation in an exceptional instance was expressly made with leaven as already shown. It was necessarily leavened in order to express the truth; but its exceptional nature was fully provided for. Even these first-fruits could only be presented to Jehovah they could not rise up on the altar for a sweet savour. – W. Kelly. The Offerings.
- The “Dead Sea” in the land of Palestine is known for an extremely high salt concentration of eight times normal ocean water.
- Address by Bill Prost, Salt, Denver 2022
- Hence we may observe the plain distinctness of the oblation of the first-fruits from the wave-sheaf which set forth Christ as risen from the dead. We hear nothing of the wave-sheaf but waving it before Jehovah, with its Holocaust and Meal offering and its Drink offering. As to the first-fruits we are told of green ears of corn roasted or parched with fire, bruised corn of the fresh ear or corn beaten out of full ear. Yet is it Christ only and none else, and Christ here below, not reigning in righteousness without end of days for ever and ever, with gladness of joy in Jehovah’s presence, and making all enemies as a furnace of fire in the time of the same presence. Here on the contrary it is the evil day as in the day of the temptation in the wilderness; and on Christ, as the fresh and early grain and moreover rubbed out of full ears, came fiery trial. The Holy One of God, He was a Man in a world at enmity with God, and in the midst of a people still more bitterly hating Him because of their blind self-complacency in an exclusive title to be God’s people when God had long written on them Lo-ammi (not My people). Hence again both oil was to be put on these first-fruits, and frankincense; which is not said of the wave-sheaf, whatever might be true of the Meal offering proper. Thus the difference is clear enough when the word is duly examined. – W. Kelly. The Offerings.