The Book of Leviticus: Leviticus 2 Application to Christ and the Believer

Leviticus ch 2: Exegesis.

The fruit of a man's toil.

The Meal offering, or better, cereal offering, is here treated as an independent offering with the other four, but in actual usage it seems to have been an accompaniment of the burnt offering

See Numbers 15.

Original term, minhah, denotes a gift or present made to secure the goodwill of a friend (Genesis 32:13), or of a sovereign (1 Samuel 10:27). In older literature it is used for all the offerings, but later was restricted to the cereal offering (in P).

The offering was presented by the layman.

The bulk of the offering went to the priests.

The offering is an acknowledgement that all comes from the Lord, and that the fruit of our toil belongs to him.

2:1

"fine flour"

his translation due to LXX and Vulgate. It was sifted but not ground fine.

"oil"

Strictly the word means "fatness, richness, fertility"

C/f Isaiah 5:1 "very fertile" Literally = "a horn, a son of oil".

It was used commonly of olive oil, the oil in common use.

"frankincense"

From the Old French, "franc encens". The English "frank", now used mainly of uninhibited speech, was used of trees and plants that grew freely and richly. Hence frankincense means "rich incense".

Hebrew = lebonah, allegedly because of its whiteness.

A fragrant gum resin exuding from the trees of the genus Boswellia.

It was one of the four ingredients of the incense and was probably here intended to perform the same function, or symbol, i.e. remembrance before God.

c/f Titles of Psalms 38, 70 - they were recited at this offering of the memorial.

2:2

"the memorial thereof"

Hebrew ' azarah - here applied to a handful of paste, flour mixed with oil and the frankincense. Literally means a token, but idea of "memorial" comes from LXX, translated in Vulgate "memoriale".

The smallest meal offering (6:20) was 1/10 ephah, about 3 quarts.

"memorial", "remembrance" are weak words translating a potent Hebrew thought. It means that which is being remembered is being brought up from the past into the present in a realistic sense.

This is the word used in the communion service.

2:3

"a thing most holy"

I.e. the remainder of the flour is the perquisite of the priests. The literature distinguishes between "holy" and "most holy", the difference being only the priests could eat the "most holy", and then in the sanctuary precincts, while the "holy" could be eaten by their families as well at home.

2:4-10 The Baked Grain Offering.

2:4

"baked in an oven"

Major LXX mss have "baked from frankincense" - an error.

The oven was a portable stove or firepot, a breakable large earthen jar still used in the Middle East. In more settled communities it was a pot shaped hole in the ground. It was heated by burning dried grass inside (Matthew 6:30). And the sides became black with smoke (Lamentations 5:10)

c/f Genesis 15:17 - The smoking fire pot.

"unleavened cakes"

Hebrew hallah - a perforated cake but the perforations were probably to help the baking process. They were twisted or in layers. Women were forbidden from baking this shaped bread on holy days, possibly because the bread thus shaped baked on holy days was for the temple's use.

"mingled with oil"

Could be the flour was mixed with oil, or that the flour was mixed with oil, then baked and oil added later.

"wafers spread with oil"

Thin round cakes, smeared with oil. Rabbinical opinion varies - either they were repeatedly smeared with oil until all the oil was gone, or they were marked with the shape of a cross.

2:5

"the baking pan"

Better "griddle", the convex iron plate used by Bedouins still today.

2:11

"Leaven"

Excluded on the grounds of fermentation. Also honey for the same. It implies a process of corruption.

Leaven and honey could be given to the sanctuary as ordinary first fruits.

2:12

"first fruits"

No first fruits were offered on the altar, not even as a token, unless s they were grain.

2:13

"salt"

Ezekiel 43:24 c/f Mark 9:49 - salt only prescribed for this sacrifice, but we can assume it was offered with every sacrifice.

This is the season God's portion of the meal in the ancient view, but it came to speak of the irrevocable character of Yahweh's covenant with Israel.

c/f Numbers 18:19.

Salt stands for permanence, incorruption.

To eat salt came to mean to establish a bond between the eaters, thus covenants were sealed with a sacred meal, in which salt was eaten.

2:14-16. Offering of Firstfruits.

This is undoubtedly one of the oldest varieties of the minhah

c/f Genesis 4:3; Exodus 22:29.

"crushed new grain from fresh ears"

Fresh grain, first roasted, then pounded.

6:14-23 Law of the Meal Offering.

6:18

"Whosoever touches them shall be holy"

In modern phraseology "shall be taboo", i.e. and his life forfeited, though doubtless a ransom was provided.

"decreed forever"

Literally - a perpetual decree.

Some mss read "share, portion" - i.e. saying this offering is a perpetual, inalienable, perquisite of the priests.

6:19-23 The special meal offering presented every morning and evening by the High Priest, or at least at his expense.

6:20

"on the day when he is anointed"

Brings confusion - is this a daily grain offering, or a special offering done only once in a priest's lifetime.

The general feeling of scholars is that this phrase is a copyist's gloss from 8:26 and 9:4.

There was a daily offering made by the High priest, and it was different in that all of it was burnt on the altar, not just a part.

The rite is a survival from the days when the minhah was the minhah of the agriculturalist.

1/10 ephah = about 7 pints.

Half offered in morning, half in evening.

"baked pieces"

Hebrew tradition, says it was broken in pieces the size of olives. The Hebrew word however is difficult, it could mean "many baked", i.e. turned over many times c/f Hosea 7:8.

6:23

No priest could eat his OWN offering, even if it was a grain offering, which normally went to the priest.

Leviticus ch 2:- Cereal Offering:

Application of Cereal Offering to Christ.

An offering of grain, or grain products.

A thanksgiving that God has provided all our needs.

c/f Titles of Psalms 38, 70 - they were recited at this offering.

"gift" - should be worthy of the one to whom it is presented. Better to give no gift than to give an inferior gift.

Hebrew = Minchah:

Originally the term denoted a gift or present made to secure the goodwill of a friend (Genesis 32:13), or of a sovereign (1 Samuel 10:27). In older literature it is used for all the offerings, but later was restricted to the cereal offering.

From this point in time it refers exclusively to vegetable offerings.

Examples:

(1) Jacob sent a minchah to Esau - implies that Esau was his superior, this was the first time Jacob had humbled himself before Esau.

(2) Cain and Abel - The problem was in the inner attitude of Cain. Abel brought the best of his flocks, Cain simply brought the first to come to hand. The present was not worthy of the God who had blessed his fields.

A memorial, i.e. the part represented the whole in the sight of God and was accepted as the whole.

"Memorial" - Hebrew ' azarah - here applied to a handful of paste, flour mixed with oil and the frankincense. Literally means a token, but idea of "memorial" comes from LXX, translated in Vulgate "memorial".

The smallest meal offering (6:20) was 1/10 ephah, about 3 quarts.

"memorial", "remembrance" are weak words translating a potent Hebrew thought. It means that which is being remembered is being brought.

From this point in time it refers exclusively to vegetable offerings.

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Typical Meaning of the Offering:

Typifies the service of Christ for us, Christ fulfilling the law for us WRT our fellow man. A picture of Christ in the flesh.

* The Corn of wheat which became the bread of life.

* Portrays Christ as the man - typifies him in life. A beautiful life he lived on earth. Pure and mature manhood.

* His incarnation important.

Distinction between Burnt offering and Cereal offering is that BO is the offering of a LIFE, CO is the offering of FRUITS.

c/f Genesis 1 - the fruit of the land was Man's allotted portion, but life belonged to God. Blood thus speaks of what we owe to God, fruits are man's claim, thus speak of what we owe to man.

What we owe to God or man is our duty to either. Thus BO symbolizes man's fulfilling his duty to God, C.O. man fulfilling his duty to man.

I.e. loving your neighbour as yourself.

It is the perfect fulfilling of the law of love and the manward section of the 10 commandments.

The Meal offering, or better, cereal offering, is here treated as an independent offering with the other four, but in actual usage it seems to have been an accompaniment of the burnt offering or peace offering.

See Numbers 15, 28:12,13.

BO comes first - we cannot offer our gifts until we offer ourselves.

e.g.:

(i) The Wise Men: Brought gifts to Jesus, true, but before they opened them they worshiped him.

(ii) Cain offered a meal offering, and in that showed that he despised the claim God had on man. He acknowledged only the claim man had on man, i.e. humanism.

Differences From other offerings:

Contrasts show the different aspects of Christ's offering as a Cereal Offering.

Five Points:

(1) A sweet savour.

Different from sin offering, but same as burnt offering.

This represents man in perfect obedience yielding to God an offering that he accepts as pleasing to him.

C/f Sin offerings which represent man as sinner receiving the due penalty for sin. Thus have blood shed for sin.

(2) Materials with which it was composed.

* Oil, flour, frankincense, salt.

* No life given here.

* Differs from all other offerings.

Every item speaks of suffering.

(a) Flour:

Bread is the staff of life.

Isaiah 28:28 - bread corn must be bruised - Christ was bruised for us.

Speaks of:

* Bruising, grinding, wearying trial for us.

* Giving of himself to others without stint or ceasing.

* The trials of service to mankind, spending and being spent in the needs of others. His self-surrender, self sacrifice.

"fine flour"

This translation due to LXX and Vulgate. It was sifted, but not ground fine.

Implies no unevenness - nothing to stick in the throat, perfectly digestible. Jesus was never ruffled by anything, never had to repent of an action or word.

(b) "Oil":

Strictly the word means "fatness, richness, fertility"

C/f Isaiah 5:1 "very fertile" Literally = "a horn, a son of oil".

It was used commonly of olive oil, the oil in common use.

Typifies the Spirit in action.

The bruised corn and oil are always together. The Spirit is released through suffering. This is also shown in that the oil was obtained by crushing the olives.

Difference between BO and CO - Spirit is seen in one as water, as oil in the other.

It is in relation to our fellow man that we need to know the Spirit as smooth grace, and inflaming power.

The oil is applied two ways to the CO.

(i) Mixed in - speaks of incarnation. Luke 1:35.

(ii) Poured on - speaks of Baptism. Luke 3:22.

His oblation as a meal offering was in the unction and power of the Spirit - see Luke's gospel, Acts 10:38.

* A perfume. Its perfume is not released until it is heated.

* Frankincense - grown in India - a tree 40ft high.

* An incision is made into the side of the tree and it "bleeds". The resin sets and is collected hardened and sold as "tears".

* From the Old French "franc encens". The English "frank", now used mainly of uninhibited speech, was used of trees and plants that grew freely and richly. Hence frankincense means "rich incense".

* Hebrew = lebonah, allegedly because of it's whiteness.

* A fragrant gum resin exuding from the trees of the genus Boswellia.

* It was one of the four ingredients of the incense and was probably here intended to perform the same function, or symbol, i.e. remembrance before God - i.e. prayer and intercession. A life of effective service must be steeped in prayer.

Oil represents the power of Christ's ministry, the frankincense represents the aim of his ministry = worship to God.

(d) "Salt"

* Salt of seasoning.

* Salt of covenant.

* Salt of purification.

* Brings out true flavour.

* Preserves - leaven corrupts, salt inhibits corruption.

Three covenants observed by the Bedouin in the desert:

(i) Covenant of Bread and Wine.

(ii) Covenant of Blood.

(iii) Covenant of Salt - established a relationship of friendship between Bedouins.

Jesus in his offering brought with it something that secured not only his own incorruption but provided a preservative against corruption to whatever comes in contact with him.

"Let your speech be seasoned with salt"

Jesus the example - Luke 4:16-29. They could bear him witness and wondered a the gracious words coming out of his mouth, but when he proceeded to season the words with salt - needed to preserve them from the corruption of their lives, national prides, they would have thrown him off the cliff.

Luke 14 - words of grace drew multitudes to him, but he added the salt of the cost of discipleship.

Things Not allowed:

(a) "Leaven"

Leaven - nothing which puffs up, or is expressive of evil was seen in that which typifies Christ.

c/f other offerings of loaves - Pentecost, Peace offering, leaven allowed - tells us that even our best works are tainted by corruption.

(b) "Honey"

Honey is the opposite of Frankincense - heat spoils it.

The precious odour of Christ's offering was the result of fiery trial. How different for us believers, fire often brings out our hardness and smelliness. Fire is enough to sour us.

Both leaven and honey are the products of fermentation, or corruption, speaks of sin IN man.

Leaven is that which is openly evil, honey in that is apparently sweet and attractive. Both are disallowed by in the sacrifice as Christ had no inner corruption.

Note: Roasted barley without sweetening is tasteless. The suffering of Christ cannot have man's ideas added to it in order to make it more palatable to us.

(3) Not Wholly Burnt.

Part put on altar, the rest eaten by the Priests, the Sons of Aaron.

C/f Burnt offering - all burnt.

Christ performing his duty to God was wholly consumed, but in his service to man was not, part of it is eaten by man - the sons of Aaron, the church - he becomes our food. The handful for the memorial satisfies God.

The Cereal offering is thus offered FOR us to God but is also given TO us, as priests, to eat.

For us he fulfilled its meaning, what then will he do in us? The law is that the priest should be fed by the altar - we are fed when we consider Christ. We have a claim on him, he is given to satisfy us. But only God and the priests are satisfied by the offering - outsiders have no part in it. The answer to the world's needs is to be found only in Christ, but a Holy God and a needy world will consume the whole.

Though eaten mainly by the priests it was offered "to the Lord" - Christ here gives us the example - his service to his neighbour was always an offering to the Lord.

(4) Contrast with First fruits:

v12 - not to be offered as a sweet savour

Leviticus 23

Sheaf of first fruits should be offered as a sweet savour, but the oblation of first fruits could not be - the sheaf was unleavened, the oblation was not. Loaves at Pentecost had leaven and were acceptable - Why? Because it was offered with another offering which made it acceptable, the sin offering sanctified it - we are only acceptable when offered in Christ.

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The Varieties in the Offering:

Shows the different understandings believers have of Christ as the Cereal Offering .

(a) First grade: each article of materials enumerated, not so in others - many can see Christ as unleavened but cannot see all of his perfections.

(b) Fine Flour - in First grade worshiper himself takes the memorial portion, in second level priest does, in third no one is named.

Shows Christ in his person as offerer, Thus as Christ personally giving to God. A higher view.

Then, in the second, his appointed office as priest - his office is seen but the person is lost.

We may see Jesus as our bread without entering into the thoughts of what fine flour and frankincense means, the deeper perfections, the incarnation, the sufferings.

(d) Difference between first and third class: third shows Christ as first fruits - unprepared grain, not even yet flour, or bread. Again here we lose what is the particular nature of this offering and another offering is substituted in it's place. The thought of the C.O. is joined with the first fruits. His resurrection is seen but the perfections of his life are totally lost.

Prescribed Ritual.

Two parts:

(1) The Offerer's Part.

(2) The Priest's Part.

(1) The Offerer's Part.

(a) Preparation of offering.

(i) "Uncooked Flour"

(ii) "Unleavened cakes" - Here some effort has been made to turn the flour into something edible and tasty, can be shared with others - the life has become a yielded life, time is given to make it as effective as it can be.

E.g. Bible is not just read, it is studied, mixed with experience and becomes appetizing food.

(iii) "Roasted grain" - that which is preserved by fire, faith that has stood the fire of trial, promises of God that have been tested and tried.

According to Property:

What a person offered depended on whether he possessed an oven, a pan or a frying pan.

You can only give what you have.

"baked in an oven"

C/f Genesis 15:17 - The smoking fire pot.

"the baking pan"

Better "griddle", the convex iron plate used by Bedouins still today.

"the pan"

The offering was prepared by action of fire - pan, oven, griddle - suggests suffering, but not for sin.

Christ endured three sufferings before he suffered for sin on the cross:

* Suffering for righteousness sake.

* Suffering by the power of sympathy.

* Suffering in anticipation.

Grinding of flour: Suffering of Christ: Let us not think it was easy for Christ to be always gracious in a rude and unbelieving society.

Every aspect of the offering speaks of suffering. Ministry has as its invariable accompaniment suffering. The choice is ours' whether the suffering brings forth sweet incense or burnt honey.

(b) Bring to Priest.

Hand it over in entirety at the door of the tabernacle. No ceremony, no participation, just simple yieldedness - service is a privilege not a renumeration.

(2) The Priest's Part.

(a) "Offer a handful" - God's portion. It brings up from the past into the present in a realistic sense.

This is the word used in the communion service. What happened then, what is symbolized in the rite, is now brought into our experience in a very real way.

Christ here is seen offering to God his life of service to God - part directly to God, the rest to his people.

(b) "The priest's portion" - the rest

"a thing most holy"

The world contributes nothing to the support of the ministry thus the church should. It was the worshipers who supported the priests.

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Chapter 2: - THE CEREAL OFFERING.

Application to us:

Typical Meaning:

Matthew 22:34-40.

Two Parts:

(1) The burnt offering is the fulfilment of the greatest commandment, to love God with all of our mind, soul, heart and strength.

(2) The Cereal offering deals with "loving your neighbour as yourself".

Both have to be worked out in our experience through the fires of God's dealings in our life

The Cereal offering depicts the process of God's dealings in our lives so that we become cereal offerings, so that we become bread to the hungry world, loving others as ourselves.

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SOME GENERAL POINTS.

(1) "An offering of Grain"

(a) This is not a blood sacrifice. This offering has nothing to do with our relationship to God. This offering is to do with other relationships in our life, not with God.

(b) However, if we were to follow the offerings through the OT we would find that Burnt offerings and Cereal offerings were always offered together, the burnt offering first, then the cereal offering following.

The reason for this is clear, spiritual religion must be practical in daily life. The offering of ourselves to God is only sham if it is not followed by the giving of ourselves in loving service to our neighbour.

James 1:22-27, 2:8,14-17.

This giving of ourselves to others in love must first begin in the Church as we learn to practically love one another.

1 John 4:7,8 ,20.

NOTE: Every aspect of the offering speaks of suffering. Ministry has suffering as its invariable accompaniment. The choice is ours’ whether the suffering brings forth sweet incense or burnt honey.

(2) Grain - wheat, or barley, or maize.

Matthew 13:3-7.

The harvest is those people who have received the word of God, that is, Christians, you and I. It is not grain in the field that is offered to God, it is grain that has been through a process of preparation.

You can't eat wheat in the field, it is too hard; it will give you indigestion. In the same way the world does not want to feed on the hardened life of our natural man. It is only the Christ in us that they can live on. We can give people spiritual indigestion. God wants to set us free from those things that cause offence in others.

What does it take for grain in the field to be prepared for eating?

Flour speaks in scripture of the outworking of the word of God within us, the degree of fineness is determined by the degree to which we allow our lives to be conformed to God's word.

To get flour from grain in the field takes some work:

(1) The stalks of grain have to be cut.

The grain, while it stands uncut in the field, continues to draw life from the earth; its life source is natural. This is true of every non- Christian. Their life source is of this world natural, earthly.

(2) The grain is separated from the ear.

There is a process of wrenching away from those other grains of wheat that the grain was close to. There must be a reorganization of relationships. The grain of wheat is nice and cosy in the ear, it has moulded into the shape of the surrounding grains, the same is true in our lives.

Matthew 10:37-39.

(3) The grain is beaten with sticks.

Wheat has a hard protective shell, a husk, which is inedible. This must be removed before the grain can be used. We all build hard walls around ourselves to protect ourselves from the world, but these must go.

(4) Winnowing:

The beaten grain is taken and thrown into the air. This process of sifting continues until the wind blows away all of the husks and only the grain is left, a bit bruised, but pure grain none the less. God must get rid of the husks in our lives before he can use us to the full extent of his glory. He simply tosses us around in the winds of the Spirit. In places where the gentle breeze of the Spirit is blowing he exposes us to the breeze, so that he can gently blow away the husks of our lives.

(5) Milling:

Finally the grain is turned into flour.

There are two ways of turning wheat into flour,- pounding or milling, the individual grains are broken open and begin to be reduced to a pulp.

"Contriting" - the making of talcum powder.

This is achieved by the working of the Word of God in us in situations of life.

Song of Solomon 4:12-5:1.

A parable - we are the garden. The fruit of the Spirit is locked inside, a fountain of life. The life is released by:

(i) North Wind = Death and South Wind = Resurrection.

(ii) Friends of the Bridegroom = Church.

Examples:

(i) Moses - a ruler in Egypt by adoption. He lead Pharaoh's armies into battle. Moses even then knew the call of God on his life, but God had to send him away for 40 years tending sheep before he was broken enough to be useful. The Bible tells us later that he was the meekest man in all the earth

(ii) Joseph also was a ruler in Egypt, but think on how arrogant he must have been in his early life. Here he was, one of the youngest in the family, going and telling his brothers that they would one day bow down to him. It took 13 years in Egypt's prisons to break him.

Simon and Garfunkel: "I am a Rock" - epitomizes what needs to be broken.

God needs to break us open so there are no hard walls, defense mechanisms, etc.

(6) The flour is cooked.

In baking there is also a process.

The flour must be mixed with other ingredients:

(a) Other flour.

One grain of wheat does not make much flour. If we are to be sustaining food for the world we must do it together.

If we are to learn to love others as ourselves, it is only in the context relationships, of the body of believers, the local church, that God chooses to do the real work.

In a loaf of bread, each grain must lose it's own identity for the sake of the loaf. Only in such sharing of our lives can we really learn what love is about.

(b) "and you shall put oil on it".

Two moves of the Spirit in our lives:

(i) New birth. Oil is mixed with the flour.

Ephesians 1:13,13 - we are sealed with the down payment of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1:21,22 - this seal is a commission, a task to do. There is an anointing of the Spirit at new birth that enables us to carry out the task of bringing Christ's love to the world.

(ii) Oil is poured on the prepared cakes. The anointing of the Spirit for ministry.

Luke 3:22 c/f Luke 4:1

Luke 3:22 is promise, Luke 4:1 is fulfilment - between them is the fire.

To understand this we need to turn to an OT picture and a NT interpretation.

Song of Solomon 4:12-15 - nine fruits mentioned.

Galatians 5:22-24 - nine fruits of the Spirit.

There is a 1:1 correspondence. As we line these up we find that frankincense speaks of faith, of trust, of dependence on God.

As we open ourselves to others in love, and become food for them in God's purposes, it takes great faith in God to continue to do that.

v 15 - the oil and ALL of the frankincense. It will take a good sized portion of the anointing of the Spirit that you have and all of your faith to learn to love your neighbour as yourself.

This faith only comes from prayer and worship - time spent with the Father.

(d) SALT.

- the salt of the covenant.

Leviticus 2:13.

Salt was to the ancient world a very important item. At times it was more valuable than gold. This was because of its ability to preserve food. in the days when there was no refrigerators and in desert heat this was a very valuable commodity.

Hence salt was not to be wasted. When you ate a meal salt was a luxury you could not afford to use, so you kept it only for special occasions, with guests you wanted to honour.

It came to pass over time that salt came to speak of an intimate relationship that one person had with another. To eat salt together was a sign a great depth of relationship, and spoke of committed friendship, until death, of those who ate salt together. It came to mean the making of covenant relationships between men.

The story is told of a missionary who, in the early years of mission work in Arabia, was taken captive by a band of marauding men. They took him to their leader, a great chieftain, who threatened to take his life.

The missionary, knowing his time was short, took a package of salt from his pocket and offered it to the chief. The chief did not recognise it as it was white, pure salt, and he had only ever seen grey rock salt. He asked the missionary, "What is it?" The missionary told him to try it and see. The moment the chief tasted it he cried out in alarm, "You've tricked me, it's salt, we are now covenant brothers, we've eaten salt together." The missionary was set free. Several years later he got into trouble elsewhere with another band of men. Hurriedly he sent word to his "covenant brother". The chief came hundreds of miles to deliver him, at danger to his own life.

This is what salt is about.

It speaks of total sincerity in committed relationships. With all of our offerings we have to eat salt, showing total sincerity, total commitment. It means there is an openness; nothing is hidden, there are no "In groups" and hidden agendas, but only a pure honesty which is frightening.

Salt when used in cooking, loses it' own identity in the food, and serves only to enhance the taste of the food.

Is that how we live in the church? Do we so lose our own lives in service for each other that our only intention is to enhance the flavour of every other person in the church? Or are we still trying to get ahead ourselves?

Two things that were not allowed to be there:

Leviticus 2:11-13

(a) No leaven.

Leaven speaks of several things in the Bible, each one a hindrance to loving unity.

(i) Sin in all its forms.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8.

v 6 = boasting - coming out of pride and self sufficiency, which is rebellion. How easy do you find it to relate to a person who is proud and projects the image of being self sufficient, all together? Such attitudes are a hindrance to relationship and cannot be offered.

v8 = malice, evil, and the opposites of sincerity and truth, i.e. hypocrisy and lies, deception.

Malice = inner motives, hidden agendas.

Evil = open evil deeds.

Hypocrisy = (Greek) to act a role as a player, i.e. in a play.

That is to project an image that is untrue.

Pentecostals are good at this, particularly those steeped in faith teaching and victory language. You can talk faith and victory and give the impression you know what it is, and not have the slightest idea. The result is to project a dishonest image about where you are at. People who do this are very hard to relate to, you can't talk about real life with them, only the pretend life of their supposed victory in Christ. The result is that they usually project their own guilt and hurts onto others and there is a mismatch between the reality of their lives and the image they project.

Lies, Deception. - True Christian love is built on openness and honesty, on the truth of God's word. Unity never comes by compromise, that is the world's way. True Christian love and unity only ever comes when a group of people get together around God's word and allow God to remake their opinions and beliefs.

It doesn't matter what sin we commit, what malice or evil we engage in, we will soon add hypocrisy and lies to it. Deceit in relationships grows out of bad inner motives, jealousy and envy.

God will not accept an offering of ourselves to love others which has such hidden or open motives. Mind you nor will anyone else. The non-Christian is not fooled by the Christian who is "loving" him just so he can add another scalp to his spiritual belt.

And it doesn't take long for the Christian to see through someone who only wants to relate to people so that they can be the "heavy" and minister to them.

(ii) False Doctrine:

Note: No measure of oil, i.e. the Spirit, can counteract the effect of leaven. What a lesson to those who look to the Spirit rather than to Christ for the ground of their acceptance. The Spirit's operations in the greatest power will never destroy or alter the old nature, only the cross does that.

(b) No Honey.

Honey is a type of human sweetness, of human love. We cannot hope to reach the world on our human love. Only God's AGAPE love will do the job.

Human sweetness is like honey, when the heat comes on it honey crystalizes and turns hard; into caramel. It is not sufficient to the task.

Sweet to the taste, but too much can turn the stomach sour. It speaks of the pleasures of life.

Honey is used in making vinegar, when boiled it froths up - speaks of pride.

I.e. those things which are sweet and attractive and harmless in themselves may yet cause injury to the soul particularly when we are under pressure, and thus they can hinder the anointing of the Spirit.

Proverbs 25:27.

(D) THE CEREAL OFFERING.

Again, as in the burnt offering, we notice that there are three separate offerings, three levels of God's dealings in our lives.

Again the ideal comes first, but in our experience the order is reversed, we actually experience the last one first.

(1) A Cereal Offering of First Fruits.

Leviticus 2:14-16.

(a) "First fruits"

This is the first time in our lives we commit ourselves to God.

(b) "crushed NEW grain from FRESH ears."

This stuff is fresh from the fields.

We must, as young Christians, offer ourselves individually to God to be used for whatever purpose he calls us to. Right from day one as a Christian, as fresh wheat from new ears we can be used by God to feed others. We do not have to wait until we are mature to be used of God, to be able to love others, but right from the beginning love is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Even as young believers, the fire of God has already touched us. Repentance has been brought to bear in our lives, we have some dealing of God in our lives that we can share with others. The world is not interested in our achievements in life, but they are interested in the activity of a living God in our lives. Have you ever wondered why the account of our spiritual walk is called a TESTIMONY? It is only what has been tested by God in the fire that is worth while.

(d) "The priest shall burn the memorial portion".

With the cereal offering not all of the offering is burnt. The whole is offered to God as a wave offering, all of our love is offered, but God gives it back to use for his glory.

A memorial portion is then taken and burnt.

From this we learn that God will not wear us out in loving others.

With the burnt offering the whole animal is burnt telling us that we must be totally consumed in loving God. But the same is not true of any of the other offerings. We cannot allow ourselves to be consumed totally in any other activity. When it comes to loving and serving others, that activity cannot be allowed to consume our lives, there must be balance. Only a portion of our lives must be offered, speaking of the whole intent of our heart, but not allowing us to destroy our lives in service.

Roasted grain :- that which is preserved by fire, faith that has stood the fire of trial, promises of God that have been tested and tried.

(e) v12 - "as an offering of first fruits you can bring them"

The young Christian is covered by different rules. He hasn't yet had time for God's love to work in his life, nor for truth to be girded on him. For such honey and leaven are fine as a gift to his fellow priests, that's all he has, but they are not to be burnt on the altar of God.

It is only the foolishness of an impotent church that sends young Christians into the battle when they have not had time to get equipped. First fruit offerings were only eaten by the priests; the church, not by the world at large.

(2) A cereal offering of cakes.

Here three varieties are allowed:

(a) Baked in an oven:

Speaks of suffering no man can see.

Psalms 56:8.

(b) Grilled:

Speaks of suffering all men can see.

Speaks of suffering only some can see - our closest friends and relatives.

In all of these again there is a prior cooking. The heat of God's dealings in our lives comes on us again before we are acceptable to others.

Here some effort has been made to turn the flour into something edible and tasty, can be shared with others. The life has become a yielded life, time is given to make it as effective as it can be.

E.g. The Bible is not just read, it is studied, mixed with experience and becomes appetizing food.

Notice again the emphasis on the oil. It is only by the anointing of the Spirit that we can minister to the world.

(3) Fine flour, mixed with oil and frankincense. Total purity is seen here, pure flour, pure oil, and pure frankincense.

As it has been received so it can be given - God has given us life, gifts, time, etc. These we can give back.

This element of purity is vital. There can be no hidden motives, no hypocrisy, no selfish desires.

Leviticus 6:14-18.

This activity of learning to love others does not happen only in the church, though part of it does.

Only part of the offering is put on the alter at the tent of meeting, the rest is used elsewhere. Our Christian lives should be invested in the world as well as in the church. How can we be salt if we are not even in the cooking pot? Too often Christians get so involved in Church that they become spiritual hermits - separated from the world and unable to touch it. This has two results:

· we cannot evangelize.

· we cannot be changed, in that we do not allow God to put us into some of the mills he would put us in to refine us as fine flour.

The Law of The Cereal Offering.

Note v16 - it is eaten by the priests, the sons of Aaron.

When we bring a cereal offering to God, we do not get to eat it ourselves. It is food for others to eat; the other priests in the body of Christ.

Again, the offering is made on the fire that is on the altar at the tent of meeting. It is the church that is the prime place in God's intention for us to offer ourselves in service to others. It is the wood, the people in the church, that will produce the purifying fire that will cleanse us. But that can only happen if we allow ourselves to be close enough to the heat to get burnt.

The reason why the church is the greatest source of God's dealings in this area is because we intuitively know that the church is where we shouldn't get hurt.

But in reality we are always disappointed. The church is simply made up of people, the same as us, weak, hurting, with problems of their own. And they fail us. They let us down, they reject us, snub us, wash their hands of us.

Because they should be better than they are, and they are not, the hurt is even greater, the fire is even hotter. The challenge to us to find love inside ourselves from God for them is even greater than it would be for non Church people.

A handful? Only a small portion of what we give to God really belong to him. Tithes e.g. - are given to God but used by man.

There is a small handful of what we give that belongs only to God = worship.

The Book of Leviticus

Monday, January 20, 2014

Leviticus 2 Application to Christ and the Believer

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