Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Leviticus 6:19-23
Further Revelation On The Grain Offering: The Regular Grain Offering (Leviticus 6:19).
Information is now given about the regular morning and evening grain offering, offered along with the continual whole burnt offering. None of this could be partaken of, even by the priests, it was wholly offered by fire to Yahweh.
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,'
‘This is the oblation of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to Yahweh in the day when he is anointed, the tenth part of an ephah of milled grain for a grain offering perpetually. A portion of it in the morning, and a portion of it in the evening.'
This regular twice daily grain offering was first offered on the day when Aaron was anointed and consecrated along with his sons (Exodus 29). It was then to be offered twice daily continually thereafter on behalf of the priests. It was made up of a tenth part of an ephah of milled grain at each offering. There would be two portions, one for the morning and one for the evening offering, each portion being the tenth part of an ephah (about 2 dry litres each portion). Compare for this Exodus 29:40; Numbers 28:5.
‘On a flat-pan it shall be made with oil; when it is soaked, you will bring it in: in baked pieces shall you offer the grain offering for a pleasing odour to Yahweh.'
This was to be mixed with oil and baked on a flat pan. Once the whole was ready it was to be brought in and offered in baked pieces (just as the sheep was offered in pieces) as a grain offering. No frankincense was necessary as it was offered with the whole burnt offering. It was for a pleasing odour to Yahweh, an offering of joy and thanksgiving.
In this we see a picture of the offering up of the One Who above all was a pleasing odour to God. He was grain from God, milled by men, and thus able to be a satisfactory offering to Him, the bread that came down from Heaven to suffer and die (John 6:51), Who became a pleasing odour to God.
And we, as His priesthood, are called through Him to offer up our worship and praise in His name, accepted for His sake (Hebrews 13:15), ourselves a pleasing odour to Him.
‘And the anointed priest who shall be in his stead from among his sons shall offer it. By a statute for ever it shall be wholly burnt to Yahweh. And every grain offering of the priest shall be wholly burnt. It shall not be eaten.'
This grain offering is to be offered by the anointed priest at the time, a descendant of Aaron, perpetually into the future. It was primarily his responsibility to provide it. This is an everlasting statute. And as the priest's offering it must be wholly burnt up. It must not be eaten. It is an offering made by fire (Leviticus 2:2; Leviticus 2:9). It is wholly His.
This reminds us that there is that in Christ of which we may partake, for we are His priesthood and we need to receive life and power from Him, but there is that which was offered on our behalf, of which we cannot partake, or even have any real understanding, for it is the means of our atonement and acceptance which was beyond understanding. We can only stand back and glorify God for it daily.