Leviticus 2:1-16

c. THE MEAL OFFERING 2:1-16
TEXT 2:1-16

1

And when any one offereth an oblation of a meal-offering unto Jehovah, his oblation shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:

2

and he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests; and he shall take thereout his handful of the fine flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof. And the priest shall burn it as the memorial thereof upon the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah:

3

and that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons-': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire.

4

And when thou offerest an oblation of a meal-offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.

5

And if thy oblation be a meal-offering of the baking-pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.

6

Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meal-offering.

7

And if thy oblation be a meal-offering of the frying-pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.

8

And thou shalt bring the meal-offering that is made of these things unto Jehovah: and it shall be presented unto the priest, and he shall bring it unto the altar.

9

And the priest shall take up from the meal-offering the memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.

10

And that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons-': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire.

11

No meal-offering, which ye shall offer unto Jehovah, shall be made with leaven; for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.

12

As an oblation of first-fruits ye shall offer them unto Jehovah: but they shall not come up for a sweet savor on the altar.

13

And every oblation of thy meal-offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meal-offering: with all thine oblations thou shalt offer salt.

14

And if thou offer a meal-offering of first-fruits unto Jehovah, thou shalt offer for the meal-offering of thy first-fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, bruised grain of the fresh ear.

15

And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meal-offering.

16

And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the bruised grain thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 2:1-16

27.

Is this a meat offering or a meal offering? Discuss.

28.

What is the primary purpose of this offering?

29.

Why the flour, oil and incense? i.e. what possible symbolism is here?

30.

There is representation in this offering, i.e. a part for the whole. Discuss.

31.

Name the three varieties and describe them.

32.

In Genesis chapter 4 we have a non-blood sacrifice which was rejected. Discuss why.

33.

When the offering was cooked there were three ways to cook it. Discuss.

34.

The frankincense was not added or mixed with the flour and oil. Explain its use.

35.

Salt was usedin what way and for what purpose?

36.

Why no leaven in some offerings but permitted in others?

37.

Discuss the actions of the priests and the offerer in the presentation of this sacrifice.

38.

The portion of this sacrifice that was not burned was called most holy. Why?

PARAPHRASE 2:1-16

Anyone who wishes to sacrifice a grain offering to the Lord is to bring fine flour and is to pour olive oil and incense upon it. Then he is to take a handful, representing the entire amount, to one of the priests to burn, and the Lord will be fully pleased. The remainder of the flour is to be given to Aaron and his sons as their food; but all of it is counted as a holy burnt offering to the Lord. If bread baked in the oven is brought as an offering to the Lord, it must be made from finely-ground flour, baked with olive oil but without yeast. Wafers made without yeast and spread with olive oil may also be used as an offering. If the offering is something from the griddle, it shall be made of finely ground flour without yeast, and mingled with olive oil. Break it into pieces and pour oil upon itit is a form of grain offering. If your offering is cooked in a pan, it too shall be made of fine flour mixed with olive oil. However it is preparedwhether baked, fried, or grilledyou are to bring this grain offering to the priest and he shall take it to the altar to present it to the Lord. The priests are to burn only a representative portion of the offering, but all of it will be fully appreciated by the Lord. The remainder belongs to the priests for their own use, but it is all counted as a holy burnt offering to the Lord. Use no yeast with your offerings of flour; for no yeast or honey is permitted in burnt offerings to the Lord. You may offer yeast bread and honey as thanksgiving offerings at harvest time, but not as burnt offerings. Every offering must be seasoned with salt, because the salt is a reminder of God's covenant. If you are offering from the first of your harvest, remove the kernels from a fresh ear, crush and roast them, then offer them to the Lord. Put olive oil and incense on the offering, for it is a grain offering. Then the priests shall burn part of the bruised grain mixed with oil and all of the incense as a representative portion before the Lord.

THE MEAL OFFERING

2:1-16

The Varieties Of The Meal Offering

The whole portion left for the priests can be prepared in any of the above five ways. SALT must be sprinkled on all offerings.

Purpose:

A gift of thanksgiving always made with the burnt offering.

3.

Floor plan of the Tabernacle and court

4.

Altar of burnt-offering or brazen altar

5.

The laver and its base

COMMENT 2:1-16

Leviticus 2:1 The so-called meat offering is, properly speaking, a -gift offering,-' the Hebrew word -MINKAH-' being derived from the root signifying to give. (Ibid.) The word meat is misleading for it seems to suggest flesh when this is the only sacrifice in which the body of an animal is not involved. Whereas we are very concerned that every reader know what every word in the sacred text means in its proper context we are also aware that unless we can see relevance or application to our lives in this text we will speedily lose interest. If Leviticus is but a record of long-ago sacrifices made however carefully and yet has no meaning for me I usually find something else that does relate to me and read it.

As we look closely at this mixture of flour, oil and incense (although the incense was not mixed with or in it) we remember another time when God prescribed a recipe for cakes or wafers. We refer to the manna come down from heaven and to the greater bread from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die. As the meal offering was a gift offering so was our LordGod's gift to us. Jesus gave Himself as a gift for His bride and He gave the Holy Spirit as a gift to His bride (John 6:32; Ephesians 5:25; Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 9:15).

How beautifully the pure fine flour portrays the pure, perfect, sinless humanity of our Lord, the woman's seed, the virgin's son. He was also anointed with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38). Indeed the name Christ means anointed one.

How charmingly fragrant was all of His lifea sweet savor offered to God. Frankincense means white, suggesting once again the purity of God's gift offering for us. Of this One who offered Himself, God said, ... in whom I am well pleased.

Leviticus 2:2 As the offering is brought to Aaron's sons the worshipper removes a handful of the flour, which has been mixed with the oil, or the oil has been mixed into the flourthis would amount to a handful of dough. The quantity of incense was taken with it. This handful was to be a memorial representative offering. The Israelite is saying by this offering, remember me, i.e. because of this offering remember me. We need to be reminded again that this meal or grain offering was never offered by itself but only as a part of one of the other offerings. As the fire on the altar so easily consumed the little handful of meal and the smoke of its fragrance went up before God, can we see in this our finite grasp of the nature, love and sacrifice of our Lord? We have but a poor small handful of understanding of all He is as God's gift offering in our place. As limited as it is it is sufficientit represents the limitless One.

Leviticus 2:3 The remaining portion of the meal offering provided several meals for Aaron's sons. The priests were to live of the altar and in this very practical sense they had their physical sustenance from the work they did (1 Corinthians 9:13). The remaining portion is referred to as a thing most holy (holy of holies) of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire. We might learn that our Lord meets our daily needs as well as our need for atonement. We can also see that the care of the needs of the body is most holy unto the Lord, i.e. there is no such thing as a sacred-secular dichotomy in the life of His kings and priests.

Leviticus 2:4 Keil and Delitzsch have some good comments on this verse. The second kind (i.e. of meal offering) consisted of pastry of fine flour and oil prepared in different forms. The first was oven-baking: we are not to understand a baker's oven (Hosea 7:4; Hosea 7:6), but a large pot in the room, such as are used for baking cakes in the East even to the present day. The oven-baking might consist either of cakes of unleavened meal mixed (made) with oil, (pierced cakes) or pancakes of unleavened meal anointed (smeared) with oil. (p. 293)

Does a pierced cake in an oven suggest anything or anyone to the reader? We must add that this was a wholly unleavened pierced cake in the oven. Some see the oven as the inward experience of our Lord during His suffering and Psalms 22:1-5 is quoted to confirm this secret experience of His soul, shut in with God in those three solemn hours of awful darkness. Perhaps so but we like to remember Joseph's sepulchre as also suggestive of the oven of God's wrath upon sin.

Leviticus 2:5 There is mention made of wafers in the last part of Leviticus 2:4. It would seem that when wafers were used they must be broken in pieces. Such wafers are better described as pancakes because they were cooked on an open pan or griddle. The oil was to be smeared on these pancakes or poured on the broken pieces. Some feel the Hebrew word suggests that the oil was kneaded into the flour before the cakes were cooked (fried) or broken.

The root of the Hebrew word for -wafer-' signifies -empty.-' This could so well picture Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, and thought not robbery to be equal with God, yet emptied Himself when He took upon Him the form of a servant (Philippians 2:6-7) so that He could truly say, -I can of Mine own self do nothing.-' -My teaching is not Mine, but His that sent Me.-' -The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself; the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.-'

But while dependent upon the Father's will and upon the Spirit's power, He could say, and did say, -The Spirit of God is upon Me, because He anointed Me.-' (Luke 4:18-19) Thus He was truly the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One, as His name both in Hebrew and Greek signifies. In His title -Jesus Christ,-' the name -Jesus-'that is, Jehovah the Saviourconnects Him with the Triune God Jehovah, and especially with the Father. The title -Christ-' identifies Him with the Holy Spirit. (Newberry)

Could we see more on the open griddle than an unleavened cake? Was not our Saviour exposed to the gaze, taunts, and reviling of the multitude? All united in their scoffs and jeersthe priests, the scribes, the people; even the Roman soldiers. He indeed became a gazing-stock to all people. In the hot sun (which God mercifully hid) baked on the flat plate. The Psalmist said, They gaped upon Me with their mouths. I am poured out like water. My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws. I may count all my bonesthey look and stare upon Me. Psalms 22:6-18 It was the sinless One they crucified as a gift offeringHe who knew no sin was openly made to be sinthe Just for the unjust that He might bring us to God.

Leviticus 2:6 The pan baked or fried offering was broken in pieces. We remember One who took some unleavened bread and broke it and called it His body. (We are fully aware of the analogous use here made of this text in Leviticus. We want the reader to know first of all the full meaning of the action taken by the priests in the days of Mosesbut we want him to learn also the marvelous fullness of our Saviour's death in our place. We could never say enough about the details of how He died for our sins.) It was by the eternal Spirit that He offered Himself to God (Hebrews 9:14). Oil and Spirit are constantly associatedthe anointing or Holy Spirit was present when His body was broken. How refreshing to see the Gospel in Leviticus!

Leviticus 2:7 The third type of cooking for the unleavened cake was to be boiled. Keil and Delitzsch say, We have therefore to think of cakes boiled in oil. This would seem to be a combining of the aspects of the other twobaked to some extentto some extent open in being cooked. At the same time the oil penetrates the meal in a most thorough manner. If we wished to find some analogous comparisons in the death of our Lord for us we could say that the combined actions of God and men were indeed present when He died. The Psalmist has our Saviour cry from the crossBut be not thou far from me, O Jehovah: O my strength, haste Thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword. My darling (only one) from the power (paw) of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth. Psalms 22:19-21

Leviticus 2:8-10 The actions of the priest are reiterated in these verses: However the gift offering is to be prepared: (1) if it is fine flour mingled with oil; (2) if it is a loaf baked in the oven; (3) if it is a cake fried in the pan; (4) if it is flour boiled in oil; it is to be brought to the priest and he shall take it to the altar and present it to the Lord. Only a handful was to be burned. However the entire amount was considered as the offering. The portion eaten by the priests was as holy and as much a part of the offering as that burned upon the altar. We see no comparisons in these verses that we have not already made.

Leviticus 2:11 Regulations as to what was not to be in the offering is given here. Two statements are made concerning leavenone generic, i.e., any substance which contains the possibility of decay or putrefactionthe other specific: no honey shall be mixed with the offering.

At times leaven is used as a symbol of malice and wickedness. Cf. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8. It would seem to be so considered here. We are so glad that the offering our Lord made was holy, harmless and undefiled, even Himself. Both God and man tested our Saviour and found no leaven in Him. It is interesting to contemplate the reason no honey was permitted. Of course we recognize it as a form of leavenbut why separate it from all other forms of leaven? Newberry says, Honey appears to represent that sweetness and amiability of disposition which might be simply natural affection; but this sweetnessprecious and excellent as it is in its placewill not bear the test of divine holiness in any individual born after the flesh. That human excellency which was manifested in Christ, and constituted Him the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely, was not merely human, it was also divine. In Him divine affections were manifested in human form. As every atom of the fine flour in the gift offering was permeated with oilemblem of the eternal Spiritso all that was natural in Christ was also spiritual.

Leviticus 2:12 The proper use of leaven and honey are here inserted. In the loaves (meal offering) of first-fruits at the feast of weeks (Pentecost) leaven could be used. They were assigned to the priests and not burned upon the altar. Cf. Leviticus 23:17; Leviticus 23:20. We need to be reminded that the meal or gift offering was always used with another offering, i.e.: (1) with the burnt offering; (2) with the peace offering; (3) with the sin offering; (4) or with the trespass offering. These four types of offerings were made on several different occasions, such as: (1) Passover, (2) Pentecost or feast of weeks, (3) Tabernacles, and others. At the time the meal offering was made with one of the other offerings on Pentecost leaven could be and was used.

Are we to see in the use of leaven in the meal offering at Pentecost a typical significance as related to the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-47? Leviticus 23:17 says, Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves (meal offering) of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the first-fruits unto Jehovah. It is interesting to contemplate the possibilities: the first-fruit of the Gospel on Pentecost were alloyed with leaven or sin though redeemed by the sacrifice of God's Lamb, (Cf. Leviticus 23:18-19) and indwelt or anointed by God's Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The three thousand on Pentecost were like our Lord a kind of first-fruits of God's creatures (James 1:18).

Leviticus 2:13 Salt is to be used with all the forms of the meal offering; indeed salt is to be used with all sacrifices of whatever kind or for whatever purpose. Salt is an emblem of incorruption and perpetuity. In our estimate of the humanity of Christ, both these truths are to be borne in mind. (Since it was His humanity that was offered for us to God.) Death and corruption are the results of sin, and although Christ was made a sin offering and suffered death for us, yet, being in nature sinless, God did not suffer His Holy One to see corruption (Psalms 16:10); and as the omer of manna in the golden pot was laid up in the holiest for a memorial, so also -the Lamb as it had been slain, in the midst of the throne-' (Revelation 5:6) will ever occupy its center position, as the lasting memorial of that sinless humanity in which Jesus lived, died, and rose again, and ever lives, while the ceaseless song from His ransomed ones goes up, -Salvation unto our God which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb.-' (Newberry)

Leviticus 2:14 We are now introduced to the third type of or variation in the use of meal for the meal offering. When the corn, wheat or barley first begins to ripen this was to be offered in the form of ears parched or roasted by the fire; in other words, to be made from ears which had been roasted at the fire. To this is added the further definition: rubbed out of field-fruit. When we think of corn we are using the term generically and can refer to the grains of wheat or barley or grains from the ears of corn. When ears of corn were used the ears were first roasted and then the grains were rubbed out; it consisted then of roasted or toasted grains of corn. Oil and incense were added to them. A handful was burned and the rest kept for the use of the priests.

We shall try not to become tedious in our application of this text to our Lord but we do see some rather obvious comparisons: (1) It was taken from the first-fruit of the harvest. He is the first-fruits of all of us who shall sleep in death (i.e. the body). Because He was offered as the first-fruit sacrifice and rose again we all shall be raised to eternal life. (2) These were to be green ears of corn. He was taken while yet a young man, in the freshness of His early manhood was he offered. (3) The corn was to be beaten out of the ears. It was by suffering our Saviour learned obedience and became our sacrifice. (4) The whole ear was to be roasted by or in the fire. In the fire of man's rejection and God's wrath against sin, His visage was more marred than any man, and His form than the sons of men, yet He Himself was sinless, as He says of Himself, If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Leviticus 2:15 There was frankincense to be put on it. The frankincense, or olibanum, was a resinous gum, obtained from a tree of the turpentine bearing kind, which, when put upon the fire, or a hot place, sent forth very fragrant vapor. It was wholly burnt on the altar. If the meal offering represents our Lord as a sacrifice for our sins then the frankincense could represent the mediation and intercession of our Saviourthe grateful fragrance which comes up before God from the altar of burnt sacrifice. Our consecration to God, even with the gracious operations of the Spirit, could not be acceptable, except through Christ, and the sweet intercessorial perfume which arises from His offering in our behalf. (J. A. Seiss)

Leviticus 2:16 Once again we are reminded that the priest will burn the representative or memorial portion of the offering upon the altar. We need to also notice that all the incense is burned, i.e. the total amount prepared by the worshipper for the offering is given and burned.

We have been greatly helped by the writing of C. H. MacKintosh. We quote from him for the conclusion of this chapter:
So also, if only nature be kept in the place of death, there may be in us the exhibition of that which is not corruptible, even a conversation seasoned with the -salt-' of abiding communion with God. But in all these things we fail and come short; we grieve the Holy Spirit of God in our ways. We are prone to self-seeking or men-pleasing in our very best services, and we fail to -season-' our conversation. Hence our constant deficiency in the -oil,-' the -frankincense,-' and the -salt-'; while, at the same time, there is the tendency to suffer the -leaven-' or the -honey-' of nature to make its appearance. There has been but one perfect -meat-offering-'; and, blessed be God, we are accepted in Him. We are the -sons-' of the true Aaron; our place is in the sanctuary, where we can feed upon the holy portion. Happy place! Happy portion! May we enjoy them more than ever we have done! May our retirement of heart from all but Christ be more profound! May our gaze at Him be so intense that we shall have no heart for the attractions of the scene around us, nor yet for the ten thousand petty circumstances in our path which would fret the heart and perplex the mind! May we rejoice in Christ in the sunshine and in the darkness; when the gentle breezes of summer play around us, and when the storms of winter rage fiercely abroad; when passing over the surface of a placid lake, or tossed on the bosom of a stormy ocean. Thank God, -we have found Him-' who is to be our satisfying portion forever! We shall spend eternity dwelling upon the divine perfections of the Lord Jesus.

FACT QUESTIONS 2:1-16

28.

In what sense is the term meat offering misleading when here applied? Explain.

29.

To what can the meal or gift offering be compared? Show two comparisons.

30.

Explain just how the worshipper prepared the flour, oil and incense.

31.

What can we see in the little handful of meal and the smoke of its fragrance?

32.

Show how 1 Corinthians 9:13 has application here.

33.

What lesson is there in the fact that the remaining portion of the meal offering was considered a thing most holy?

34.

How are we to understand the expression oven bakedi.e. what type of oven?

35.

The pierced cake of unleavened bread was baked in the oven. What analogy is possible here?

36.

What thought is there in the meaning of the word wafer?

37.

The fact that these unleavened pancakes were cooked upon an open griddle can teach something about our Lordwhat?

38.

The breaking of the unleavened cakes and the oil upon them teach us a wonderful lessonwhat is it?

39.

Name and explain the third type of offering, i.e. preparation. To what does it compare?

40.

Leviticus 2:8 through Leviticus 2:10 review the four ways the gift offering could be preparedname them.

41.

Two forms or kinds of leaven are excludedname them.

42.

What beautiful comparison is here made?

43.

What lesson is there in excluding honey from the sacrifice?

44.

There was a time when leaven could be used in the meal or gift offeringwhen?

45.

What can we see in the use of leaven in the meal offering?

46.

What place did salt have in these offerings? Salt is an emblem of what? How related to our Lord?

47.

What was the third variation in the use of the meal or corn?

48.

Name and discuss three possible comparisons in this third type to Jesus.

49.

What comparison can we find in the use of frankincense?

50.

Restate in your own words the conclusions you draw as you contemplate Jesus as your meat offering.