02 Leviticus
Notes
Transcript
Chapter 2 – (Look for the imagery, but don’t force it – hindsight is 20/20)
The Grain Offering, the meat offering, where meat means meal.
Always from the grain, thus always after the harvest. Represents man’s labour.
Oblation (seen in V.4) = offering, (aka corban, Mark 7:11). Strong’s H7133, as well as H4503; G2878.
Frist record of a grain / meat offering is found in Genesis 4:2-3 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. “Fruit of the ground” and “meat offering” have the same meaning.
It is a bloodless offering. It’s still a freewill offering
Verses 1-3
V.1 fine flour, without impurities – flour fit for a King. In other words, give God the very best you have to offer. (This may become a repeated theme.)
When you look for it you can see the imagery of our Triune God.
· Fine flour – fit for a King, 1 Kings 4:22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour… God/Son
· Frankincense = is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. God/Father
· Oil = represents the Holy Spirit God/Holy Spirit
V.2 Where all of the “burnt offering” was to the Lord, only a handful of the grain offering is burnt before God.
V.3 Notice also that God is making provision for the Tribe of Levi for they were given no inheritance of land. The “remnant” of the offering [I’ll call the leftovers] was to go to Aaron and his son. A source of food for them. It was considered “most holy”. (The priest gets to partake of the offering). 1 Timothy 5:18, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
Other aspects of the Components of the Grain Offering:
· Fine flour – flour fit for a King – sift out the bugs!
o Both Jesus and Pete were to be sifted by Satan
§ Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up on the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (The sifting of Christ, much in the same manner as He said Satan would sift Peter).
§ Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
· Handful – that was all the Lord required. The remainder supplied the priest (V.3)
o Burned by fire – V.2
· Most Holy – God did not provide the Levites with an inheritance, but He did provide for them.
Verses 4-10 Let the cooking begin.
· Oblation – an oblation is anything that is brought as an offering unto the LORD. (Used 10x in Leviticus)
o Hebrew word Corban is used 5x in Leviticus 2. Also, in Mark 7:11 (As a reason not to provide for elderly parents)
· Meat (grain/meal) offering – BREAD, as in a bread offering; as in Jesus, the bread of life offered as a living sacrifice. Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 6:35. Jesus too was a free will offering. (Look for the imagery)
· Meat (grain/meal) offering
o Baked in an oven – V.4 – cake or wafers
§ Unleavened, mixed with oil
o Baked in a pan – V.5 – pancakes
§ Broken in pieces so the priest could have a share
o Baked in a fryingpan – V.7 – Cornbread [my 3 guesses]
All of which are placed on the altar to be burned. (Frankincense is more fragrant when burned)
o V.9 a sweet savour unto the LORD
o What’s left goes to Aaron and his sons
o Nothing can be offered with leaven (fermentation a picture of corruption or sin)
o All meat offerings are seasoned with salt (a picture of salvation as salt is a preservative)
Verses 11-13 Leaven, Salt, And Honey
· Leaven changes the whole of _____. It is a process of fermentation. It alters or effects a change.
o Leaven represents sin and corruption.
o 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
· Honey (I’m told) produces acidity and causes the body to purge. One commentator also suggest it will ferment thus bringing corruption to the food the priest might eat.
o Proverbs 25:27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
o It’s a secretion and thereby unclean in the ancient Jewish mind.
o Non-biblically, it represented sexuality and was used in pagan sacrifices / religions.
· First fruit offering – V.12
o Not to be burned (Why?)
· SALT – V.13 – all the grain/(meat) offerings were to be salted.
o “Salt of the covenant of thy God” – A reminder of the relationship between God and the Israelites. An idea of permanence – a permanent relationship. V.2, a memorial portion.
§ Numbers 18:19 (A covenant of salt)
§ 2 Chronicles 13:5 (A covenant of salt)
o Salt flavors or enhances, but never loses its flavor. It is a preservative
§ Jesus teaches through a parable in Matthew 5:1-13
· V.13 - Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Salt doesn’t lose it’s flavor.
o (Jewish perspective) Never shall you suspend the salt covenant of your G‑d . . . with all your offerings you shall offer salt (2:13). When G‑d separated the supernal waters from the lower waters (see Genesis 1:6–8), He made a covenant with the lower waters that their salt will be offered on the altar. (Rashi).
§ The world is one part wilderness, one part settled land and one part sea. Said the sea to G‑d: “Master of the Universe! The Torah will be given in the wilderness; the Holy Temple will be built on settled land; and what about me?”Said G‑d: “The people of Israel will offer your salt upon the altar.” (Yalkut HaReuveni)
§ The korban, which was the vehicle of the elevation of the world to G‑d, had to include “representatives” of all four sectors of creation: the inanimate world, the vegetable world, the animal world and the human world. Thus the korban was offered by a human being, and consisted of an animal, grain and salt.
At the end of the day… the grain offering is a voluntary offering of our labour; growing, grinding, making into a bread dough. The adding of frankincense for a sweet-smelling odor – representative of our prayers. (The Expositors Bible – Leviticus). Oil is symbolic of the Holy Ghost as well as prayer.
Final Thoughts:
It should be noted that all the grain/meat/meal offerings are kneaded with or anointed with oil. Again, oil being a representation of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; Speaking of Jesus, the Bread of life, anointed with oil/Holy Spirit, a freewill offering.
When the preacher preaches, he desires to be anointed by the Holy Spirit.
When the sinner is saved, (having been kneaded by the Holy Spirit and offering himself to God) he is said to have received the anointing, the Holy Spirit.
My point is that Our lives should become a freewill offering to God.
The Grain offering comes after the blood offering, which is offered for forgiveness of sins. Consecration is only available after forgiveness God must see the blood before He can receive you / your offering.
Paul says in Romans 12:1-2 – Now we’re back to worship.
Sermon Starters/Study Notes (Lunsford, J. (2006). Leviticus 101 (p. 27)).
Consecration and Dedication
The Grain Offering was …
1) Pure: The Finest Flour (vs. 1-3)
2) Prepared: Baked in the Oven (vs. 4-10)
3) Purged: No Leaven or Honey (vs. 11-13)
4) Plentiful: A Gift of the First Fruits (vs. 14-16)
God expects our best. Oftentimes we are tried in the fires of life, which serve to free us of all sin. Then we can give back to God as He has so freely given.
1) Describe a pure life. What sets a pure life apart from the world?
2) Verses 4-10 list several different ways an offering could be prepared. Name some ways you and I can prepare ourselves to serve the Lord.
3) Compare the definition of purge with the definition of sanctification. How has Christ provided for our cleansing?
4) A dedicated Christian will always strive to give God their best. Giving our best to God requires more than our money. Name some ways in which we can offer our best to God.