Leviticus
chapter 2 describes the grain offering, or ‘meal’ offering. This is
the only offering that required no bloodshed. Grain, or bread refers
to God’s provision for our every need for sustaining life. The
chapter begins, “When
someone brings a grain offering to the Lord, His offering is to be of
fine flour“.
The priest was to take a portion of the offering, mix it with oil
and incense, “and
burn this as a memorial portion on the altar“.
The rest of the offering, “belongs
to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offering made to
the Lord by fire“.
Interesting that the portion the priests are to receive is called a
most holy portion. Perhaps this is a good reminder that we need to
provide for the physical needs of our pastors as well. The chapter
describes several ways the grain can be offered, “cooked
in an oven… as wafers… on a griddle… in a pan“;
but in every case the offering must be “made
without yeast and mixed with oil“.
Yeast always symbolizes sin, and oil the Holy Spirit of God.
In
John 6:35, Jesus declares, “I
am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he
that believes in Me will not thirst“.
Jesus is the fulfillment of the picture given in the grain offering.
He alone is without sin. And being filled with the Holy Spirit, He
alone took the judgment for the sin of man. But in addition to
salvation, we are given an abundant life. We are not to be miserly
with the grace we have been given, we are to share what sustains us
with those that are starving all around us. Verse 11 also adds, “you
are not to burn any yeast or honey in the offering made to the Lord“.
Without the Holy Spirit we are just dry flour, but we must take care
not to add too much of the world’s definition of abundance (honey).
We are not promised health and wealth, but rather restoration and
forgiveness. Earlier in John chapter 6, the disciples ask, “What
shall we do that we may work the works of God?”
And Jesus gives this simple reply, “This
is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent“.
Verse
13 adds, “Season
all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the
covenant of your God out of your offerings; add salt to your
offerings“.
Three times in one verse salt is stressed. Salt is a preservative,
it is used to prevent decay and purify. It is a symbol of God’s
unchanging nature. Matthew 5:13 exhorts us, “You
are to be the salt of the earth“.
As we live out our lives so we are to have a purifying effect on
those around us. Finally verse 14 encourages us that we may bring,
“crushed
heads of new grain”
before the Lord. Even if you are a new believer, you have much to
offer. The enthusiasm of a new believer (when mixed with the oil of
the Spirit) adds excitement to the body of Christ. What a wonderful
recipe we are given here for living out our faith. What does the
“bread” of your life taste like to those around you?