Chapter 2

1 The meat offering of flour with oil and incense, 4 either baken in the oven, 5 or on a plate, 7 or in a fryingpan, 12 or of the first-fruits in the ear. 13 The salt of the meat offering.

1. Offer a meat offering. More accurately, bring “a cereal offering [minchah] as an offering [qorban see on ch. 1:2], ” RSV. The word minchah, originally without specific religious significance, designated a gift presented to a superior. The “present” Jacob gave Esau was a minchah (Gen. 32:13). So also was the “present” that Joseph’s brothers gave him upon their arrival in Egypt (Gen. 43:11). It stood, as well, for the tribute paid by conquered peoples (2 Sam. 8:2, 6). These gifts expressed submission and dependence. At the time of Sinai minchah became the official designation for a gift to God, a gift of homage, an acknowledgment of the superiority of the One to whom the gift was given. It signified man’s dependence upon God for all the good things of life, in recognition of Him as owner and provider. In presenting such an offering a man acknowledged himself as but a steward of the things entrusted to him.

When the KJV translation was made the word “meat” meant food of all kinds. However, the expression “meat offering,” from minchah, now conveys the idea of flesh meat, which was not used in the “meat” offerings of Lev. 2. It was, rather, a meal or cereal offering, consisting of flour or grain prepared in various ways, but never of flesh meat. The minchah of Abel was, nevertheless, a lamb (Gen. 4:4). Most recent translations render minchah as “meal” or “cereal” offering.

As there were both private and public burnt offerings, so there were private and public meat offerings. The private meat offerings were voluntary, and could be offered at will and at any time. The public meat offerings were prescribed and mandatory.

Chief among the public meat offerings was the shewbread, or “bread of the Presence,” placed each Sabbath on the table in the first apartment of the sanctuary. It was first presented to the Lord, left on the table for a week, and then eaten by the priests. It was called the “bread of the Presence,” literally the “bread of the Face,” as it was continually on the table in the presence of, or before the face of, God. The shewbread table was also called the “pure table” (Lev. 24:6).

The shewbread offering consisted of 12 loaves, each made from about 51/3 lb. (2.4 kg.) of flour, and hence of considerable size. The loaves were placed in two stacks of six each on the table. The priests who had served during that week offered the Sabbath morning sacrifices and remained until the priests who had come in on Friday to serve the coming week offered the Sabbath evening sacrifices. The outgoing priests removed the old bread as the incoming priests placed the new on the table. They were careful not to remove the old until the new was ready to be put on; for there must always be bread on the table, as there must always be a burnt sacrifice on the altar. Hence, the burnt sacrifice was called the “continual burnt offering,” and the bread the “continual shewbread” (Ex. 29:42; 2 Chron. 2:4). The shewbread was offered to God under an “everlasting covenant” (Lev. 24:8). It was an ever-present testimony of Israel’s dependence upon God for sustenance and life; on God’s part it constituted a continual promise that He would sustain His people. Israel’s need was ever before God, and God’s promise was ever before the people.

A drink offering accompanied the morning and evening sacrifice (Ex. 29:40; Num. 15:5). For this reason the shewbread table contained dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls, or as other versions render it, dishes, spoons, and “cups, with which they pour out” (Ex. 25:29, Young’s translation). This drink offering was poured out in the holy place “unto the Lord.”

It is not a long step from the table of shewbread mentioned in the OT to the table of the Lord in the NT (see Luke 22:30; 1 Cor. 10:21). The bread is Christ’s body, broken for us. The cup is the new testament in His blood (1 Cor. 11:24, 25).The “bread of the Presence” is symbolic of Him who “ever liveth to make intercession” for us, of the “living bread which came down from heaven” (Heb. 7:25; John 6:51).

His offering shall be. This offering could be brought by anyone who desired to present a gift to God. It consisted of fine flour, oil, and frankincense. At times it was brought as a separate offering, but was generally combined with a burnt sacrifice.

Fine flour is the product of cooperation between God and man. God places the life principle in the seed, gives sunshine and rain, and causes it to grow. Man sows the seed, tends it, harvests it, grinds it into fine flour, and then presents it to God either in its material state as flour or as cakes baked in an oven. It is God’s original gift plus man’s labor. It is giving back to God His own with interest. It is symbolic of man’s lifework, of talents improved.

God gives to every man talents according to his capacity for using them. Some have more than one talent, no one has less. God is not pleased when men give back to Him only that which He has given them, return to Him only the amount of seed entrusted to them. God would have man plant the seed, tend and harvest it, remove all foreign and coarse particles, grind it between the upper and the nether millstone, crushing all life out of it, and then present it to Him as “fine flour.” He expects every talent to be improved, refined, ennobled.

2. Bring it to Aaron’s sons. No directions are given as to the amount to be brought. This was optional with the individual. Of each offering the priest took a handful of the flour, some of the oil, and all of the frankincense, and burned them on the altar. This was called the “memorial” part, and was “a sweet savour unto the Lord.” To this, as to all other offerings, salt was to be added (v. 13; DA 439).

3. The remnant. The cereal offering was in reality a gift to the priests, for they received all except the “memorial” portion of it. They were to divide their own portion among themselves, and each was to receive an equal share (ch. 7:10).

4. Baken in the oven. The meat offering the priests received consisted of flour and oil. They could take this and bake what they pleased. But it was also permissible for the offerer to bake it himself and bring the baked offering to the priests. If he did so, he must make unleavened cakes of fine flour and oil, divide the cakes into pieces, and pour oil over them. They might be baked in an oven or in a pan.

7. Baken in the fryingpan. The ingredients were the same, fine flour and oil. The cakes were brought “unto the Lord” and presented to the priest, who was to take the “memorial” part (v. 9) and burn it on the altar. The part that was left belonged to Aaron and his sons and was “a thing most holy” (see v. 10).

Fine flour. The fine flour used in meat offerings was no different from other fine flour, and had no special virtue attached to it. Yet, after it was given to the priest it became “most holy.” The same principle applied in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (see Acts 5). It should cause all who minister in holy things and receive dedicated offerings to be careful in the use of and handling of these “most holy” things.

As noted above, fine flour represents man’s lifework, his talents consecrated and improved.

Flour is merely crushed grain. Before being crushed it was capable of perpetuating itself, of transmitting life. Now, being crushed, it is apparently useless. It can never be planted again. The life is crushed out of it. But is it useless? No. It has given its life, it has died, that another life might be maintained. The crushing of its own life becomes the means through which a higher life is perpetuated. It was the life of the seed; now it helps sustain the life of a living being, created in the image of God. Death has enriched it, glorified it, made it serviceable to man.

Few lives are of real and enduring value until they have been bruised and crushed. It is in the deep and dark experiences of life that men find themselves and God. It is when the water goes over the soul that character is built. Sorrow, disappointment, and suffering are the able servants of God. The dark days bring showers of blessing, enabling the seed to germinate, fulfill its mission, and bring forth fruit.

The problem of suffering may be unfathomable in its deeper aspects. But some things are clear. Suffering serves a definite purpose in the plan of God as a means of preparing the soul for heaven. It mellows the spirit. It fits the soul for a deeper understanding of the true meaning of life. It inspires sympathy for others. It leads one to walk softly before God and men. It humbles.

In this life, only he who has suffered has really lived. Only he who has loved has lived. The two are inseparable. Love involves sacrifice, and sacrifice often involves suffering. This, however, need not necessarily be painful suffering; for the highest kind of suffering is holy, exalted, joyful. A mother may sacrifice for her child; she may suffer physically; but she does it joyfully, willingly. Love counts sacrifice a privilege.

The full lesson of suffering has not been learned until we can rejoice in it. And rejoice we may, and will, when we experience what Paul did when he said that “as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ” (2 Cor. 1:5). This is true also of vicarious suffering. Christ, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2).

The flour in the meat offering was not to be offered by itself alone; it was to be mingled with oil. Oil is symbolic of the Spirit of God. Only as a life is sanctified by the Spirit, mixed with it, anointed with it, can it be pleasing to God. Suffering in and of itself may not prove a blessing. With some it only leads to hardness of heart and bitterness of spirit. But as the Holy Spirit takes possession of the soul, as the sweet spirit of the Master permeates the life, the fragrance of a dedicated life becomes manifest.

9. A memorial. As God reserved a “memorial” portion of every meat offering for Himself, so He also reserves a memorial part of our income and our time. One tenth of our increase belongs to God. “All the tithe … is the Lord’s” (ch. 27:30). In like manner He has reserved the seventh day as belonging to Him (Ex. 20:10).

In these respects the Christian church comes lamentably short. Few recognize God’s claims upon them. They act as if what they have belongs to them, when in reality they are merely stewards. They count themselves liberal when they give to God’s cause, when perhaps the amount of their liberality does not equal the part which of right belongs to God, and is not theirs to begin with. In like manner, many fail in their observance of the Sabbath day. The Sabbath hours are holy time, in which we are to do God’s work and not our own.

It would be well for us to remember that the memorial part of all we possess belongs to God.

11. No leaven, nor any honey. Leaven was forbidden in any meat offering presented to God to be burned on the altar. The same prohibition applied to honey. Fermentation is a symbol of corruption. Said Christ, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1). Paul speaks of the “leaven of malice and wickedness” (1 Cor. 5:8). Honey as well as leaven was used to produce fermentation, especially in the making of vinegar. Interpreters generally associate honey with the lusts of the flesh, which may indeed be pleasing, but which contain the elements of corruption and are destructive of spiritual life. However, though leaven and honey might not be burned on the altar, leaven was definitely commanded to be brought as first fruits (Lev. 23:17), and honey was among the first fruits offered by Hezekiah (2 Chron. 31:5).

13. The salt of the covenant. A covenant of salt is a perpetual covenant (Num. 18:19; 2 Chron. 13:5). In its ability to preserve, salt is the opposite of leaven and honey. Its symbolic meaning is plain: the purifying and preserving principles of holiness and truth must never be wanting in our covenant relations with God.

“Every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt” (Mark 9:49). Fire purifies, salt preserves. To be salted with fire means not only purification but preservation. God desires a pure people, a clean people, a holy people, a people whose sins are forgiven. The keeping power of God is theirs for the asking. Not only are they to become clean and holy, but they are to be kept so. The fire with which they are to be “salted” does not destroy, but purifies. We are first to be cleansed, then we are to be kept. “Salted with fire!” “Salted with salt!” Purified and kept pure! Wonderful provision!

14. Green ears of corn. “New grain from fresh ears” (RSV). By “corn” is meant any grain, such as wheat, barley, rye, or oats. Stalks of wheat, with the ears, gathered before they are fully ripe and roasted, are still a favorite food in the East. Such could also be used for a meat offering. Oil was poured on the ears of corn, with frankincense; the “memorial” portion was burned on the altar, and the remainder given to the priest. Perhaps the bruised grain here typifies Him who was bruised for us, and by whose stripes we are healed (Isa. 53:5).

The various meat offerings present Christ as the life-giver and upholder, the One through and in whom “we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). As burnt offerings stood for consecration of the life, so meat offerings called for consecration of one’s means. The dedication of one’s means should be preceded by a dedication of life. A dedication of the life without a dedication of one’s means is not provided for in the gospel; neither is a dedication of means without a dedication of life. The two must go together. Combined, they constitute a complete sacrifice, pleasing to God, “a sweet savour unto the Lord” (Lev. 1:9).

The idea of stewardship needs emphasis. Some bear the name of Christ and loudly profess holiness and devotion to God, but their works do not correspond to their profession. The purse strings are held tightly, appeals go unheeded, and God’s cause languishes. Such need to understand that entire consecration of the life includes also consecration one’s means.

It would be incorrect, however, to conclude that a consecration of one’s means is all that God requires, and that liberal giving will smooth the way to heaven. We are to consecrate ourselves to Him. We are responsible to God for every talent He has entrusted to us, whether of means, time, or natural gifts. Of all these we are stewards, and God is the rightful Master. Talents such as song, music, speech, and leadership all belong to God. They must be dedicated to Him; they must be put on the altar.

The “meat” offerings are replete with spiritual lessons for the devout soul. All we are should be dedicated to God; all we have should be on the altar. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened” (1 Cor. 5:7). “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:6). “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another” (Mark 9:50). Finally, in the service of God we may not substitute our own inventions and methods for the plans of God, though they may be sweet as honey to out own taste.