The Meat Offering - Conclusion
Introduction: Almost every scholar wants to change the meat offering to something else—although they cannot decide what else. The name is said to be confusing to Bible readers. The meat offering has no animal flesh. In fact, it is the only major offering in which no animals are killed. Why is it called the meat offering? Actually, there are very good reasons for calling it the meat offering.
The Biblical use of meat refers to solid food as opposed to drink (see Psalm 69:21They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
See All...; Daniel 1:10And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
See All...; Matthew 25:35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
See All...; John 6:55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
See All...; Romans 14:17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
See All...). This is also the older use of the word in English. The first occurrences of meat in the Bible are found in Genesis 1:29-30 [29] And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
[30] And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
See All... where God gives every “herb bearing seed” and the “fruit of a tree…for meat.” Obviously, the fine flour of the meat offering would fit into the meaning of the word.
But there is more. The meat offering has a very special typology that is revealed plainly by the cross references to the word meat as used by Christ. The meat offering is the offering of a “living sacrifice”—the kind Christians are supposed to give (Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
See All...). It is also the kind of sacrifice Christ gave during His earthly ministry. Two verses especially teach this. In John 4:34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
See All..., Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” In John 6:27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
See All..., He declares, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.” These references to meat fit perfectly with the meaning of the meat offering .
Yet, this wonderful connection in scripture is destroyed in the modern versions of the Bible. And it is not simply a matter of them choosing another word. None that I have examined use the same word—any word—in all three passages. Observe the following chart:
Bible Version | Leviticus 2:1And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
See All... | John 4:34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
See All... | John 6:27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
See All... |
---|---|---|---|
NIV | grain offering | food | food |
RSV | cereal offering | food | food |
NKJV | grain offering | food | food |
ASV | meal offering | meat | food |
Living Bible | grain offering | nourishment | food |
King James Bible | meat offering | meat | meat |
This lesson will deal with the different elements of the meat offering. It will then show how these characteristics apply to the life of Christ and the life of the believer.
- THE FINE FLOUR (Leviticus 2:1And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
See All...) - Description – fine flour. It was beaten to a fine grain so that it had no lumps or imperfections.
- Application
- Contrition – to be contrite means literally to be beaten into small pieces; it pictures a smallness in the sight of God; repentance, submission (Psalm 34:18The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
See All...; Isaiah 66:1-2 [1] Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? [2] For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
See All...) - Jesus, as the bread of life (John 6:47-51 [47] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
[48] I am that bread of life.
[49] Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
[50] This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
[51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
See All...), displayed His contrition (Mark 14:34-36 [34] And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. [35] And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. [36] And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
See All...) and humility (Philippians 2:5-8 [5] Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: [6] Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! [7] Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? [8] Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
See All...). The fine flour also points out His perfection (Hebrews 7:26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
See All...). - THE OIL (Leviticus 2:1And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
See All...) - Description – to be poured on the bread made of the fine flour
- Symbology
- The bread is a picture of the body (Matthew 26:26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
See All...) - The oil is a picture of the Holy Ghost (1Samuel 16:13
See All...; Isaiah 61:1The 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;
See All...) - The pouring was an act of anointing (Exodus 29:7Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.
See All...) - Application
- To the life of Christ (John 3:34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
See All...; Luke 4:16-21 [16] And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. [17] And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, [18] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, [19] To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. [20] And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. [21] And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
See All...; Hebrews 1:9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
See All...) - To the life of the believer (Galatians 5:16-26 [16] This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
[17] For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
[18] But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
[23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
[24] And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
[25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
[26] Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
See All...; Ephesians 3:16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
See All...; 5:18
See All...) - THE FRANKINCENSE (Leviticus 2:1-2 [1] And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering 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 flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
See All...) - Description
- A spice used for increasing and extending the aroma of other spices
- To be placed on the meat offering
- Application
- A type of prayer in the Bible (Psalm 141:1-2 [1] Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
[2] Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
See All...; Revelation 8:3-4 [3] And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. [4] And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
See All...); and, as such, a type of the holy life given to God [Note: the sin offering was not to have frankincense (Leviticus 5:11But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.
See All...); neither was the offering for jealousy (Numbers 5:15Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
See All...)]. - Prayer in the life of Christ (Matthew 14:23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
See All...; Mark 1:35And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
See All...; Luke 6:12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
See All...) - Prayer in the life of the believer (Colossians 4:2Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
See All...; 1 Thessalonians 5:17Pray without ceasing.
See All...; 1 Timothy 2:1I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
See All...) Prayer: the Test of Spiritual Maturity – “When a man is speaking to God, he is at his very acme. It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s true spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life. Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer.” –quote of Martyn Lloyd-Jones in The Sacred Anointing by Tony Sargent (p. 136). - THE MEMORIAL OF THE MEAT OFFERING (Leviticus 2:2-3 [2] And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
[3] And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
See All...) - The Ingredients of the Offering (Leviticus 2:2And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
See All...) - A handful of the flour
- A handful of the oil
- All the frankincense
- Burned as a memorial
- Other memorials in the Bible
- The anointing of Jesus (Matthew 26:13Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
See All...) - The prayers and alms of Cornelius (Acts 10:4And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
See All...) - The elements of the Lord’s Supper – “remembrance (1 Corinthians 11:24-25 [24] And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
[25] After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
See All...) - The part our memory plays in holy living (Psalm 30:4Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
See All...; Psalm 38 title; 1 Corinthians 4:17For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
See All...; 2 Timothy 2:14Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
See All...; 2 Peter 1:12-15 [12] Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. [13] Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; [14] Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. [15] Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
See All...; 3:1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
See All...) - An Offering Made by Fire (Leviticus 2:2And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
See All...) - A Sweet Savor to the Lord (Leviticus 2:2And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
See All...) - The Remainder of the Meat Offering (Leviticus 2:3And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
See All...) - For Aaron
- For Aaron’s sons
- A THING MOST HOLY (Leviticus 2:3And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
See All...,Leviticus 2:10And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
See All...) - Categories of Holiness (Leviticus 21:22He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
See All...) - The holy (Numbers 18:19All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
See All...) - The most holy (Leviticus 6:14-18 [14] And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.
[15] And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD.
[16] And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
[17] It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.
[18] All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.
See All...) - The Things Most Holy
- As something devoted to God (Leviticus 27:28Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.
See All...) - As for the priests only
- To be eaten in the holy places (Leviticus 10:12-13 [12] And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:
[13] And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.
See All...; 24:9
See All...; Numbers 18:9-10 [9] This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. [10] In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.
See All...) - A Type of Christ (Daniel 9:24Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
See All...; Luke 1:35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
See All...; Hebrews 7:26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
See All...) - A Picture of the Believer (1 Thessalonians 4:7For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
See All...; 1 Peter 1:15-16 [15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
See All...) Failure of Prophecy Preaching – “The doctrine of Christ’s return has fallen into neglect, on the North American continent at least, and as far as I can detect, today exercises no power whatever over the rank and file of Bible-believing Christians. For this there may be a number of contributing factors; but the chief one is, I believe, the misfortune suffered by prophetic truth between the two world wars when men without tears undertook to instruct us in the writings of the tear-stained prophets. Big crowds and big offerings resulted until events proved the teachers wrong on too many points; then the reaction set in and prophecy lost favor with the masses. This was a neat trick of the devil and it worked too well. We should and must learn that we cannot handle holy things carelessly without suffering serious consequences.” –from God Tells the Man Who Cares by A. W. Tozer (p.10). See 2 Peter 3:10-14 [10] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. [11] Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, [12] Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? [13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. [14] Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
See All.... - MADE BY FIRE (Leviticus 2:3-7 [3] And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
[4] And if thou bring an oblation of a meat 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 meat offering baken in a 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 meat offering.
[7] And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
See All...) - A Type of Trials (Leviticus 2:3And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
See All... – “made by fire;” 1 Peter 1:7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
See All...) Safe in Christ – “There used to be an old battered safe standing on Broadway, in New York, on which was the notice, ‘It stood the test; the contents were all saved.’ It had been in one of the hottest fires New York ever saw, but the old safe had carried its treasures safely through it all. No life so safe as that which is guided and controlled by Christ.” –by J. Ellis from One Thousand Evangelistic Illustrations by Aquilla Webb (page 16). See John 10:28-29 [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. [29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
See All.... - Kinds of trials (Leviticus 2:4-7 [4] And if thou bring an oblation of a meat 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 meat offering baken in a 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 meat offering.
[7] And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
See All...) - Three kinds of baking mentioned
- Baked in an oven (Leviticus 2:4And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
See All...) - Cakes mingled with oil
- Cakes anointed with oil
- Baked in a pan (Leviticus 2:5-6 [5] And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a 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 meat offering.
See All...) - Only cakes mingled with oil (Leviticus 2:5And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
See All...) - Must be parted in pieces (Leviticus 2:6Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering.
See All...) - Baked in a frying pan (Leviticus 2:7-9 [7] And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
[8] And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
[9] And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
See All...); made of fine flour with oil (Leviticus 2:7And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
See All...) - Three kinds of temptations
- Listed (1 John 2:15-16 [15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
[16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
See All...) - Fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
See All...) - Temptation of Christ (Matthew 4:1-11 [1] Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
[2] And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
[3] And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
[4] But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
[5] Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
[6] And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
[7] Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
[8] Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
[9] And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
[10] Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
[11] Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
See All...) - Application
- The trials of Christ (Hebrews 2:9-10 [9] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
[10] For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
See All...) - The trials of the believer (Romans 5:3-5 [3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
[4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
[5] And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
See All...; 1 Peter 1:6-7 [6] Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: [7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
See All...) Never Free From Trials - The evangelist George Whitefield had just survived a dangerous nine and a half week long voyage across the Atlantic from America in which he and all on board came close to losing their lives. In his journal entry for Tuesday, November 14, 1738, he stated, "Whilst I continue on this side Eternity, I never expect to be free from trials, only to change them. For it is necessary to heal the pride of my heart, that such should come." Christians today are looking for the absence of trials. The saints of old understood that the Christian life took them from one trial to another for the cause of Christ. "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
See All...) - BROUGHT TO THE ALTAR (Leviticus 2:8-9 [8] And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
[9] And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
See All...) - Brought to the Lord (Leviticus 2:8And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
See All...) - Presented to the Priest (Leviticus 2:8And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
See All...); that is, to Jesus Christ (Romans 6:13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
See All...; 12:1
See All...) - The Memorial Burnt upon the Altar (Leviticus 2:9And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
See All...; Hebrews 13:10-13 [10] We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. [11] For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. [12] Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. [13] Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
See All...) - NO LEAVEN (Leviticus 2:11No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.
See All...) - Leaven is a picture of sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-8 [6] Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
[7] 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.
See All...; Galatians 5:7-9 [7] Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? [8] This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. [9] A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
See All...) - The life of Christ was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
See All...; Hebrews 4:15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
See All...; 1 Peter 2:22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
See All...; 1 John 3:5And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
See All...) - NO HONEY (Leviticus 2:11No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.
See All...) - Honey – a type of the good (sweet) things of life (see Exodus 33:3Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
See All...; Psalm 81:16He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
See All...; Proverbs 25:16Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
See All..., 27; Isaiah 7:15Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
See All...) - Application
- In the life of Christ (Isaiah 53:1-4 [1] Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
[2] For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
[3] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
See All...; Matthew 20:28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
See All...) - In the sobriety of the believers (Titus 2:2That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
See All..., 4, 6; Ephesians 5:4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
See All...); but not an absence of joy (Philippians 4:4
See All...) - THE OBLATION OF THE FIRSTFRUITS (Leviticus 2:12As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.
See All...) - To Be Offered unto the Lord; as a blessing to the priests (Leviticus 23:19Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
See All...; Proverbs 3:9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
See All...; Ezekiel 44:30And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.
See All...) - Not to be Burnt on the Altar; to maintain the ministry (2 Timothy 2:6The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
See All...) - Application: the firstfruits are a type of the blessings of service; though they are offered to the Lord, they are not to be burnt [that is, they are not part of the fiery trial of faith]. (Romans 6:22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
See All...; Galatians 5:22-23 [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
See All...; Philippians 1:11Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
See All...; James 3:17-18 [17] But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. [18] And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
See All...) - SEASONED WITH SALT (Leviticus 2:13And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
See All...) - Seasoned with Salt (Mark 9:50Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
See All...; Colossians 4:6Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
See All...) - With every meat offering
- The salt of the covenant never to be lacking
- All offerings to be offered with salt
- A Covenant of Salt (Numbers 18:19All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
See All...; 2 Chronicles 13:4-6 [4] And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; [5] Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? [6] Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
See All...) - Application
- To flavor; to make pleasing to the taste; a sacrifice which pleases God
- The life of Christ (Matthew 3:16-17 [16] And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
[17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
See All...) - The life of the believer (Hebrews 13:15-16 [15] By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
[16] But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
See All...) - To preserve (see Colossians 1:22-23 [22] In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
[23] If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
See All...) - AN OFFERING OF FIRSTFRUITS (Leviticus 2:14-16 [14] And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
[15] And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
[16] And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
See All...) - Different from the Oblation of Firstfruits (Leviticus 2:12As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.
See All...) - Green Ears of Corn (Leviticus 2:14-16 [14] And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
[15] And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
[16] And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
See All...; Matthew 12:1At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.
See All...) - Beaten out of full ears (Leviticus 2:14And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
See All...) - Dried by the fire (Leviticus 2:14And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
See All...) - Oil put on it (Leviticus 2:15And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
See All...) - Frankincense put on it (Leviticus 2:15And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
See All...) - The memorial burnt as an offering unto the Lord (Leviticus 2: 16)
- Part of the beaten corn
- Part of the oil
- All of the frankincense
- The Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
See All..., 13) - A Type of the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
See All..., 23)
Conclusion: At the Feast of Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-17 [15] And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
[16] Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
[17] Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
See All...), there was to be offered a new meat offering. The new meat offering was like other meat offerings in most regards. There was, however, to be one major difference. The new meat offering was to be offered with leaven (Leviticus 23:17Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
See All...). Leaven, the type of sin, was to be included. Why?
Well, the feast of Pentecost was a type of the New Testament and the dispensation of grace. In this dispensation, more than in any other, God allows those who are sinners to partake of His righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. And, though we may still have some leaven in us, we are allowed to offer our bodies a living sacrifice for God (Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
See All...). What a glorious truth in this passage!