The Meal Offering
Leviticus 2
Leviticus 2
The Meal Offering. The second offering given in Leviticus is the meal offering (Heb. ‘Minchah’). The meal offering does not speak of atonement, as there was no blood sprinkled (like the burnt offering). Further, it was not to be wholly burned, but only a part was offered up to Jehovah, and the remainder was to be enjoyed by Aaron and his sons. The meal offering represents Christ, not in bearing our sins, but in the perfection of His life here below. The Lord Jesus was tried to the utmost through His life, increasingly tested by circumstances leading up to the cross, but the divine “sifting” only brought out His entire subjection, devotedness, and obedience, in the face of His difficulties and sufferings. The meal offering presents the aspects of His sinless humanity as here on earth, and then the perfections of His character brought forward by various trials.
General Instructions (2:1-3)
CHAPTER 2
1 And when any one will present an oblation to Jehovah, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense thereon.
v.1 Basic Description. The substance of the meal offering was fine flour, with two condiments: oil and frankincense. The “fine flour” speaks of the perfect, sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus. There were to be no lumps or grains in this flour. It was perfectly consistent, just like our Lord (John 8:25). The “oil” poured on the flour speaks of the Spirit of God who was the power of Jesus’ walk and characterized all His actions (Luke 4:14,18). The “frankincense” speaks of the fragrance of grace that characterized the Lord’s walk, first for the delight of God the Father, and second for the appreciation of the believer (Luke 4:22; Psa. 45:2; Col. 4:6).
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 thereof on the altar, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour. 3 And the remainder of the oblation shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is most holy of Jehovah’s offerings by fire.
vv.2-3 The Lord’s Part and the Priest’s Part. The offeror was to bring his offering to Aaron’s sons, who were to offer it. Aaron himself speaks of Christ as our great high priest, and his sons represent the believers. When Aaron is mentioned together with his sons, it speaks of Christ and the saints as a company of priests. As with the other offerings, the meal offering is an aspect of the handling of Christ in the soul of the believer and in offering it up to God as worship. The whole offering was not to be burned. Only a handful of the flour, oil, and frankincense was to be offered by fire to Jehovah. The remainder of the offering was for Aaron and his sons. While the majority of this offering was for the enjoyment of the priests, it was still an offering “most holy” unto Jehovah. There was in the life of Christ here below that which was for the delight and pleasure of God. But in His grace, God has seen fit to give that very thing that satisfies His own heart to be the portion of the saints. It is similar to the manna, which represents Christ as the bread come down from heaven (John 6). Here it is not that we must eat this food in order to sustain our spiritual life, but that it is our privilege to offer it and to partake of it.
Details Based on Baking Method (2:4-7)
4 And if thou present an offering of an oblation baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
v.4 Offerings Baked in the Oven.
5 And if thine offering be an oblation baken on the pan, it shall be fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil. 6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is an oblation.
vv.5-6 Offerings Baked in a Pan.
7 And if thine offering be an oblation prepared in the cauldron, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
v.7 Offerings Baked in a Frying Pan.
Presentation to the Priest (2:8-11)
8 And thou shalt bring the oblation that is made of these things to Jehovah; and it shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar. 9 And the priest shall take from the oblation a memorial thereof, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour. 10 And the remainder of the oblation shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is most holy of Jehovah’s offerings by fire. 11 No oblation which ye shall present to Jehovah shall be made with leaven; for no leaven and no honey shall ye burn in any fire-offering to Jehovah.
Oblation of the Firstfruits (2:12-16)
12 As to the offering of the first-fruits, ye shall present them to Jehovah; but they shall not be offered upon the altar for a sweet odour. 13 And every offering of thine oblation shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thine oblation: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt. 14 And if thou present an oblation of thy first-fruits to Jehovah, thou shalt present as the oblation of thy first-fruits green ears of corn roasted in fire, corn beaten out of full ears. 15 And thou shalt put oil on it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is an oblation. 16 And the priest shall burn the memorial thereof, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering by fire to Jehovah.