Introduction
‘When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, their offering is to be of the finest flour. They are to pour olive oil on it, put incense on it and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the LORD.’ Leviticus 2:1-3
THE GRAIN OFFERING
Wenham, in his commentary, says the following.
‘God having granted forgiveness of sins through the burnt offering, the worshiper responded by giving to God some of the produce of his hands in cereal offering.’
The grain offering didn’t involve the taking of a life, instead, it was made up of the finest flour, Leviticus 2:1 / Genesis 4:3 / Genesis 3:10 / Judges 3:15-18, oil, and incense, Leviticus 2:1.
It looked to the time at creation when God had given to them ‘every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed,’ Genesis 1:29. This is a picture of the One who became our ‘Bread of Life’, John 6:35, and who was anointed with the ‘oil’ of the Holy Spirit, Acts 10:38. Oil is symbolic of the anointing of God.
The incense was frankincense, Leviticus 2:2, which is white and yellow looking, it was very aromatic but bitter to taste, but when it was burned it produced a sweet-smelling aroma, Exodus 30:34 / Leviticus 24:7 / Jeremiah 6:20 / Song Of Solomon 3:6. It was the symbol of a pure and good gift, and also the symbol of prayer, Exodus 30:8 / Psalm 141:2 / Luke 1:10 / Matthew 2:11 / Luke 1:10 / Revelation 5:8 / Revelation 8:3-4.
Honey was forbidden and frankincense was used instead, Leviticus 2:2 / Leviticus 2:11. The priests would then take out the memorial portion from the offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, which will become an aroma pleasing to the LORD, Leviticus 2:2 / Leviticus 2:9.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following, concerning the memorial.
‘The regular name not only for the portion of the mınchah which was burned on the altar Leviticus 2:9 / Leviticus 2:16 / Leviticus 5:12 / Leviticus 6:15 / Numbers 5:26, but for the frankincense which was laid upon the showbread Leviticus 24:7. It is the word which is applied to the prayers and alms of Cornelius, Acts 10:4.’
Ross, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The idea of a memorial portion given to God goes beyond a simple reminding. The verb often carries the nuance of beginning to act on the basis of what is remembered. The ’memorial portion’ thus reminded or prompted worshipers to live according to the covenant obligations, that is, to live as if all they had truly came from the LORD; and it prompted or motivated the LORD to honour and bless those who offered this dedication.’
When we offer anything to the Lord as a sacrifice, we are remembering our covenant relationship with Him, Luke 22:19 / 1 Corinthians 11:24-25. It was the ‘most holy part of the food’, Leviticus 2:3 / Leviticus 2:10, but only for the priests, Leviticus 2:3 / Leviticus 2:10 / Leviticus 10:12-14.
The grain offering is also called a food offering, Leviticus 6:14-23 / Numbers 15:1-10, it was a cereal offering and gives the idea of a gift, an offering of thanksgiving. Giving to God those things He has so richly given to us, was a gift given in recognition of the dignity and authority of another, 1 Chronicles 29:10.
They were to give to God the best of the things that He had given them to sustain life, Mark 7:11 / Hebrews 5:1-3 / Genesis 32:13 / Genesis 4:45 / 2 Samuel 8:2. The basic thrust of the food offering is the consecration of all a person has to God, the fruits of their labour. The food offering would show that there is no real separation between our religious life and our secular life, Colossians 3:17.
‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it is to consist of the finest flour: either thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in or thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with olive oil. If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. Bring the grain offering made of these things to the LORD; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the LORD.” Leviticus 2:4-10
Baked in an oven
If the grain offering was baked in an oven, Leviticus 2:4, it was only cultivated grain, Leviticus 2:4, which was to be offered, partly underground, never in their natural state, using all the labours of man. It was offered in the shape of roasted ears and partly fine flour, Leviticus 2:1, and the grains were to be parched dry, Leviticus 2:4 / Leviticus 2:14-16.
It could be cooked in various ways or prepared in three different ways. With oil and incense and seasoned with salt, Leviticus 2:13. Made of fine flour only, no oil or incense, used for sin offering or jealousy offering, Leviticus 5:11 / Numbers 5:15. Made with flour and oil only when used with the burnt offering, Exodus 29:40 / Numbers 15:1-2.
It was also to be without yeast, Leviticus 2:4, or honey, yeast is often compared to sin. Yeast symbolises corruption and immorality of the past, the old ways of Egyptian slavery, no yeast symbolises a new way, God’s way, Matthew 16:6 / Luke 12:1 / 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.
Prepared on a griddle
If the grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast, Leviticus 2:5. It is to be crumbled with oil poured on it, Leviticus 2:6.
Cooked in a pan
If it’s cooked in a pan, it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil, Leviticus 2:7. The grain offerings are made to the LORD and they are to be presented to the priest, who will then take it to the altar, Leviticus 2:8.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Though it fed the priests, the offeror did not offer it for the priests but to God, Ephesians 6:7 / Colossians 3:23-24.’
The priests would then take out the memorial portion from the offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, which will become an aroma pleasing to the LORD, Leviticus 2:9 / Leviticus 2:2. It was the ‘most holy part of the food’, Leviticus 2:10 / Leviticus 2:3, but only for the priests, Leviticus 2:10 / Leviticus 2:3.
‘Every grain offering you bring to the LORD must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the LORD. You may bring them to the LORD as an offering of the firstfruits, first fruits but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings. ‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain offering. The priest shall burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense, as a food offering presented to the LORD.’ Leviticus 2:11-16
Every grain offering they bring must be made without yeast, because they weren’t permitted to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering, Leviticus 2:11. Honey was forbidden and frankincense was used instead, Leviticus 2:11 / Leviticus 2:2.
This is because honey would eventually turn sour, yeast was also forbidden, but frankincense received its highest degree of fragrance after it had been burned. Honey causes fermentation and the fermentation of sweet honey would signify something that was corrupted, and so unclean. Both honey and yeast were offered as a first fruit gift but they are never offered on the altar, Leviticus 2:11.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Honey, being used to produce fermentation, and leaven (or, a small piece of fermented dough) were excluded because fermentation was an apt symbol of the working of corruption in the human heart.’
It is important to note that these could be offered as first-fruit offerings, Leviticus 2:12 / Deuteronomy 26:2 / Deuteronomy 26:12 / 2 Chronicles 31:5, but not as an offering that would be burned. They are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma, Leviticus 2:12.
All the grain offerings could be seasoned with salt, salt preserves and so is symbolic of endurance, Numbers 18:19 / 2 Chronicles 13:5 / Ezekiel 43:23-24 / Matthew 5:13 / Mark 9:49-50. They weren’t permitted to leave the salt of the covenant out of their grain offerings, Leviticus 2:13.
If they bring a grain offering of firstfruits, they are to offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire, Leviticus 2:14 / Luke 6:1, and they can put oil and incense on it, Leviticus 2:15. The priest will then burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense, as a food offering presented to the LORD, Leviticus 2:16.
It’s important to remember the Levites didn’t inherit any land, Numbers 18:20-24 / Deuteronomy 10:9, but the Israelites were to supply the food for them, 1 Corinthians 9:13-14, and so, the first cuttings of the harvest were given to the Lord in support of the Levites. God is the provider of all things, but before we enjoy the fruits of our labour, we first must give God what we have, Matthew 6:33.
The meal offering and drink offering plus burnt-offering all went together, Numbers 15:3-4, or with the peace offerings, Numbers 15:8-9, or by themselves but never with sin or trespass offerings. Priests were required to give a personal meal-offering twice daily, one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour baked on a flat pan with oil and then parted into pieces, one half offered in the morning and the other half in the evening, Leviticus 6:20 / Leviticus 14:10 / Leviticus 14:21. Meal offerings were offered for the poor for atonement in lieu of the bloody sacrifice, Leviticus 5:11.
The gift must be brought by the worshipper himself, but it requires the mediation of a priest. One-tenth of an ephah is given to God, offered on the altar. Taking a portion of the grain, baked goods, or first fruits, putting oil and frankincense upon it, salting it and then placing it upon the fire. The rest of the offering is given by God to the priests, Leviticus 2:3 / Leviticus 2:10 / Leviticus 6:16.
A PICTURE OF CHRIST
Christ in His human perfection was tested by suffering, Hebrews 2:18, the fine flour represented the sinless humanity of Jesus, 1 Peter 2:22 / 2 Corinthians 5:21 / Hebrews 4:15. The fire is testing by suffering, Isaiah 48:10 / 1 Peter 1:7, even unto death, Revelation 2:10. Frankincense symbolises the aroma of Christ’s life towards the Father, Exodus 30:34.
The absence of yeast, a type of absence of evil, shows forth Christ’s character as the truth, John 14:6. Yeast in the New Testament speaks of a bad force of change, a changeable God or one who could be altered or weakened could certainly not be holy.