Lev 2:2 | KingComments | STEP | The “grain offering” is the only non-blood offering of the five offerings. That is why there is no question of atonement here. However, it is mentioned in one breath with the burnt offering (cf. ). The LORD continues to speak here without pause. The grain offering speaks of the perfect life of the Lord Jesus. But the perfect life of the Lord Jesus can never take away sins. No human being can be saved by His holy life because it has no atoning effect. Atonement can only happen through the blood. Therefore, a grain offering is always connected to a blood burnt offering. However, the atoning death of Christ could not have taken place without a life perfectly devoted to God prior to it. Historically, the grain offering – a picture of the life of the Lord Jesus – precedes the burnt offering – a picture of the death of the Lord Jesus. The fact that the burnt offering is spoken of first and only then of the grain offering shows that it is impossible to understand anything about the life of the Lord Jesus without first seeing what His death means. Just like the burnt offering, the grain offering is also “a soothing aroma to the LORD”. For there is a part that is brought on the altar and burned. Nothing may be eaten of the burnt offering: everything is for the LORD. But what is left of the grain offering is for the priests. They may eat it as something “most holy” ( ). The manna may also be eaten by priests and also the common people can eat from that. The manna speaks of the Lord Jesus ( ). The manna serves as food for the people on their journey through the wilderness. Spiritually, the manna shows that we may feed ourselves with the Lord Jesus to gain strength to continue our journey through this life. When we read about Him in the Gospels, we see how He went through life on earth. To hear Him speak and to see Him act for the glory of God gives us strength to do the same. But there is a difference between the manna and the grain offering. The grain offering does not represent the Lord Jesus in His way through this world, but speaks of what He is in Himself, speaks of the glory of His perfect Manhood. To see that distinction, you must be a priest, that is to say, be used to live in God’s presence. Believers who are priests in practice enjoy the Lord Jesus, enjoy Him as He is, and offer this to God as a soothing aroma to Him. The grain offering has three components: 1. “Flour.” This comes from the wheat. That reminds us of John 12 ( ). Wheat grows out of the earth. The Lord Jesus is “the fruit of the earth” ( ), because He is born as Man. The flour, that is the finest flour, speaks of the perfect purity – any dirt in it would immediately stand out – and the perfect equality of the particles. The triple and unambiguous testimony of Scripture therefore reads: “In Him there is no sin” ( ), “Him who knew no sin” ( ) and “who committed no sin” ( ). His whole revelation is perfect at any time. He is perfect in showing love and grace, but also in holiness and righteousness. Everything with Him is perfect in His time. With us there is often unevenness, we have our outliers, even in that in which we are strong. Moses “was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth” ( ), but yet once loses his patience and he sins ( ). 2. “Oil.” Oil is used for example for the ointment of priests and kings. It is a picture of the Holy Spirit ( ; ). In connection with the grain offering it shows how much the whole life of the Lord Jesus is characterized by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Thus is He begotten by the Holy Spirit ( ). In His whole life as Man on earth He is guided by the Holy Spirit ( ); everything He says and does, He says and does in the power of the Holy Spirit. The oil ‘moistens’ the fine flour ( ). Therefore His Name is “[like] purified oil” ( ). He is perfect and truly Man, and that without ceasing to be the eternal God. 3. “Frankincense.” This is the pleasant fragrance that goes up from the offering to God. God has perfectly enjoyed the Man Christ Jesus in His life on earth until His death on the cross. Everything He does and says, until death on the cross, is a perfect pleasure for God. Although the smell of the incense is for God, the priest who brings this offering smells the smell of it. We can understand that, when we consider that a priest is someone who is somewhat aware of how great the satisfaction is God has found in His Son. To the grain offering a “memorial portion” is connected ( ). There are also two psalms that David has specially written “for a memorial” ( ). The expression “memorial” determines that when we bring a grain offering, we remember the life of the Lord Jesus on earth and remind God of that as it were. God loves to look back at the life of His Son on earth and wants to hear about it from us.

‏ Leviticus 2:2

Introduction

The “grain offering” is the only non-blood offering of the five offerings. That is why there is no question of atonement here. However, it is mentioned in one breath with the burnt offering (cf. Exo 40:29). The LORD continues to speak here without pause.

The grain offering speaks of the perfect life of the Lord Jesus. But the perfect life of the Lord Jesus can never take away sins. No human being can be saved by His holy life because it has no atoning effect. Atonement can only happen through the blood. Therefore, a grain offering is always connected to a blood burnt offering. However, the atoning death of Christ could not have taken place without a life perfectly devoted to God prior to it.

Historically, the grain offering – a picture of the life of the Lord Jesus – precedes the burnt offering – a picture of the death of the Lord Jesus. The fact that the burnt offering is spoken of first and only then of the grain offering shows that it is impossible to understand anything about the life of the Lord Jesus without first seeing what His death means.

Just like the burnt offering, the grain offering is also “a soothing aroma to the LORD”. For there is a part that is brought on the altar and burned. Nothing may be eaten of the burnt offering: everything is for the LORD. But what is left of the grain offering is for the priests. They may eat it as something “most holy” (Lev 2:3 ; 10).

The manna may also be eaten by priests and also the common people can eat from that. The manna speaks of the Lord Jesus (Jn 6:48-51). The manna serves as food for the people on their journey through the wilderness. Spiritually, the manna shows that we may feed ourselves with the Lord Jesus to gain strength to continue our journey through this life. When we read about Him in the Gospels, we see how He went through life on earth. To hear Him speak and to see Him act for the glory of God gives us strength to do the same.

But there is a difference between the manna and the grain offering. The grain offering does not represent the Lord Jesus in His way through this world, but speaks of what He is in Himself, speaks of the glory of His perfect Manhood. To see that distinction, you must be a priest, that is to say, be used to live in God’s presence. Believers who are priests in practice enjoy the Lord Jesus, enjoy Him as He is, and offer this to God as a soothing aroma to Him.

Ingredients of the Grain Offering

The grain offering has three components:

1. “Flour.” This comes from the wheat. That reminds us of John 12 (Jn 12:24). Wheat grows out of the earth. The Lord Jesus is “the fruit of the earth” (Isa 4:2 ; Isa 53:2), because He is born as Man. The flour, that is the finest flour, speaks of the perfect purity – any dirt in it would immediately stand out – and the perfect equality of the particles. The triple and unambiguous testimony of Scripture therefore reads: “In Him there is no sin” (1Jn 3:5), “Him who knew no sin” (2Cor 5:21) and “who committed no sin” (1Pet 2:22).

His whole revelation is perfect at any time. He is perfect in showing love and grace, but also in holiness and righteousness. Everything with Him is perfect in His time. With us there is often unevenness, we have our outliers, even in that in which we are strong. Moses “was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth” (Num 12:3), but yet once loses his patience and he sins (Num 20:8-11).

2. “Oil.” Oil is used for example for the ointment of priests and kings. It is a picture of the Holy Spirit (2Cor 1:21; 1Jn 2:20 ; 27). In connection with the grain offering it shows how much the whole life of the Lord Jesus is characterized by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Thus is He begotten by the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). In His whole life as Man on earth He is guided by the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38); everything He says and does, He says and does in the power of the Holy Spirit. The oil ‘moistens’ the fine flour (Eze 46:14). Therefore His Name is “[like] purified oil” (Song 1:3). He is perfect and truly Man, and that without ceasing to be the eternal God.

3. “Frankincense.” This is the pleasant fragrance that goes up from the offering to God. God has perfectly enjoyed the Man Christ Jesus in His life on earth until His death on the cross. Everything He does and says, until death on the cross, is a perfect pleasure for God.

Although the smell of the incense is for God, the priest who brings this offering smells the smell of it. We can understand that, when we consider that a priest is someone who is somewhat aware of how great the satisfaction is God has found in His Son.

To the grain offering a “memorial portion” is connected (Lev 2:2 ; 9 ; 16). There are also two psalms that David has specially written “for a memorial” (Psa 38:1 ; Psa 70:1). The expression “memorial” determines that when we bring a grain offering, we remember the life of the Lord Jesus on earth and remind God of that as it were. God loves to look back at the life of His Son on earth and wants to hear about it from us.