Lev 2:11 | KingComments | STEP | The grain offering shall not contain leaven or honey, while the salt shall not be lacking ( ). When we express our thoughts about the Lord Jesus to God, we can unfortunately make false statements about Him. If we assume that the Lord Jesus could have sinned, even though He did not do it, it is leaven. Scripture unambiguously shows that the Lord Jesus could not sin. We also nowhere find in Scripture, the idea that the Father left the Lord Jesus on the cross. We read the opposite in John 16 ( ). The Man Jesus Christ is forsaken by God in the hours of darkness. It is also leaven to suppose that the Lord Jesus is under the wrath of God during His life on earth. On the contrary, He always does what the Father pleases, also on earth. Honey is used in every pastry, as we now use sugar. But it may not be used in the grain offering. Honey in itself is good, it gives new energy ( ; ). It speaks of the pleasant sweetness of the natural things of life. We can think of the family relationship, the relationship between husband and wife and between parents and children. The natural feelings we have are not wrong. It is even wrong if they are lacking ( ). The Lord Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to leaven, “which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened” ( ). We see the three measures of flour in the grain offering, a picture of the perfect Manhood of Christ. The woman represents the false church. This shows in picture that the truth about Christ is corrupted by the false church. The grain offering speaks of the perfectly devoted life of the Lord Jesus to God. In this dedication, ‘honey’ does not play a role. The Lord Jesus loves His mother Mary. At the cross we see how great His love and care for her are. But as soon as she interferes in His obedient fulfilment of the will of His Father, He must say: “Woman, what does that have to do with us? ( ; ; ). The Lord does not despise natural feelings. He has given them Himself to man. But they cannot have a place in the work He does. They are not allowed to do the same with us if we want to do a work for the Lord. They may hinder a real choice for the Lord Jesus, or the decision to do a work for Him ( ; ). When we think about His suffering, it is not right that we do so with our natural feelings. We see such feelings in the women of Jerusalem, about whom the Lord gives a warning ( ). If there is any of these ingredients in the grain offering, the offering should be treated as an offering of first fruits. This offering may not come on the altar. That is because there is leaven in it. This is discussed in more detail in Leviticus 23 ( ). There we see that this offering speaks of the church. In the members of the church sin is still present ( ), although it is stripped of its power. We see that with the offering of the first fruits also a sin offering is brought. This is not the case with the sheave of the first fruits ( ), which speaks of the Lord Jesus. But isn’t it a wonderful thought that we too can offer ourselves to God? And even though we are not like the Lord Jesus completely a pleasant fragrance for God, it is an offering that is pleasant to Him ( ).

‏ Leviticus 2:11

No Leaven, no Honey

The grain offering shall not contain leaven or honey, while the salt shall not be lacking (Lev 2:13). When we express our thoughts about the Lord Jesus to God, we can unfortunately make false statements about Him. If we assume that the Lord Jesus could have sinned, even though He did not do it, it is leaven. Scripture unambiguously shows that the Lord Jesus could not sin.

We also nowhere find in Scripture, the idea that the Father left the Lord Jesus on the cross. We read the opposite in John 16 (Jn 16:32). The Man Jesus Christ is forsaken by God in the hours of darkness. It is also leaven to suppose that the Lord Jesus is under the wrath of God during His life on earth. On the contrary, He always does what the Father pleases, also on earth.

Honey is used in every pastry, as we now use sugar. But it may not be used in the grain offering. Honey in itself is good, it gives new energy (1Sam 14:27; Pro 24:13). It speaks of the pleasant sweetness of the natural things of life. We can think of the family relationship, the relationship between husband and wife and between parents and children. The natural feelings we have are not wrong. It is even wrong if they are lacking (2Tim 3:1-4).

The Lord Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to leaven, “which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened” (Mt 13:33). We see the three measures of flour in the grain offering, a picture of the perfect Manhood of Christ. The woman represents the false church. This shows in picture that the truth about Christ is corrupted by the false church.

The grain offering speaks of the perfectly devoted life of the Lord Jesus to God. In this dedication, ‘honey’ does not play a role. The Lord Jesus loves His mother Mary. At the cross we see how great His love and care for her are. But as soon as she interferes in His obedient fulfilment of the will of His Father, He must say: “Woman, what does that have to do with us? (Jn 2:4; Lk 2:49; Mk 3:33-35).

The Lord does not despise natural feelings. He has given them Himself to man. But they cannot have a place in the work He does. They are not allowed to do the same with us if we want to do a work for the Lord. They may hinder a real choice for the Lord Jesus, or the decision to do a work for Him (Mt 10:37; Lk 14:26). When we think about His suffering, it is not right that we do so with our natural feelings. We see such feelings in the women of Jerusalem, about whom the Lord gives a warning (Lk 23:27-28).

If there is any of these ingredients in the grain offering, the offering should be treated as an offering of first fruits. This offering may not come on the altar. That is because there is leaven in it. This is discussed in more detail in Leviticus 23 (Lev 23:17). There we see that this offering speaks of the church. In the members of the church sin is still present (1Jn 1:8), although it is stripped of its power.

We see that with the offering of the first fruits also a sin offering is brought. This is not the case with the sheave of the first fruits (Lev 23:10), which speaks of the Lord Jesus. But isn’t it a wonderful thought that we too can offer ourselves to God? And even though we are not like the Lord Jesus completely a pleasant fragrance for God, it is an offering that is pleasant to Him (Rom 12:1).