Leviticus 2 THE GIFT OFFERING By watching in my mind's eye through the scriptures, I see one bringing evidence of his appreciation of the blessings of God to the Tabernacle. He had prepared the ground and planted the seeds. Now for every seed he planted in the ground, hundreds more came forth and he is conscious of the fact that hidden in the dark ground was life God had released for his benefit. If he had been lazy or careless, the very ground he walked on would have withheld its life from him. But wisely he had labored and now "in due season ye shall reap if ye faint not." With a basket of freshly ground flour, well-sifted so there was no impurities or un-ground kennels, the man who planted in faith and reaped with joy, now comes to acknowledge his gratitude to God in a visible way that was defined by God and made acceptable to God. He did not design his own private ceremony, nor did a group of people on their own, plan their own way as to how they would express their appreciation to God. They were given the choice to make a gift of the meat-offering to God in His way. It is an insult to God to design a "worship service" to appeal to man's emotion and to meet the approval of the public. God has His way we are to worship Him. It is our privilege and responsibility to worship and remember Him in a manner suitable to Him.
The meat-offering, also referred to as the meal-offering was a sweet-savor offering that was put on the altar and burned there. It was given when the burnt-offering and peace offering were made and accompanied them both. Yet it was a distinct sacrifice with a specific reason behind it. There was no thought of sin in these sweet-savor offerings. These were to give to God, and to the offeror, evidence of appreciation by a specific act of worship. The response to God for what He has given is best recognized as when the Father gave His only begotten Son; when "the Son of God who loved me gave Himself for me," and when the Holy Spirit takes all of the blessings of God and makes them real to us. In the meat offering there is appreciation for God and what He had done, and also apprehension of the blessings brought to us. Part of the offering was for God and part was for man.
In order for flour to be fine, there must be a lot of beating to break all the parts into one perfectly smooth and even texture without any foreign or unwanted pieces to corrupt it in any way. The Lord Jesus was miraculously conceived in the womb of a virgin woman, Mary, and was perfect, pure and sinless in every way. During His time on earth He endured the deepest suffering as He fulfilled all righteousness that was demanded by God for man to be acceptable to Him. He suffered in His soul, "Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say..." He suffered in His spirit as He wept realizing that death came to men because of sin. He suffered in His body when "He bare our sins in His own body on the tree." All of this He did, first that God would be satisfied, and then for our blessing. The fine flour had no unevenness in its character, was unchanged throughout and was perfect in the smoothness of its texture. The gentleness of Christ and every attitude of His Person, whether meekness, lowliness or every other characteristic, was consistent. When the flour was taken in the hands of the priest and held up before God, there was a whiteness that was left on the hand of the priest even as it was being burnt.
Mixed with that fine flour was oil expressing in type, the Holy Spirit who came upon Mary. There was no leaven in the flour that would indicate the Lord Jesus had in any way inherited the tendency to sin, the desire to sin or the ability to sin. The flour was pure and the oil that bound the flour together is that which reminds us of the fact the Lord Jesus was filled with the Spirit in infancy, in childhood when He "waxed strong in spirit," and in His public ministry. At His baptism the Spirit appeared as a dove upon Him. In the wilderness the Spirit was there. The power of the Spirit was upon Him when He preached because He was anointed of the Spirit. Each piece he separated from the others around it was to testify to the moral perfections of Him of whom the sacrifice represented. This was a type of Christ in the moral perfections of the many offices He bears, the character and the personhood of the Savior. His relationships, His holy life, His suffering, His glory, His supremacy, His authority - every part of Him was perfect and it is there for all to see.
We may not realize at first the worth of what we do. But we will have better understanding by the time we are through. Symbols may seem so simple, but to God they have great meaning - Because faith sees beyond the tangible, to what our God is seeing.
A Perfect Man God sees, who pleased Him in every way. There was perfection in the words He spoke and in His work each day. Even more, there was legal satisfaction when that Perfect Man was found - And through that sacrifice He made, God's grace could then abound.
When we sing our hymns of praise and worship, that is all for Him. When our spoken or unsaid prayers are made, the holiest we enter in. When our hearts pour out in gratitude and we His life retrace - We are moved to worship in faith for His redeeming grace.
The perfections of His life and work as a Man, are all for God. The things He did and said while here, fulfilled the written word. Evidence everywhere pointed to "This Man" as the only One - Who could fulfill all righteousness, the God-Man, His own Son.
When we lift Him up to God, our hands are covered with white - When we present our Savior to God, by faith and not by sight. To those who don't know God, it is only a form they do go through. To those who know and love the Lord, it is the best that we can do.
The meal offering does unfold the perfections of the Perfect Man. When we bring our offerings of praise, we worship as only believers can. "In spirit and in truth" are the criteria we are to obey. Therefore, we must keep within the bounds the scriptures to us say.
"Holy Father, may I never get to the place in my life that I substitute my own ideas of worship, for that which Thou hast taught in types, shadows and in the written word. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."