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INTRODUCTION

Leviticus 2 explains the Tribute Offering, an offering of flour and oil, often cooked into a cake or loaf of bread. This offering expressed love and loyalty and devotion for God the King. It teaches Christians that Christ is our King, and therefore, we are called to even greater devotion.

THE TEXT

“Now when anyone presents a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it…” (Lev. 2)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

There are several types of grain offerings described: uncooked ground grain with oil and frankincense (2:1-3) and baked/cooked unleavened cakes/wafers made with oil or spread on top (2:4-10). In both, a memorial portion or handful is put on the altar, but the rest is given to the priests (2:2-3, 9-10). There is to be no leaven or honey in any of the grain offerings offered on the altar; they may be given as first fruits offerings but not put on the altar (2:11-12). Every grain offering is to be seasoned with salt, so that the “covenant of salt” is remembered constantly (2:13). Israelites could also bring early ripened grain as a grain offering, much like the offering of uncooked flour (2:14-16).

THE TRIBUTE OFFERING

It makes sense that the Ascension Offering is the first thing in Leviticus since it is the most common daily sacrifice, but Numbers 28 makes it clear that grain offerings were offered continuously with the daily Ascension Offerings (morning and evening), along with morning and evening drink offerings that were poured out to the Lord. This is likely why it comes next in Leviticus. It may also be that the grain offering was an additional option for the poorest in Israel who could not afford even a pigeon or a dove. It seems to be closely associated with the Ascension Offering given the repeated refrain: “up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord” (Lev. 2:2, 9, cf. 1:9, 13, 17). The word translated “grain offering” is “minchah” and literally means “tribute.” While it always refers to this grain offering in Leviticus, it is used more generally to refer to any kind of sacrifice elsewhere (Gen. 4:3-5, 1 Sam. 2:17, 29, 26:19) and often refers to a gift of honor from an inferior to a superior, vassals to their lord, i.e. tribute (Gen. 32:19ff, Gen. 43:11ff, Jdg. 3:15ff, 1 Sam. 10:27, 2 Sam. 8:2ff, 1 Kgs. 4:21, 2 Kgs. 8:7-9). While frankincense is only added in the uncooked Tribute offerings, they are always mixed or anointed with oil, presumably highlighting the royal nature of the gift. This gift of bread proclaimed Yahweh as King.

THE GRAIN OFFERING OF JEALOUSY

This notion of tribute or loyalty perhaps explains why this offering was used for the jealousy rite in Numbers 5 as well as the Nazirite vow in Numbers 6. In Numbers 5, God established a trial by ordeal in which a woman suspected of adultery swears an oath of innocence before the Lord and a tribute of jealousy is offered in the process (Num. 6:15-18, 25-26). The Tribute offering swears allegiance to the Lord, and the woman is swearing that she has been faithful to her husband and her God, faithful to all her covenant vows in other words (cf. Prov. 2:17). The flip side of this is the Tribute offering that is offered at the conclusion of a Nazirite vow, which is a temporary oath of dedication to the service of the Lord (a sort of semi-priestly service, often associated with holy war). The point is again complete allegiance, loyalty, dedication.

COVENANT OF SALT

All of this is related to what is referenced in 2:13: “the salt of the covenant.” Salt was to go on the Tribute offering as well as all of the offerings (2:13). The same notion is referred to in Numbers 18:19 and 2 Chron. 13:5 where the covenant is called “a covenant of salt.” In context, this designation refers to the permanence of the covenant: it is forever. This also underlines the covenantal character of the sacrificial system: “Gather my godly ones to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice” (Ps. 50:5). The sacrifices were not impersonal rites to appease the deity. They were personal, covenantal ceremonies of confession, devotion, and love. We also know that salt was used for judgment, as in Sodom and Gomorrah (Dt. 29:23, cf. Jdg. 9:45). But salt was also used for healing, as when Elisha healed the bitter spring of water (2 Kgs. 2:20-21). Salt, like the covenant, is therefore potent either to cause barrenness or else life, blessings or curses because it is a personal relationship with the God of the universe.

This seems to be the point Jesus is making in the gospels: He says we are the “salt of the earth” (Mt. 5:13). In context, the point is the savor/flavor of righteousness and obedience, and that gives a good “flavor” to the whole world (Mt. 5:16-20). But when the salt loses its savor, God throws it out to be trampled by men (Mt. 5:13). The same point is made in the following verse about God’s people being the light of the world; if the world goes dark, it is because God’s people have been disobedient/disloyal to their God. In Mark, Jesus says that everyone “will be salted with fire” (Mk. 9:49) and urges the disciples to have “salt” in themselves and be at peace with one another (Mk. 9:50). Right before this, Jesus warns about causing little ones to stumble and taking drastic measures to cut off the hand or foot or eye that causes stumbling in order to avoid Hell fire (Mk. 9:42-48). That is loyalty. It’s striking that Jesus describes a sort of dismembering to avoid fire but adds that everyone will be salted with fire – like all sacrifices. In Luke, Jesus speaks of salt that has become useless for soil or manure in the context of complete surrender to Him, giving up everything, even family and following Him (Lk. 14:26-35). The covenant of salt is potent: either for life and blessing, or else judgment and cursing.

CONCLUSION

The Tribute Offering forbids yeast and honey (2:11). At the same time, we know that grain offerings were usually offered with a drink offering, although the wine was poured out at the base of the altar (Ex. 29:40-41, Num. 28:9). Yeast and honey can both ferment, a certain kind of passive aging, while bread and wine are both products of human labor. Paul says that we must constantly get rid of the leaven of malice and wickedness, and we are to keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor. 5:6-8). This is talking about our work, our labors. People were made to work, and because we are made in the image of God, our work is potent. But it is either potent for blessing or cursing because of the salt of the covenant. Malice and wickedness grows naturally in a fallen world, just like weeds, but the blessing of God needs constantly tending. We need to put our labors on the altar every morning and every evening (and double on Sundays) which is to say put them on Christ and in Christ because He is our King.

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INTRODUCTION

First, why Leviticus? It’s one of those portions of God’s Word that can be challenging to modern Christians. But Leviticus is where the Second Greatest Commandment is taken from (Lev. 19:18). In some ways you might organize the whole book under the headings of the First and Second Great Commandments: Love God: Lev. 1-17, Love Your Neighbor Lev. 18-27. We live in a world that has attempted to redefine love as mere sentiment and feeling (although that is changing), but the law is how God taught us to love Him and one another when we were young in the covenant (cf. Gal. 4:2-4, 1 Jn. 5:3). Related is also one of the great themes of Leviticus, which is holiness. Peter quotes from Leviticus in his letter: “Be holy as I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). And Hebrews says that without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). We are still called to be a holy people, and Leviticus was our Elementary School training in holiness.

Here in Leviticus 1 we are introduced to the most common sacrifice and the central invitation from the Lord for sinners to draw near to Him with hearts sprinkled clean, which is most pleasing to Him, a sweet-smelling aroma.

THE TEXT

“And the Lord called unto Moses and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, if any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle even of the herd, and of the flock. If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish…” (Lev. 1:1-17)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

This first chapter explains the burnt/ascension offering and gives three examples: the first describes the offering of a bull (1:2-9), the second describes the offering of a sheep or goat (1:10-13), and the third describes the offering of doves or pigeons (1:14-17). For the first two, the bull, sheep, or goat must be a male, without blemish (1:3, 10). The animal is brought to the door of the tabernacle, the worshiper lays his hand upon the head of the animal, and the worshipper is to kill the animal himself (1:3-6, 11-13). In the case of the dove or pigeon, the worshipper would cleave the wings of the bird (1:16-17). The priests were responsible for sprinkling the blood around the altar (1:5, 11, 15) and for putting the pieces of the sacrifice on the altar (1:8, 13, 15, 17). Finally, in all three, the offering is described as an offering by fire, a sweet savor to the Lord (1:9, 13, 17).

CORBAN & DRAWING NEAR

Literally, the text says that if an “Adam” will “draw near” with a “drawing near,” he should “draw near” with a “drawing near” of the herd and of the flock (1:2). The first thing to note is that the whole sacrificial system goes back to the Garden of Eden, where God stationed Cherubim with flaming swords at the entrance after Adam sinned (Gen. 3:24), setting up one of the great problems of the Bible: how can man drawn near to their Maker? The answer is: through a flaming sword. The word for “a drawing near/offering” is “corban.” This is the word that Jesus uses in the gospels when He rebukes the Pharisees for allowing their traditions to run right over the clear Word of God (Mk. 7:11). The fifth commandment said, “honor your father and mother,” which includes caring for them and providing for them in their old age, but the Pharisees said if someone gave what they were going to use to support their parents to the temple, they were exempt. The descendants of Adam have a terrible habit of imitating King Saul, thinking that we can modify God’s commands, but obedience is better than sacrifice, and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Sam. 15:22-23). We make excuses for our sin by pointing at other good things we have done. But all disobedience is disobedience. Related to this, is the age-old hypocrisy of seeking to draw near to God in worship with your lips, while your heart is far from the Lord (Is. 29:13, Mt. 15:8). But we are always lifting our hearts up to the Lord.

A CONTINUAL ASCENSION OFFERING

The name “burnt offering” or “whole burnt offering” is not really a great translation. It is called this because the whole animal is put on the altar and burned, but the word literally means “going up” or “ascension,” and therefore would be better translated “ascension offering.” The word that is used for “burn” (cf. 1:9) literally means “turn into smoke,” which seems to highlight the same point. The action is not merely in the destruction of the animal, but rather in its transformation into smoke to ascend to God, Who receives it as a sweet-smelling aroma. This is the most common sacrifice offered at the tabernacle and temple, the morning and evening sacrifice, that constituted the “continual” sacrifice of praise (Ex. 29:42, Num. 28:3-10ff).

“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor” (Eph. 5:2). And he immediately adds: “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks” (Eph. 5:3-4). Clearly this does not mean that we cannot say those words because then Paul would be breaking his own rule. No, the point is that we should be so careful to avoid those sins that we cannot be accused of being guilty of them, and the Bible says that this is how we walk in love, as Christ loved us. This is a sweet-smelling savor.

CONCLUSIONS

We will no doubt come back to this passage as we consider all of the sacrifices, but the ascension offering reminds us of the command to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service and “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Rom. 12:1-2).

The ascension offering reminds us that God wants all that we are consecrated wholly to Him. Everything goes on His altar. He claims all that we are. Christ is our head, our substitute, who went into the fire of God’s wrath first for us, but if we are His body, we must follow Him into the fire. However, if we are in Him, it is no longer a fire a judgment but a fire of purification and transformation. He is bending, breaking, burning, and blowing upon our lives until they shine.

This is what Christian “headship” is. In contrast to many of our political leaders, Christian leaders must not ask of their people anything that they are not already doing themselves. We follow Christ because He laid His life down for us. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.

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