Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 2:1-16
The natural state of humans is to be full of malice, deceit, and wickedness. However, Jesus expects us Christians to be characterized instead by truth and righteousness. That means we have to be intentional about casting aside our bad traits and adopting good traits in their place. The second chapter of Leviticus contains some imagery that helps us visualize how to do that.
The book of Exodus describes the construction of the tabernacle. The opening chapters of Leviticus list the rules and regulations for using the tabernacle. The first chapter dealt with burnt offerings. Today, we will read about grain offerings.
Lev. 2:1 ¶ ‘Now when anyone brings near a grain offering as an offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it.
Notice the word “grain”. We often associate only animals with the Old Testament sacrificial system, but grain was also an acceptable offering.
This has ramifications on the story of Cain and Abel. Some people mistakenly believe the reason Abel’s offering was accepted by God, while Cain’s was not, was because Abel brought an animal sacrifice, but Cain brought fruit of the ground. This belief is based on the false assumption that only animal sacrifices were acceptable.
That assumption is not correct. Grain was an acceptable sacrifice. The real problem with Cain’s offering was he did not bring his first nor his best.
Look at the words “fine flour” in verse 1. Grain can exist in multiple forms: raw grain, flour, or cooked. This instruction was for bringing flour.
Lev. 2:2 He shall then bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests; and he shall take from it his handful of its fine flour and of its oil with all of its frankincense. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke as its memorial portion on the altar, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to Yahweh.
Take note of the word “handful”. Only a handful of the flour was burned on the altar.
Lev. 2:3 And the remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy of the offerings to Yahweh by fire.
The bulk of the grain offering went to Aaron and his sons. Aaron and his sons earned a living by working in the tabernacle. Giving Aaron and his sons a share of the sacrifices was how Aaron and his sons were paid.
Lev. 2:4 ¶ ‘Now when you bring near an offering of a grain offering baked in an oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers spread with oil.
The words “baked in an oven” tell us this instruction pertains to cooked grain, not raw grain nor flour. The word “unleavened” tells us the bread had to be a certain type of bread. It could not have yeast in it.
Lev. 2:5 And if your offering is a grain offering made on the griddle, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil;
The word “griddle” indicates this is a third form in which a grain offering could be brought to Yahweh.
Once again we see the word “unleavened”.
Lev. 2:6 you shall break it into bits and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.
Lev. 2:7 Now if your offering is a grain offering made in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
The word “griddle” denotes a fourth form for bringing a grain offering before Yahweh.
Lev. 2:8 And you will bring in the grain offering which is made of these things to Yahweh, and it shall be brought near to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar.
Lev. 2:9 The priest then shall raise up from the grain offering its memorial portion, and he shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to Yahweh.
Lev. 2:10 And the remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy of the offerings to Yahweh by fire.
This verse also specifies that part of the grain offering was given to Aaron and his sons as their income.
Lev. 2:11 ¶ ‘No grain offering, which you bring near to Yahweh, shall be made with leaven, for you shall not offer up in smoke any leaven or any honey as an offering by fire to Yahweh.
Take note of the prohibition against leaven and honey. They were not allowed to be part of the sacrifice.
This imagery is used in the New Testament. Paul commanded Christians to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, and instead put on the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (see 1Cor. 5:7-8).
Most bread is leavened bread. Likewise, the natural state of people is to be full of malice and wickedness. Just as the Israelites had to be intentional about bringing grain offerings that did not include leaven, so too, it takes intentional effort on the part of Christians to remove malice and wickedness in order to live lives marked by sincerity and truth.
Lev. 2:12 As an offering of first fruits you shall bring them near to Yahweh, but they shall not ascend for a soothing aroma on the altar.
Lev. 2:13 Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall bring salt near.
Notice the word “salt”. A grain offering required salt. Likewise, Jesus characterized His followers as being the salt of the earth.
Lev. 2:14 ¶ ‘Also if you bring near a grain offering of early ripened things to Yahweh, you shall bring near fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things.
Lev. 2:15 You shall then put oil on it and place frankincense on it; it is a grain offering.
Lev. 2:16 And the priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of its grits and its oil with all its frankincense as an offering by fire to Yahweh.
The natural state of humans is to be full of malice, deceit, and wickedness. However, Jesus expects us Christians to be characterized instead by truth and righteousness. Just as the Israelites had to be intentional about bringing grain offerings that did not include leaven, so too Christians need to deliberately remove malice and wickedness from our lives in order to live lives marked by sincerity and truth.
What is some malice and wickedness that you need to remove from your life?
What can you do to be known as a person of sincerity and truth?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”