Meat Offering

Reading Portion

Lev. 2; 6:14-23

Lesson Content

1. First of all, Jesus spoke of the meat offering, saying that His meat was to do the will of His Father (Jn.4:34; Heb.10:7-9). Secondly, children of God who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit become a meat offering by doing the will of God. We can be caught up at the coming of the Lord only by doing the will of God (Matt.7:21-27). From the meat offering we also learn that though we may have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is only in being made one through a life of doing the will of God, that the purpose of God is perfectly fulfilled in us.

2. The object of sacrifice: The meat offering should be of fine flour (Lev.2:1).

3. The manner of sacrifice (Lev.2:1,2).

4. Its spiritual significance (Lev.2:1,2):

(i) The grain should be pounded until it becomes fine flour: Just as all the grains of wheat join together to become fine flour when they are pounded, those who do the will of God suffer together (Heb.11:24-26), enduring it patiently without murmurings or disputings (Phil.2:14), allowing their own will to be pounded. (ii) Oil: Just as the oil, mixed with the fine flour, keeps it all together as one lump, even so, saints who are baptized by the Holy Spirit are made one, through a life of consecration to do the will of God. (iii) Offering a handful with the frankincense to the Lord: Frankincense shows gratitude which rises from the depth of our heart. A handful shows offering it with the whole heart, that is, giving as much as one can. (The measure of each one’s heart and his handful are said to be the same).

5. Burning it upon the altar speaks of sacrificing our self-will.

6. It should be made without leaven (Lev.2:11). While doing the will of God the leaven of malice and wickedness or the leaven of erroneous doctrines should not be found (I Cor.5:8; Matt.16:12). Honey should not be added to it (Lev.2:11). Not adding sweetness to it shows that in doing the will of God one cannot please oneself, or others.

7. Adding salt to it (Lev.2:13) speaks of doing the will of God by the grace of God, preserving our peace and fellowship with God and the saints (Mk.9:50; Col.4:6).

8. The meat offering is offered in various other ways too. They are:

(i) Meat offering baked in the oven (Lev.2:4). (ii) Meat offering baked in the pan (Lev.2:5).

(iii) Meat offering baked in the frying pan (Lev.2:7). These are the types of the manifold tribulations and the fiery trials that come to those who do the will of God.

9. The meat offering is most holy (Lev.6:14,17). We need to do the will of God and be perfected in order to enter the most holy place.