Leviticus 2 A grain offering can be offered in many forms.. ( keep reading.. it is not as simple as it might seem)
It can be fine flour with oil and frankincense poured on top of it.. where the priest takes a handful of the flour and oil and all of the frankincense and offers it up in the smoke of the altar. The rest of the flour and oil belongs to Aaron and his sons "a thing most holy of the offerings to the Lord by fire." vs 1-2
The flour and oil can be made in an oven.. baked into unleavened cakes or wafers and offered that way. v4
The flour and oil and be mixed together and cooked on a griddle, broken into bits and offered. v5
Or, the flour and oil can be cooked in a pan.. v7
No matter which way the worshipper brings the grain offering... it is brought to the priest who offers a "memorial portion" to burn on the altar and the remainder provides food for the priests.
The grain offering can never have leaven or honey... but it must always include an offering of salt. "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;"
A grain offering was used for the celebration of "first fruits" one of the yearly feasts that the Lord commanded. Perhaps it was given at other times too..
Verse 14 adds another way that the grain can be offered as a "early ripened" offering.. The person would bring "fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things." These "grits... are covered with incense".. and offered up in smoke.
These grain offerings were to be unleavened and unsweetened.. uncorrupted. They were offered with salt.. a preservative. The grain would be a result of each man's labor.. the work of his hands.. provided by God's gift of fruitfulness... for He provides the rain and the sun. the soil and the seed. It is bringing back to God what He has blessed you with. In the case of the first fruits it would show thankfulness for the beginning for the harvest and trust for the rest of the harvest.
Some of the grain offering is burned by fire and some would provide for the priests.. those who ministered before the Lord. In the same way, we bring a tithe to the Lord.. uncorrupted gifts from our labor. We cannot get money from unholy sources and think that it is holy enough for the Lord. He does not want it! Likewise we are to bring our offering with "salt".. Jesus tells us that we are the "salt of the earth".. and that unsalty salt is worthless. Salt has value and worth.. Mark 9:49-50 tells us that "everyone will be salted with fire". Jesus says to " have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other." It is referring to this requirement in Leviticus that every grain offering include salt. In Lev. 2:13 it speaks of " the salt of the covenant".. It is an offering that symbolizes a pledge.. a treaty.. an agreement.. of devotion to God.
When we write a check or give online as a tithe to our church.. a gift or offering to the Lord... we need to consciously and deliberately consider the meaning that this can and should have.. If we give out of duty and not devotion we miss the point! We come with the fruit of our labors.. with honest, undefiled gifts and with devoted hearts.. confirming our covenant with our Lord. This is worship to our God who has given His all to us. This is an offering acceptable to the Lord... for it is from our whole being. As Romans 12:1 says.. " ... present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice , acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."
Father, we desire to honor Your holy Name, to do Your will, and to seek Your Kingdom and righteousness. We ask for daily bread, for You are our Provider.. and we offer to You gifts from what You have provided.. cheerfully and with thanksgiving! "Teach us Your ways O Lord.. that we might live according to Your truth. Grant us purity of heart that we might honor Your name.". ( Psalm 86:11) Forgive us for giving money just out of obligation or out of any self-serving motives.. and help us to give our whole selves to You along with our tithes and offerings. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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