The Food That Delights Both God And Man -
Part 3 (A Look At The Grain Offering)
Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I [am] the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these [things] I delight, saith the LORD.
Matt 13:52 (NIV) He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Lev 6:15 ‘He shall take from it his handful of the fine flour of the grain offering, with its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma, as a memorial to the LORD.
Lev 6:16 ‘And the remainder of it Aaron and his sons shall eat; with unleavened bread it shall be eaten in a holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of meeting they shall eat it.
Lev 6:17 ‘It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of My offerings made by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the trespass offering.
Lev 6:18 ‘All the males among the children of Aaron may eat it. It shall be a statute forever in your generations concerning the offerings made by fire to the LORD. Everyone who touches them must be holy.
Luke 7:12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
Luke 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
Luke 7:14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare [him] stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
Luke 7:15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Luke 7:16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
2 Kings 3:39 So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were.
2 Kings 3:40 Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.
2 Kings 3:41 So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And he put it into the pot, and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
In Leviticus 2:4 – annointed with oil – speaks of when Jesus was baptised in the Jordan by John and the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus.
Luke 7:41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
Luke 7:42 “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
Luke 7:43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
Luke 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
Luke 15:5 And when he hath found [it], he layeth [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Luke 15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together [his] friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Part 3 (A Look At The Grain Offering)
1st Service, Sunday 27 July 2008, preached by Pastor Joseph Prince
as noted by Yeo Choon Meng Terence
Frankincense burners were activated throughout the Church today.
Tree of Life
Pastor Lian during Communion touched on what makes the Tree of Life – the Tree of Life. She explained that this was so because the Tree of Life was Jesus’ life, and this is life because of His Love poured out for us, and we partake of His Love.
Tithing Testimony
Richard Toh testified that since he began tithing with revelation, he now heads a 15,000 strong company, and this is his 60 fold harvest. In fact, his kept records which showed that his assets have been increasing with his tithes. He has also been blessed in family and in all other areas.
Pastor Prince mentioned that part of health is that we enjoy the work we do.
Everybody in the Bible went to Jesus to get from Him. Therefore, don’t let preachers make you guilty by saying you only go to Jesus to get from Him.
Meditate on the Word
In Leviticus 11, God tells his people to eat what he has prescribed. This only applies to the Old Covenant. The people were told not to eat animals that do not chew the curd. Symbolically, these animals don’t ‘meditate’ on what they have eaten. The New Covenant application is that we are not to eat from ministries that do not meditate or chew on the Word.
Boast in the Lord
Jer 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise [man] glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty [man] glory in his might, let not the rich [man] glory in his riches:
Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I [am] the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these [things] I delight, saith the LORD.
The Bible is a ‘bread’ book and is not to be approached scholarly.
Grain Offering
The expression “daughters” as used in the Bible can refer to the weak, passive side of Man.
Therefore, in the peace offerings, both the “sons and daughters” can eat of it.
Only 1 offering has no animal sacrifice. This is the Grain Offering. This offering depicts Jesus’ perfection and beautiful, sinless life on earth before He went to the Cross. Only Aaron and his sons ate the Grain Offering.
Hidden Wisdom
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
GOD lays out sound wisdom for the Righteous but He hides it from the World. Truths are hidden in parables and typology.
Matt 13:52 (KJV) Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe [which is] instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure [things] new and old.
Matt 13:52 (NIV) He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
A good teacher is one who can bring out treasures from both the Old and New Covenants.
Leviticus 6:14-18 (NKJV)
Lev 6:14 ‘This is the law of the grain offering: The sons of Aaron shall offer it on the altar before the LORD.
Lev 6:15 ‘He shall take from it his handful of the fine flour of the grain offering, with its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma, as a memorial to the LORD.
Lev 6:16 ‘And the remainder of it Aaron and his sons shall eat; with unleavened bread it shall be eaten in a holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of meeting they shall eat it.
Lev 6:17 ‘It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of My offerings made by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the trespass offering.
Lev 6:18 ‘All the males among the children of Aaron may eat it. It shall be a statute forever in your generations concerning the offerings made by fire to the LORD. Everyone who touches them must be holy.
We see in Lev 6:14 that the Grain Offering is bloodless. Therefore it does not depict the Cross. It depicts the Life of Jesus. The Life of Jesus is very important because it was Jesus’ perfect life that qualified Him to be our sacrifice on the Cross.
Why was Jesus through His death on the Cross able to atone and take away the sins for all humanity, past, present and future? It was because of the quality of His life.
Jesus laid aside His Glory to come to us.
When you estimation of Jesus is great, your appreciation and His efficacy with you is also great.
When you see more of Jesus, your faith in Him increases, and more mountains in your life are removed!
Glory of the King
Luke 7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
Luke 7:12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
Luke 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
Luke 7:14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare [him] stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
Luke 7:15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Luke 7:16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
Jesus Christ – God incarnate – the King of Kings – told the widow’s son to arise. When one realises that it is a King that said these words, it adds so much glory and splendour to this narrative. Indeed when we realise that it was Jesus as King that performed all the acts of miracles in the Gospels, the narratives of those acts become so much more glorious!
Most Holy – Grain Offering
Lev 6:17 tells us that the grain offering is most holy. Only 3 out of the 5 offerings are described as most holy.
Only Males
Lev 6:18 tells us that only the sons of Aaron could eat the offering i.e. only the males could eat it. Males in the bible speaks of active energy – priestly energy. Lev 6:16 also tells us that it takes priestly energy to consume this aspect of Jesus as symbolised in the grain offering.
Degrees of Closeness
It is true that all in Israel through the blood of the Lamb had equal standing before God. But there are degrees of closeness to Jesus. The priests were most close. The Levites were further as they served the priests.
Thank God! – He calls us priests so that we can draw near to Him.
Everyone who touches Grain Offering
Lev 6:18 says that everyone who touches the grain offering “must be holy”. The Hebrew should be interpreted as everyone who touches the grain offering cannot but must end up as most Holy!
Everyone who comes into contact with the Grain Offering – JESUS -shall be separate from common use unto Jehovah – YHWH.
Holy means -> Uncommon.
It’s common to be sick, poor, hungry and lacking. It’s uncommon to be rich, not lacking and healthy.
Touch Jesus and become Uncommon!
Touch Jesus and become Uncommon!
Elisha offeres the Grain Offering
2 Kings 3:38 And Elisha returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”
2 Kings 3:39 So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were.
2 Kings 3:40 Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.
2 Kings 3:41 So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And he put it into the pot, and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
The prophets took poisonous vine to use as ingredient in stew. This shows that not all prophets are discerning.
Elisha put flour (picture of life of Jesus – grain offering) into the stew and death went out of it.
Pastor Prince told visiting Australian pastor that sermons always contain varying degrees of psychology and humanism in it. But the moment you put Jesus in the pot i.e. the sermon – it shall be purified.
Leviticus 2
In Leviticus chapter 1, it is the burnt offering that is introduced. The grain offering is only introduced in Chapter 2 of Leviticus. Why? Until we understand the love of God for us at the Cross (burnt offering) then can we understand His life (grain offering).
Lev 2:1 WHEN anyone offers 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 2:2 ‘He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.
Lev 2:3 ‘The rest of the grain offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is most holy of the offerings to the LORD made by fire.
Lev 2:4 ‘And if you bring as an offering a grain offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
Lev 2:5 ‘But if your offering is a grain offering baked in a pan, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil.
Lev 2:6 ‘You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.
Lev 2:7 ‘If your offering is a grain offering baked in a covered pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
Exposition:
Lev 2:2 The first mention of “sweet aroma” is after the Flood when Noah sacrificed a burnt offering (Gen 8:21) and because the burnt offering reminded GOD about Jesus, God promised not to flood the earth again.
The Hebrew word translated into “sweet aroma” literally means FRAGRANCE of REST.
Lev 2:4 A large part of Jesus suffering in life on earth was in secret – in the oven (Lev 2:4) – unseen and unknown to us. The oven was like a tandoori oven. The cooking of the bread like the suffering of Jesus was concealed. Before He came to Earth as man, he suffered because He saw the Fallen World and had compassion on humanity. The day that Jesus was born he suffered. Example: Many babies were slain by the false king Herod because he was jealous of the true king Jesus. As a baby, he and his parents also had to flee to Egypt. Later, growing up as a child, he was probably misunderstood just as the gifted kids today are misunderstood.
Christian Children
Our Christian and regenerated children often see further than the others, as they know what is sin, righteousness, etc They are uncommon. Yet they may be persecuted or discriminated against by those who are common. Therefore, as parents, we ought to make our children feel special because they are uncommon. Be an active father or mother.
Recall Samson’s story, the failure of Samson in adulthood (e.g. Samson had a lust problem) was probably because he suffered rejection / teasing by the kids his age growing up as he had to keep his hair long and could not go near grapes etc. What his father should have done was to bring Samson out hunting and affirm Samson’s uniqueness. Samson’s father should have made Samson feel unique and uncommon. He should have told Samson that they would do ‘manly’ things like hunting unlike the kids at that time who would just be jumping on the grapes during grape harvest time.
Often people who are common are jealous of those who are uncommon and try to put them down.
Affirm your kids before they fall asleep at night. Often these last words heard before they sleep will be retained by them. Tell them — You are like a diamond, not like the common stones like others. Let the others throw stones at you. You are like the diamond, just sparkle in the midst of the stone throwing.
Lev 2:5 The pan in Lev 2:5 in Hebrew refers to a gridle akin to one used to make chapati. This shows the suffering that Jesus suffered openly and not in secret.
Lev 2:7 In the KJV, it is rendered “fryingpan” instead of “covered pan”. This refers to the type of pan where the food being fried is half covered and half exposed to the eyes. This speaks of Jesus’ suffering being in open and in secret.
All the above variations in the grain offering speak of Jesus.
Fine Flour
All of the grain offering is for us to eat and be uncommon. All things mentioned in the Bible are for a purpose and are not redundant.
The reference to ‘fine flour’ is to very expensive fine flour which is not coarse i.e. soft to touch. No uneven-ness at all. Bread is made from flour. Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life, and he who eats of Him, shall live by Him. John 6
There is nothing coarse about Jesus. He is unruffled by outside events e.g. death, disease, demons, weather. Jesus only wept because He saw the hearts of His disciples broken even though He knew He would raise Lazarus. Also, it was the cry of His disciples that woke Him not the storm.
The 4 Gospels are full of the grain offering as they depict the life of Jesus — Jesus as ‘cool’ like fine flour.
Nothing Uneven
Like fine flour, there was nothing uneven about Jesus. He was not nice, but He was loving! Indeed there is no exhortation in the Bible for Christians to be ‘nice’.
Unlike us, Jesus did not have one character trait more pronounced than others.
Jesus is firm and yet forgiving. Steel yet velvet. Jesus gets the job done yet does not break people in the process. He leads and inspires yet we do not feel overpowered or threatened by overt aggressive leadership. Jesus is gentle yet not ‘soft’.
Be Spirit-Led
Let Jesus be Jesus in us. Don’t merely imitate Him!
We must be generous in spirit-led manner or end up spoiling child and turning him into a prodigal.
Similarly, human aggressiveness sometimes ends up hurting children, spouses, etc. Therefore be spirit-led.
Human kindness is sometimes mistaken for weakness. Some church leaders because of this trait cannot mete out discipline when it is called for. On the other hand, there are some spirit-led leaders who appear aggressive all the time because they are good discerners of the person’s heart, and are therefore suspicious of that person’s intentions and therefore react aggressively.
Be like David who said in 2 Samuel 22:36 in reference to the Lord, “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great.“
Jesus never had to retreat or recall an action. He never had to apologise. He never made a mistake. That is why we can put our lives in the hands of Jesus.
This is in contrast to even some of the best apostles. Paul for example in Acts 23 after calling the high priest Ananias ‘whitewashed wall’, recalled that word, when he was informed that Ananias was the high priest.
Sitting Down, Clothed and in Right Mind
Luke 8:35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
After Jesus had delivered the demons out of the Gederan Demoniac, the people found that the man, (1) was sitting, (2) clothed, and (3) in right mind.
Jesus probably clothed the man.
Also, when an individual is in the right mind, they are clothed.
So an indication of demonic activity is if the person is (1) not in right mind; (2) naked; (3) cutting himself; (4) alone; and (5) crying; as was the Gedaran Demoniac.
Put Oil into Fine Flour
Oil (Holy Spirit) was to be poured into the Fine Flour (Life of Jesus).
Jesus when He was on earth before the Cross was wholly dependant on the Holy Spirit.
Learn to be dependant in every way on the Holy Spirit.
No Leaven
There was no leaven in the grain offering.
Leaven speaks of evil or sin. It speaks of pride and of the law. The law puffs up and makes one proud.
We are the fragrance of Christ
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
Therefore because Jesus is pleasing to GOD in every way, go boldly to the Father in every thing! Every action and word of Jesus is fragrance to God and we are in Christ!
3 gifts of Magi
The Magi brought Myrrh, Gold and Frankincense to the infant Jesus.
Gold speaks of Jesus’ divinity before He became Man.
Myrrh speaks of Jesus’ death at Cross as this resin was used on dead at funerals.
Frankincense speaks of Jesus’ whole life as His whole life was fragrance to the Father.
Pierced Cake
The Hebrew word for “cake” is khallah Strong’s 2471 which refers to: pierced or perforated cakes
Jesus was piereced at the Cross!
Mixed with Oil
In Leviticus 2:4 – mixed with oil – speaks of Matt 1:18 when Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit.
In Leviticus 2:4 – annointed with oil – speaks of when Jesus was baptised in the Jordan by John and the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus.
Indeed the sequence in the passages in Leviticus is so accurate that they follow the chronology in the new testament. Jeus was mixed with Holy Spirit first in womb before anointing at Jordan.
Every aspect of Jesus is fine flour
Luke 7:40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
Luke 7:41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
Luke 7:42 “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
Luke 7:43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
One example that every aspect of Jesus being fine flour is found in Luke 7:40-43 when Jesus freely forgave both the debtors. Look at the style in which Jesus forgiving. Look at the style of Jesus’ giving.
Those who realise how much they are forgiven by God, love and appreciate Him more.
Another example is:
Luke 15:3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
Luke 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
Luke 15:5 And when he hath found [it], he layeth [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Luke 15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together [his] friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
It is no ordinary shepherd that goes out to find one sheep when he has the 99. Moreover when he finds the sheep, he rejoices! He does not reproach the sheep. He also invites he friends to rejoice with Him.
Copyright © 5 August 2008 Yeo Choon Meng Terence. All Rights Reserved.
