Chapter 20-The Meat-Offering

Daniel prophesied that Christ would “cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.” ^{1Daniel 9:27} Here reference is made to the two great divisions of offerings: sacrifices with and sacrifices without blood. The meat-offerings belonged to the last class. There was neither flesh nor blood in the meat-offering. The original meaning of the word “meat” as first used in the Bible is “food”; ^{2Genesis 1:29} and in this sense the term is used in connection with this offering. The meat-offering consisted of flour, oil, and frankincense. ^{3Leviticus 2:1} In some cases the flour was baked into unleavened cakes, or wafers, before being offered. The bread of the meat-offering was never to be made with leaven. Every meat-offering was seasoned with salt. This offering was spoken of as “a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire.” ^{4Leviticus 2:4-13; 6:17}CIS 139.1

No leaven or honey was allowed in any of the meat-offerings; for leaven indicated “malice and wickedness,” ^{51 Corinthians 5:8} and honey turns sour and leads to fermentation.CIS 140.1

The qualities of salt are directly opposite. Salt removes and prevents corruption; it is also an emblem of friendship. “The salt of the covenant” was never to be omitted from the meat-offering, thus reminding God’s people of His protecting care and promise to save, and that only the righteousness of Christ could make the service acceptable to God.CIS 140.2

A portion of the meat-offering was burned on the brazen altar, whether it was flour or unleavened cakes; also a portion of the oil, and all the frankincense; ^{6Leviticus 6:15} and the remainder was eaten by the priest in the Court. ^{7Leviticus 6:16, 17} If a priest offered a meat-offering, no portion was eaten, but the entire offering was burned on the brazen altar. ^{8Leviticus 6:20-22} The high priest offered a meat-offering every day.CIS 140.3

Wherever flour or cakes were offered in connection with any other offering, it was called a meat-offering. The offering for the sinner too poor to bring even a wild turtle-dove was a meat-offering or trespass-offering. There was no oil or frankincense in this offering. ^{9Leviticus 5:11} In the offering for jealousy, the oil and frankincense were also left out. No frankincense was ever added to the meat-offerings that brought: “iniquity to remembrance.” ^{10Numbers 5:15}CIS 140.4

The meat-offering was a very common offering and was united with all burnt-offerings. ^{11Numbers 15:3-12} It was offered every morning and evening on the brazen altar, in connection with the morning and evening burnt-offering. ^{12Exodus 29:39-42}CIS 140.5

The meat-offering of first-fruits was “green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.” ^{13Leviticus 2:14-16} We quote from Andrew A. Bonar in regard to the significance of the green ears, “A peculiar typical circumstance attends these. These are ‘ears of corn,’ a figure of Christ; ^{14John 12:24} and ‘ears of the best kind,’ for so three Hebrew intimates. They are ‘dried by the fire,’ to represent Jesus feeling the wrath of His Father, as when He said, ‘My strength is dried up; ^{16Psalm 102:4} i.e., the whole force of my being is dried up; I am withered like grass.’CIS 141.1

“What an affecting picture of the Man of Sorrow! How like the very life! The best ears of the finest corn in the plains of Israel are plucked while yet green; and instead of being left to ripen in the cool breeze, and under a genial sun, are withered up by the scorching fire. It was thus that the only pure humanity that ever walked on the plains of earth was wasted away during three-and-thirty years by the heat of wrath He had never deserved. While obeying night and day, with all His soul and strength, the burning wrath of God was drying up His frame. ‘Beaten out of full ears,’ represents the bruises and strokes whereby He was prepared for the altar. ‘Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered.’ ^{17Hebrews 5:8} It is after this preparation that He is a perfect meat-offering, fully devoted, body and substance, to the Lord.CIS 141.2

“In all this He is ‘First -fruits,’ intimating that many more shall follow. He the first-fruits, then all that are His in like manner. We must be conformed to Jesus in all things; and here it is taught us that we must be conformed to Him in self-dedication-self-renunciation. We must please the Father; as He left us an example, saying, ‘I do always those things that please Him,’ ^{18John 8:29} even under the blackest sky.”CIS 141.3

The meat-offering typified the full surrender of all we have, and all we are, to the Lord. This offering was always presented along with some animal sacrifice, thus showing the connection between pardon of sin and consecration to the Lord. It is after an individual’s sins are forgiven that he lays all upon the altar to be consumed in God’s service.CIS 142.1

In the meat-offering, like the sin-offering, provision was made for the poor. The wealthy class baked their meat-offerings in an oven; the individual in moderate circumstances, on the “fire plate”; while the cakes baked by the poor in the “frying pan,” were equally acceptable. ^{19Leviticus 2:4-8, margin}CIS 142.2

Type Antitype Leviticus 2:1-3. It was “a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire.” Romans 12:1. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.” Leviticus 2:9. The meat-offering was “a sweet savor unto the Lord.” Philippians 4:18. When God’s people make sacrifices for Him, it is “an odor of a sweet smell.... well pleasing to God.” Leviticus 2:13. “Every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt; ... with all thine offerings thou shall offer salt.” Mark 9:50 “Have salt in yourselves.” Colossians 4:6. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt.”