Leviticus 2

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Meal or Grain Offering

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The Grain Offering was not a blood sacrifice, but was not offered apart from shed blood.

  2. The Grain Offering is a spiritual picture of the sacrifice of Christ – a life of sinless perfection.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Let your life go up in smoke!

QUESTIONS

  1. What evidence was mentioned for the importance of the book of Leviticus?

  2. What substance was offered during the grain offering?

  3. Was all of the grain offering consumed on the altar?

  4. What is portrayed by the olive oil associated with the grain offering?

  5. What does leaven portray in the Bible?

ANSWERS

  1. Leviticus is referred to about 40 times in the New Testament.

  2. This offering is not a meat offering or animal sacrifice. It was a grain or meal offering. The best way to visualize it is to think of a portion of whole grain cereal. It could also be baked, boiled, or fried and presented as cakes or wafers.

  3. No, unlike the burnt offering, not all of the grain offering was offered up in smoke. Some of the grain was giving to the priests for food – certainly teaching the people in a practical way that offering to the Lord supported the work and workers of the Lord.

  4. The Holy Spirit and His work in reference to the birth and ministry of the Lord Jesus (see Luke 1:35 and 3:22).

  5. Leaven is used to symbolize evil.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Of the five main Levitical offerings, the Grain Offering was the only bloodless offering. But it was normally offered along with a blood sacrifice. Discuss the significance of this. Refer to Hebrews 9:22.

  2. Before the Lord endured His sufferings on the cross, He faced much other suffering- yet without sin! Discuss the sufferings Christ faced and refer to Hebrews 5:8.

CHALLENGE

  1. The Grain Offering, like the Burnt Offering, was a sweet savor offering. May it be that our worship is a sweet-smelling offering to the Lord.

  2. When we say that something went up in smoke, we usually mean that the time invested in it was wasted. But if you present yourself as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) your life will go “up in smoke” as the Grain Offering that was burned on the altar. It is pleasing to God when we present our bodies to the Lord as a living sacrifice. The world will see this as a complete waste of your life, but your consumed life will count forever to the praise and glory of God.

KEY VERSES

  • “Then the priest shall take from the grain offering a memorial portion, and burn it on the altar. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.” Leviticus 2:9

Leviticus, Old Testament, TalksRon ReidLEVITICUS 2