“…one approaches the divine Majesty not only utterly purified but with a tribute.”– L. Michael Morales
“The Lord expects his people to offer themselves and the best they have as a token of their dedication and gratitude.”– Allen P. Ross
Structure of Leviticus 2:1-16
Uncooked grain offerings (2:1-3)
Cooked grain offerings (2:4-10)
Regulations for grain offerings (2:11-13)
Firstfruits of the grain harvest (2:14-16)
In the opening chapter of Leviticus, our Lord instructs Moses regarding the whole burnt offering. That offering’s central purpose was to make atonement. The grain offering would be offered alongside the whole burnt offering after it was made (Lev. 9:17), with a distinct purpose. But any Israelite could also offer it on its own (Deut. 26). The grain offering is similar to the whole burnt offering in many ways, but differs in others. Its similarity is found in remaining a burnt offering that is transformed into “a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (2:2, 9).
The difference is that it is a cereal/grain offering, not an animal. Another difference is that only a portion of the grain offering was burned, and the remainder was given to the priests to eat.
If the whole burnt offering is about atonement, then the grain offering is about dedication and gratitude to the one for whom the worshipper is atoned.
Mark Rooker summarizes the meaning of the offering: “The grain offering was a gift to the LORD that honored him as the source of life and of the fertility of the land. It represented the dedication to God of the fruit of one’s labor. In the grain offering, the worshiper offered the best to God, which signified the dedication of one’s life and work to God.”
Three repeated phrases speak to the nature of this offering.
- The offering is a memorial.
- The offering is pleasing the Lord.
- The offering is most holy.
I.) The uncooked grain offering (2:1-3)
“When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. (Lev 2:1)
The grain offering served as a tribute to God, a gift given to the LORD out of gratitude and expressing dedication to the LORD. The word was used throughout the Ancient Near East in non-religious contexts; vassal kings paid money to their overlord (Suzerian) as tribute. Consider the helpful commentary by Gordon Wenham.
“The cereal offering is a kind of tribute from the faithful worshipper to his divine overlord. When a treaty was made, the conquered nations were expected to bring their tribute to the great king. Israel too was bound by a covenant with God, and therefore had a responsibility to express her fidelity by bringing her cereal offerings.”
As new covenant believers, we worship God in the same spirit. We come to the Lord giving of ourselves and all that we own to serve the Lord (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 8-9). In so doing, we acknowledge God as the giver of every perfect gift (including our health and money) and dedicate ourselves in a manner that his costly, i.e., the giving of our strength, time, money, etc.
The grain offering expresses both of these realities as well. By offering grain, the worshiper acknowledges the Lord as the provider of the harvest and dedicates it in a costly way. Consider the way the offering is made in verses 1-2.
He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it 2 and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. And he shall take from it a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. (Lev 2:1–2)
Frankincense was an expensive luxury. Although it was readily available, it was not cheap. Proper dedication to God does not offer simply what is left over. God does not get the margins of our time, energy, and resources. The use of frankincense shows that we faithfully dedicate ourselves to the Lord and worship Him by offering our best.
Now let’s consider the provision to the priesthood in verse 3.
3 But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the LORD’s food offerings. (Lev 2:3)
The grain offering served the practical purpose of providing for the priesthood, as they did not own land and depended on the tithes and sacrifices of the people. It was their primary source of income.
Reflecting on this principle, Gordon Wenham writes, “The cereal offering also provided the priests with their main income. Christian laity are responsible for ensuring that their ministers and clergy receive proper provision.”
13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. (1 Co 9:13–14)
II.) Cooked grain offerings (2:4-10)
As in chapter one’s outline of various options for the whole burnt offering, God’s grace appears again in the grain offering. Not everyone could afford Frankincense, so they could offer a cooked offering, which required more time and energy but was equally acceptable and pleasant unto the Lord. Allen Mosely writes, “If we have the money to get the best, we’ll spend it, and if we don’t have the money we’ll spend the time to make our gift the best we can.”
The central theme in these verses is that those who worship God should actively exclude what corrupts and defiles our lives.
Notice the prohibition in verse 4.
4 “When you bring a grain offering baked in the oven as an offering, it shall be unleavened loaves of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers smeared with oil (Lev 2:4)
In verse 4, and again in verse 11, the Lord prohibits leaven or yeast in the offering. The reason is not stated, leaving many Old Testament scholars to conclude that it is because yeast manifests decomposition and decay. In other words, it symbolizes death. Perhaps this is right, but what is clear is that leaven in Scripture is symbolic, and when used, the symbolism is negative.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. (Lk 12:1)
8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Co 5:8)
As the church seeks to enter God’s presence in worship, we need to remove and repent of all that is unrighteous and wicked. It is not that sinners are not welcome into worship—they are. But we are to avoid thinking that our singing, giving, and serving are pleasant to God while refusing to repent and turn from sin, which we know corrupts our soul and harms the body of Christ.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Ps 51:16–17)
III.) Regulations for grain offerings (Lev. 2:11-13)
We discussed the prohibition at length above, so let’s focus on verses 12-13.
12 As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the LORD, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma. 13 You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. (Le 2:12–13)
Let’s focus on the addition of salt to the offering. What is God communicating by the command to salt “all your offerings”
The best answer is to interpret it in the context of the salt covenant. In the Ancient world, covenants were sometimes concluded by exchanging and eating salt.
19 All the holy contributions that the people of Israel present to the LORD I give to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual due. It is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD for you and for your offspring with you.” (Nu 18:19)
5 Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? (2 Ch 13:5)
Salt was not only a preservative, but was something that was easily preserved. It cannot be destroyed by fire or other means, representing the covenant’s eternality.
Gordon Wenham is again worth quoting in full: “To add salt to the offering was a reminder that the worshiper was in an eternal covenant relationship with his God. This meant that God would never forsake him, and also that the worshipper had a perpetual duty to uphold and keep the covenant.”
IV.) The firstfruits of the grain harvest (Lev. 2:14-16)
14 “If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain. (Lev 2:14)
One appropriate time to offer the grain offering was at the beginning of the harvest, during the harvest festival, when the firstfruits of the harvest were brought to the altar (Deuteronomy 26). Again, what is offered to the Lord is what is best and costly. To give the firstfruits was a sign of gratitude and devotion to the Lord.
The Grain Offering and the New Testament
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Ro 12:1)
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (Heb 13:15–16)
The Grain Offering and our Lord Jesus Christ
- Jesus is our example in showing gratitude
- Jesus gave thanks before feeding the 5,000 (Matt. 14:19)
- Jesus gave thanks before feeding the 4,000 (Matt. 15:36)
- Jesus gave thanks before transforming Passover into the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:17-19)
- Jesus is our example in dedication.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ (Heb 10:7)
- Jesus makes our dedication possible
13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (Ro 6:13)
- Jesus is the firstfruits of our resurrection
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Co 15:20)
