The Law of the Grain Offering (Leviticus 6:14-18).
This is dealing further with the grain offerings described in Leviticus 2 but concentrating more on the right of the priest to partake of them. It reminds us that it provides holy food for the priests. It is then followed by a description of the twice daily grain offering on behalf of the priests, of which they cannot partake.
‘And this is the law of the grain offering. The sons of Aaron shall offer it before Yahweh, before the altar. And he shall take up from it his handful, of the milled grain of the grain offering, and of its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing odour, as the memorial of it, to Yahweh.'
As in chapter 2, but in more abbreviated form, the grain offering is brought and offered to Yahweh mingled with oil and with the frankincense placed on it. Then a handful of milled grain and oil, (the memorial of it to Yahweh) together with all the frankincense, is offered by fire to Yahweh.
In this way are we to offer our gratitude for His many provisions for us, and dedicate to Him our daily labour, together with the pleasing odour of Christ, which is like the frankincense brought from afar to enhance our offering. Thus are we acceptable to God.
‘And what is left of it shall Aaron and his sons eat: it shall be eaten without leaven in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it.'
Then what is left of the grain offering can be eaten by the priests, and they alone, for it is a whole offering. It is to be eaten without leaven in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. It is a part of their ‘holy eating' which prepares them for their ministry to the people.
In the same way may all who are ‘sanctified in Him' (1 Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 2:11) as a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) can partake of Christ as the living bread Who has come down from Heaven to give life to the world (John 6:33), partaking of Him daily through faith from His word, so that we never hunger, and coming to Him daily in confident trust so that we never thirst (John 6:35). And for this, like the priests, we should go aside into a dedicated place before we go out into the world, so that, daily receiving of Him, we might take blessing to the world (compare Galatians 2:20). What we receive is most holy.
‘It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as the sin offering, and as the guilt offering.'
This grain offering was in no way to be baked with leaven. This confirms that it could certainly be baked if required, but not with leaven. There must be within it no ‘corrupting' influence of the outward created world. It must be as from God, as received by His people. And this is because it is a portion of the offerings made by fire, the offerings which belonged to Yahweh, but of which he was willing for His priests to partake. They were most holy offerings, as were the purification for sin and guilt offerings (some of which could also be partaken of by the priests). They could only be eaten by His holy priests within His holy tabernacle. And they must be totally pure.
So should we in our quiet moments receive the unleavened word, uncorrupted by outward influences, receiving it into our hearts from God. There is a time for more detailed study with the help of outward influences, but there is also a time when He and His word and ourselves should be alone together, when we partake of the unleavened word. The warning is constant. Beware of the corrupting influence of the world with its sinful and spiritually harmful pleasures, its glittering offers that draw us from the way of righteousness, (the deceitfulness of riches), and its prizes offered if only we will compromise the truth!
‘Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as his portion for ever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Yahweh made by fire: whoever touches them shall be holy.'
And the portions of the grain offerings after the memorial has been offered are for Aaron's sons ‘for ever throughout their generations', that is, into the foreseeable future. They were of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, but His priests could partake of them, for they were holy to Him. And whoever touched such offerings were to be holy. This was a warning to any others not to touch them, for if they were made holy like the priests, but were not of the priestly family, they would strictly have to be put to death as an offering by fire to Yahweh. (Alternately they would have to live priestlike lives without the benefits of being a priest. Possibly, however, this was one of the offences that could be dealt with by the guilt offering for trespass in the holy things if done unwittingly - Leviticus 5:15). Only those whom God had made holy, could be holy and live. It is dangerous to presume on God.
In the same way all who are His and sanctified in Him may continually partake of Christ and of His word. But we must beware, for we are touching holy things. By it we are continually sanctified and must ever therefore recognise our responsibility of priesthood and service to the world. Once we have partaken there is no release. We are His for ever.