 “When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. 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. 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.
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.5 And if your offering is a grain offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil.6 You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7 And if your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8 And you shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the Lord, and when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. 9 And the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 10 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. 11 “No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the Lord. 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. 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. 15 And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 And the priest shall burn as its memorial portion some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a food offering to the Lord. Meditation The covenant promise of God’s presence is fuel for the priestly purpose of God's people in God’s world. The prescription for grain offerings included the necessity of “the salt of the covenant with your God” (13) meant to symbolize the presence and promises of God through the preservation, or permanence, of God's covenant relationship with His people. God’s covenant purposes are eternal and His presence central to the fulfillment of His promises, all of which climax in the person and work of Jesus. Because Jesus sacrificed Himself to secure our covenant status and solidify God’s covenant promises, His people are called to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Grain offerings could be uncooked flour (1-3) baked bread (4-10), or roasted grain (11-16). God ordered grain offerings (hold the honey- 11) to always include “the salt of the covenant.” Salt represented the preservation of God’s covenant relationship (Exodus 20-24), the permanence of the promise of God’s presence. Grain would have been a costly offering for a people wandering in the desert with no access to fields! And the promise to preserve God’s presence would empower God’s people for their covenant response, living their mission as “priests with a purpose” (Exodus 19:6). God saves a people to serve His purposes in the world. New creations in Christ are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Because God chose us, His children are His chosen vehicle to mediate His blessing to every neighborhood and every nation, “proclaiming the excellences of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Richly Dwelling -Grain offerings: who knew they could be so powerful!? Why is the covenant promise of God’s presence to preserve the covenant relationship important to understand our covenant purpose as His people? -How does the work of Jesus solidify your status as God’s child and fuel your call to serve God’s purposes as a part of His priesthood of believers? -Where do you (specifically) need to embrace this reality and prioritize this purpose in your discipleship? Key Verse 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.
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