The saints apprehension of Christ in His Moral glory.
Meal offering = meat offering = grain offering
Luke 2:52: His humanity was perfectly natural in development. There was no unnatural progress. His wisdom kept pace with His station.
As a child after Gods heart, simultaneously subject to His parents under law.
Later, as Gods man in the world, He testified that its works were evil, and He was hated by it.
There was progress in His development, but no perversion or mistake.
Progress was a form of moral glory
Each occasion was commensurate with His growth Psalm 1 fruit in season.
Combination of virtues:
John 2:13-17 - Zeal consumes Him if His Fathers House is defiled
(Psalm 45:7 Love; + hate He hated wickedness, so much that He bled to wound it to the heart; He died that it might die; He was buried that He might bury it in His tomb; and He rose that He might forever trample it beneath His feet - C.H. Spurgeon)
Luke 9:51-56 - When He was wronged, He suffered it to pass over.
John 11:25, 35 - Divine Power leaves human sympathies free to take their full course.
His relationship to the world:
John 17:15 - IN the world but not OF the world.
He was ever in the world active in the midst of its ignorance and misery, but He never shared its hopes or its projects, nor breathed its spirit.
This is exemplified in John 7
v. 3-4 : show thyself to the world - make yourself important.
He refused this. He was on the way to the altar not the throne.
v. 10 He goes up later we see Him in service not in honor.
Not doing miracles (V.4) but teaching (V.14)
We must pay more detailed attention to the perfection of Christ.
Lev.2:1 and Lk.3:21-22
Lev.2:1 | Luke 3:21-22 |
Fine Flour | Jesus = beloved Son = I am well pleased |
Oil | The Holy Spirit |
Frankincense | Praying |
Manna and fine flour contrasted
Manna | Fine Flour |
John 6:31-33 | Levi. 2:1 |
Food to sustain all of Israel in the wilderness | The meal offering made of fine flour is for the priests. |
Came down from heaven for men | Not from heaven. Isaiah 4:2 the fruit of the earth = Christ in Manhood offered as a sweet odor to God. |
Oil:
v.1 pour oil.
v.4 mingled with oil.
The Spirit IN us makes Christ real to ourselves.
The Spirit ON us makes Christ real to others
(Mt. 3:16 dove; 3:11 fire. Not fire because nothing unsuitable to be consumed through self-judgment.)
Frankincense
Fragrance is Godward because of His entire dependence on God.
Prayer
From the womb (Psalm 22:9, 10) to the last cry upon the cross (Luke 23:46).
Never for a moment was He removed from the spirit of dependence.
Frequent mention of prayer in Luke: 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 9:28; 11;1; 23:24; 23:46
The Oven (v. 4), the Pan (v. 5) and the Frying pan or cauldron - JND (v. 7)
The oven is an enclosed chamber - that is, hidden (Heb.2:18) because He was partaker of Gods holiness. Mk.7:34; 8:12; John 11:33, 35, and 38.
His feelings and sensibilities were perfect as His works and words.
Cakes, wafers = definiteness not so in the other offerings.
The offeror has a very definite apprehension of Christ as
Apprehend spiritual emotions and feelings brought out in Christ under testing.
The Pan = Public less spiritual for apprehension daily contact with contradicting sinners and their open and concealed enmity.
The frying pan = lacks definiteness and discrimination burnt offering of fowls compared with bullocks/sheep
Leaven (v. 11) = No inflation or corruption Mt. 16:11 (Pharisees); Mt.23:27-28 (Pharisees and Sadducees). Acts 23:8; Mark 8:15: Luke 23:8-11 (Herod).
Honey = natural sentiment Mt. 16:22; often comes in hymns and prayers; sweet but sweetness of nature.
The oblation of the first fruits (v. 12) (refer to Leviticus 23:15-17) contains leaven and honey.
Restriction It was not to be burnt on the altar.
Lev. 23:16 new meat offering = represents the assembly comprised of those in whom leaven had once been active = now inactive by self-judgment, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lev. 23:17 two loaves = saints dwelling in mutual relationship.
The Spirit of God distinguishes between Christ Himself and the assembly
The salt of the covenant of thy God (v.13) That is, an offering can be accepted if offered in true faithfulness of heart to the covenant relation in which grace has placed us. We have committed ourselves.
Salt = preservative power of fidelity. The principle of faithfulness which shuts out the activity of the flesh and so brings in Christ in a practical way.
Illustration
My praise is an apprehension and appreciation of Christ as the One who was ever about His Fathers business.
Salt = I am to follow Him
First fruits (v. 14) that which is new and fresh in the soul ever new apprehensions of Christ no spiritual stagnation. This nourishes the priesthood and promotes the service of God.
1 Cor.15:20, 23 - Christ in resurrection
Green ears of corn = freshness and vigor of life.
Dried by the fire = Christ was treated (compare the oven, pan and cauldron. Here the direct action of fire).
John 8:57 - Grown old and weak with pain and grief before His years were half complete.
Corn beaten out of full ears = the maturity and fullness in which God delights