A Christless cross no refuge is for me;
A Crossless Christ my Savior may not be;
But, O Christ crucified! I rest in thee.
Benjamin B. Warfield
1. Priest's part in relation to the offering.
Offeror = the saint in his acquisition of Christ; movements of his heart Godward.
Not empty = enriched in Christ.
Not "nothing in my hands I bring.
Ex. 23:15; 34:20; Dt.16:16. appreciation of Christ - a note of praise.
To be empty denies the riches of Christ. In his heart there is that which is delightful to God.
Gen.6:6, "grieved Him at his heart."
Now a new kind of humanity has come in in the Person of Christ. No leaven.
Priest = saints having holy and intelligent knowledge of how the offering is to be dealt with for God's pleasure.
v. 14 offer it 1) before the Lord; 2) before altar.
v. 15 "burn it upon the altar.
v.15 burn- God has His portion first.
v. 16. Eaten - assimilated; constitution forming (no leaven inflation) i.e., what characterizes a holy priesthood is nourished, strengthened, and formed by feeding on Christ.
(Burnt Offering 1:9.13 17 - no feeding- all goes up to God on the altar. We can apprehend and appreciate but not appropriate)
v.16 "in a holy place"= self-judged persons walking in the Spirit; withdrawn in spirit from the sphere of human thought and activities even from what may be legitimately connected with ones own tent an exercise in relation to Gods interest i.e. a priestly characteristic.
The Christian viewed as a Priest.
a) Is marked by the appropriation of Christ viz. fine flour, oil, frankincense
b) Christ is substance in his affections: i.e.: the hidden man of the heart. 1 Pet.3:4
c) Marked by transformation. Rom. 12:1-2.
What we feed upon builds our constitution: rules and regulations imposed from without - a renewing of the mind = a new way of thinking about things, and everything
d) A deeper transformation Eph. 4:20-24. This is a deeper assimilation than taught in Romans.
Illustration
Difference between the transformation in Romans and Ephesians. Luke 9:51-55.
They wanted Christ to be received - good mind = Romans
v.54-55 James and John needed to be renewed in the spirit of the mind.
Difference between Manna & Meal Offering i.e., Oblation.
Manna= food supply for the wilderness pathway Josh 5:12
Christ in humiliation
Found on the desert land and discernable in the sunlight - eaten by all Israel.
This aspect transforms into the responsible life. (Romans)
Meal Offering or oblation:
This is food in the sanctuary.
Christ in resurrection
In the holy place.
In the light of the lampstand.
Eaten by the priests.
Effects transformation in the spirit of the mind (Ephesians)
v. 17 unleavened - no fleshly or inflatory element shall come in.
3 kinds of Leven
Mt. 16:11 Leven of Pharisees Cf 23:27-28 hypocrisy
Mt. 16:11 Leven of Sadducees Acts 23:8 Rationalism
Mk.8:15 Leven of Herod cf. Lk. 23:8,11 Making the Gospel attractive to the natural man, and mockery or political party)
1 Cor.5:8
v.18b produces an intense degree of holiness. Nothing is so sanctifying as having to do with Christ.
v.20 Offering of Aaron and his sons" "in the day"- the word BEYOM. signifies not only in the day but FROM that day forward - it was a daily oblation- "perpetual" (v. 20); "a statue forever" (v.22).
The priest begins and ends his day of service with offering the sweet holy odor of Christ's perfections to the Father.
v. 21 "baken"= soaked mg. (i.e., saturated Vide 2:1 "pour oil"; 214 "mingled"; 2:4" anointed"
6:21 soaked= a more intensive thought. A strong apprehension of how fully the Spirit had His way in Christ- the energy and grace of the Holy Spirit.
v.23 "wholly burnt"= priestly apprehension of Christ which is wholly for God's delight.
v.21 "baken pieces" various apprehensions of Christ- as in each of the 4 Gospels. Man's harmony of the Gospels - a human compilation with no priestly intelligence, true features are obscured. Priestly discernment is required to perceive the differences and appreciate their significance: e.g., genealogies. Each Evangelist in the sovereignty of God has his own spiritual apprehension.