I. I shall consider the principal ingredient of it
I. I shall consider the principal ingredient of it
There were two things of which it consisted; one of which was fine flour. If any will offer a meat-offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. This may very well be thought to have respect to our Lord Jesus Christ. This fine flour was of wheat, as is clear from various accounts we have of this offering. So when Araunah the Jebusite gave his threshing floor to king David, to build an altar upon, and his threshing instruments for wood; he gave also, it is said (or proposed to give) wheat for a meat-offering. (1 Chronicles 21:23) By which, as well as from other passages, it appears, that this meat-offering of fine flour, was of fine wheat, which is the choicest of all grain; and to which our Lord compares himself when he says, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die it brings forth much fruit, (John 12:24) signifying hereby, the necessity of his dying, in order that he might bring forth much fruit.
This may denote the excellency of Christ: the superior excellency of him to all others, not only as a divine person, but as God-man and Mediator: he is preferable to angels and to men. He has obtained a more excellent name than the angels, having a more excellent nature than they; being superior to them upon all accounts: for he is represented as the object of their religious worship and adoration. When he bringeth his first begotten into the world, he saith, let all the angels of God worship him. (Hebrews 1:6) And there is a very good reason why they should, since he is their Creator. He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. (Hebrews 1:7) And as God-man, and Mediator; having finished the great work of redemption and salvation, for his people, he is set down at the right hand of God, where angels are not; for, to which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Hebrews 1:13) These are represented as ministering spirits sent forth by him to minister to them who are the heirs of salvation, whilst he sits at the right hand of God far above all principalities, angels, authorities, and powers, they being made subject to him.
He is the chiefest, or chosen out from among ten thousands of men. He is styled God's elect in a special and peculiar sense: behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth. (Isaiah 42:1) He is chosen of God and precious. He is the head of election and grace. He was chosen as head to his members. He is fairer, more excellent, and valuable, than all the children of men. There is none like unto him, He is preferable to them in his offices. He is such a King as there is none like him. His Father has made him his first born, higher than the kings of the earth. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, By him kings reign, and princes decree justice; and all are accountable to him for what they do.
As a prophet, there is none like him. Never man spake like him, such words of truth and consolation. He spake as one having authority, (having a commission from his divine Father) and not as the scribes and pharisees. (Matthew 7:29) He was anointed with the Holy Ghost above measure; for God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him.
As a priest there is none like him: no, not Aaron and all his sons, being a priest not after their order, but after the order of Melchizedec, who will remain for ever, and whose priesthood is an unchangeable one. There is a superlative excellency in him; on account of which, he is esteemed of God and good men. For, though disallowed of some, as he was by the Jews, yet he is chosen of God and precious: and he is precious to all that believe, by whom he is esteemed as more excellent than all others, whether angels or men. Of him they say, whom have I in heaves but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. (Psalm 73:25)
But this meat-offering, being of fine flour, of wheat the' choicest of grain, may also denote the purity of Christ: flour of wheat, being the purest and cleanest of all others. As he is a divine person, he is a rock and his work is perfect: a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and true is he. The holy one of Israel, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises. He who hates iniquity, and loves righteousness.
As man, his human nature was entirely free from all contagion and corruption of sin: from original taint, as the fine flour of which this meat-offering was, free from all bran, so He was free from the bran of original corruption. Though all men are conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity, He was not. Though out of an unclean thing, a clean one cannot be brought, naturally; yet in such a wonderful way and manner was the human nature of Christ produced, as to be free from corruption; and therefore it is said, that the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35) Pure and free was he from any iniquity in life: he did none, neither was guile found in his mouth. His enemies traduced him all they could; and sought for false witnesses to bear a testimony against him, to charge him with some sin, but they could find none. His judge acquitted him, saving, I find no fault in him. (John 19:6) Satan, his grand enemy, sought all he could to injure and ruin his character, yet he could find no sin in him; the Prince of this world cometh, (says Christ) and hath nothing in me. (John 14:30) All his administrations, in the several offices he undertook, were holy. His doctrines which he as a prophet delivered were pure. All the administrations of his kingly office were just and righteous. Righteousness was the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The execution of his priestly office was with the greatest purity and holiness; such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. (Hebrews 7:26) Particularly the sacrifice which he, as a priest offered up, (of which the meat-offering was a type) was a pure and holy one. He himself being without sin, was a fit and proper person to take away the sins of others by the sacrifice of himself. This he was capable of, and did offer up himself without spot to God being the Lamb of God, without the spot of original, or blemish of actual sin and transgression.
Moreover, as fine flour of wheat is the principal part of human sustenance, and what strengthens the heart of man, and nourishes him, and is the means of maintaining and supporting life, it may fitly shadow and figure out our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the bread of God, which came down from heaven. Bread is put for all the provisions of life, as in that petition our Lord directs his disciples to use, Give us this day our daily bead. (Matthew 6:11) So Christ is our life, our joy, our peace, and comfort. He is our raiment, our clothing, our food, our meat, and drink; he is our all in all. It is by faith, feeding upon him, we receive spiritual strength. To those that have no might, he increaseth strength; and in the strength of this spiritual food, may believers be said to walk many days. Though they are so weak and feeble in themselves, that they can do nothing, yet, receiving spiritual strength from him, living by faith upon him, they can do all things. They are nourished up by him with the words of faith and sound doctrine: the words of grace, relating to his person, these are the wholesome words which are strengthening to true believers. By these, spiritual life is maintained and supported. He is the bread of life which came down from heaven, and gives life to the world; on which, if a man feeds by faith, he shall never die, but have eternal life. For, as the living Father hath sent me (says Christ) and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (John 6:57)
The sacrifices of the old law, so this in particular is called the bread of God. "They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God; for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God they do offer." (Leviticus 21:6) Again, "Thou shalt sanctify him therefore, for he offereth the bread of thy God." (Leviticus 21:8) Now this is the very name which our Lord Jesus Christ bears: particularly alluding to this of the meat-offering, he is called the bread of God which came down from heaven. (John 6:33) The bread of God's preparing, the bread of God's giving, and the bread which God blesses for the nourishment of his people. Thus this meat-offering, as to the substance of it, being of fine flour of wheat, is a very special and particular representation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It may also, with great propriety he applied unto his people, who are represented in Scripture frequently as wheat. Hence you read in the New Testament, while the wicked and ungodly are compared to chaff which shall he burnt up with unquenchable fire, they are spoken of as the wheat which Christ shall gather into his garner. (Matthew 3:12)When tares are said to be sown among the good seed, they are ordered to be suffered to grow till the time of the harvest, lest the wheat should be plucked up with them. And when the time of harvest comes, we are told, that the tares shall he gathered, and bound up in bundles and burned, and the wheat shall be gathered into barns: (Matthew 13:30) meaning true believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. These may be signified hereby, because of their peculiar choiceness; being the excellent in the earth, in whom is the delight of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as of his divine Father, whom he has chosen from all others, to he his peculiar people. They are his Hephzibah in whom he delighteth, and his Beulah to whom he is married.
And they being compared to wheat, may denote also their purity. Not as considered in themselves; for they are no better than others by nature, being all under the power of sin, defiled with it, and liable to the consequences of it. And even when they are called by the grace of God, and have a principle of holiness wrought in them, sin dwells in them. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8) Much sin is committed by them. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not: (Ecclesiastes 7:20) but their purity is in Christ. That he might purify unto himself a peculiar people, he has wrought out a righteousness for them, and has shed his precious blood to wash them from their sins; and so they are presented to his divine Father without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, I now proceed,