Section 893
II. To consider the things which were to be made use of along with this meat-offering
And the things which were forbidden to be used in it
There were some things to he made use of in it, such as oil, frankincense, and salt. Oil was to he poured upon it, frankincense put thereon; and every oblation was to he seasoned with salt. The oil that was poured upon the meat-offering, or to he mingled with it, may denote, either the grace of God in Christ, or the grace of God communicated to, and bestowed upon his people. It may denote the grace of the Spirit of God, poured out upon Christ without measure; that oil of gladness with which he was anointed above His fellows, and from whence he has the name of Messiah, or Christ, or Anointed; and with which he was anointed to be Prophet, Priest, and King. In allusion to which, the church says, Thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. (Song of Solomon 1:3) Or this may denote the grace poured out upon his people, which is sometimes signified by oil hence the wise virgins are said to take oil in their vessels, They were concerned for the true grace of God; and that as a foundation of their making a profession of religion, which the foolish virgins shewed no concern for. This is the unction from the Holy One, that anointing which teacheth all things; that oil of joy for mourning, spoken of in Isaiah 61:3.
Frankincense put upon the meat-offering, may denote. either the acceptableness of the Lord Jesus Christ, to God and his people; or the acceptableness of his people unto God, and to Christ. It may denote the acceptableness of the Lord Jesus Christ as an offering and a sacrifice to God, and to divine Justice. He is expressly said to be an offering and a sacrifice to God, of a sweet smelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2) And it may denote his acceptableness as a meat-offering to his people. Those who know the nature, sweetness, and profitableness of feeding by faith on this bread-offering, will say, as the disciples did, Lord, evermore give us this bread: (John 6:34) we would be always living, and feeding by faith on this bread-offering. It may denote also the acceptableness of the people of God, in and through Christ. They tire accepted with God in him: they are like pillars of smoke, as the church is said to be, perfumed with frankincense. (Song of Solomon 3:6) Their persons are acceptable to God, through Christ; so are their services and sacrifices. Their sacrifices of praise are acceptable to God; so are their prayers, as they ascend up before God, perfumed with the much incense of our Lord's mediation.
Salt was another thing that was used in it; which makes food savoury, and preserves from putrefaction, and may denote the savouriness of the Lord Jesus Christ to believers. Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? says Job. (Job 6:6) Now Christ, as a meat-offering, is to his people savoury food, such as their souls love: pleasing, delightful, comfortable, refreshing, nourishing, and strengthening. Salt is an emblem of perpetuity. Hence you read of a covenant of salt; (Numbers 18:19) which signifies a perpetual covenant, an everlasting covenant; such as the covenant of grace is, ordered in all things and sure. And such the covenant of the priesthood was, which was to endure until the Messiah came. Now this may denote the perpetuity of Christ's sacrifice, which always remains; and the perpetuity of him, as the meat-offering, For he is that meat which endures to everlasting life; and him has God the Father sealed.
And this, as it respects the people of God, may be an emblem of the savour of their life and conversation. Ye are the salt of the earth, says our Lord; (Matthew 5:13) and again, he says, have salt in yourselves. (Mark 9:50) And it is expected that those who profess Christ, should have their speech always with grace, seasoned with salt; (Colossians 4:6) and that no. corrupt communication proceed out of their mouths.
There were two things which the Jews were forbidden to use in the meat-offering; the one was leaven, and the other was honey. There was to he no leaven in it. This, as it may respect our Lord.Jesus Christ, the Antitype of the meat-offering, may denote his freedom from hypocrisy, and all false doctrines; which were the leaven of the scribes and pharisees. He said to his disciples, Beware of the leaven of the pharisees: and it immediately follows, which is hypocrisy. But Christ was an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile; no guile in his lips, in his life and conversation: he knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Whatever the pharisees might mean when they sent out their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Masters we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth; (Matthew 22:16) it was no doubt matter of fact. Leaven signifies false doctrine. Hence, when our Lord at another time cautions his disciples to beware of the leaven of the pharisees, he says, "How is it that you do not understands, that I spake it not unto you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the pharisees and the sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread; but of the doctrine of the pharisees and sadducees," (Matthew 16:11, 12) Their doctrines were corrupt and false. But our Lord's doctrine was quite free and clear from every thing of this kind. He is truth itself, the way, the truth, and the life: and the doctrines preached by him were grace and truth.
To apply this to the people of God, as no meat-offering was to be made with leaven, it may denote, that they should take heed of communing with profane and scandalous persons. Purge out, therefore, says the apostle, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened: (1 Corinthians 5:7) meaning, they should put away the scandalous person from among them. Such persons who are of scandalous lives and conversations, are to be put away: there is to be no fellowship held with the unfruitful works of darkness. "For what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" And it may denote, that they should he clear of malice and wickedness: they ought to lay aside, as new-born babes, all superfluity and naughtiness. (James 1:21)
Another thing forbidden in the meat-offering is honey. Nor any honey in any offering of the Lord made by fire, verse 12. It may, at first sight, seem strange that this should be forbidden, since it was to be brought amongst the first-fruits: and when it was so often taken in a good sense in Scripture. The doctrines of the gospel are compared thereunto: the word of the Lord is said to be sweeter than honey, and the honey comb. (Psalm 19:10) Honey and milk are said to be under the church's tongue; that is, the doctrines of the everlasting gospel, comparable to honey and milk, because they are sweet and nourishing. And Christ is said himself to eat his honey comb with his honey; (Song of Solomon 1:5) and yet honey is prohibited in this meat-offering. The reason of this is, because it was made use of among the Heathens in their offerings, and the people of God were not to walk in their ordinances: but in the ordinances appointed of the Lord. Besides, honey, like leaven, is of a fermenting nature, and which, when burned, gives an ill smell: and no ill smell was to be in the offering. It was to be, as our text says, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; which it could not have been if the honey had been in it. Besides, it is of a cloying nature, it causes a loathing, when persons eat too freely of it. (Proverbs 27:7) Now there is nothing of this to be found in the antitypical meat-offering, our Lord Jesus Christ. No, the true believer that feeds by faith upon him, the language of his soul is, Lord, evermore give us this bread; let me always feed upon this provision. Moreover, honey may be considered as an emblem of sin, and sinful pleasures; which are as a sweet morsel rolled under the tongue of a wicked man, though it proves the poison of asps within him at last: and so denotes unto us, that such who would feed by faith on Christ, ought to relinquish sinful lusts and pleasures. As well it may also further denote, that the people of God must not expect their sweets, without their bitters. They that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution of one kind or another. So the passover was to he eaten with bitter herbs, as the representation of the same thing—For these reasons honey was not to be used.