Leviticus 2:1-10 - When you bring a grain offering

2:1-3

Chapter 1 dealt with burnt offerings, and these were offered for atonement (Lev 1:4). This chapter deals with grain offerings which were an expression of gratitude. There were three main elements: the grain, the olive oil and the incense. A key element, as with the burnt offerings, was the quality of the offering. The grain was to be of the finest flour. The priests were an essential part of the process.  With us it is only through Christ that we can come to God and make offerings to Him. The oil was an anointing of the offering. Part of the offering was presented on the altar as a memorial, a reminder that it was God who provided all that they had. The rest was to be eaten by the priests. “It is a most holy part”, it was to be treated as holy by the priests.

2:4-10

The previous verses set out the general system for making grain offerings, we now get details for various sorts of grain offerings. The offering could be baked in an oven, or cooked in a pan. In either case it was to be made of the finest flour and cooked with olive oil. Some of it was offered on the altar, and the rest was given to the priests. As with the burnt offerings, “it was an aroma pleasing to the Lord”. 

With all the religious practices of Israel there are often similarities with the general religious practices of the time, but there are also fundamental differences. The most general is that the beliefs of the surrounding nations essentially so humanity as a slave labour force of the gods. Indeed, we still see this today. Consider environmentalism and “net zero”. The picture presented by the world is that we have to serve the planet, we are slaves to net zero. Under the Biblical understanding God created us out of His love. He cares and provides for us, we give back to Him out of gratitude. With regard to the environment, we are indeed to take care of it, but the world was created for us. We are not its slaves.