by
Andrew Jukes
2. IN ITS DIFFERENT GRADES OR VARIETIES:
These are THREE in number, and represent (as we have already
seen,) the different measures of apprehension with which a saint
may see Jesus in any of His relations.
The FIRST class or grade is UNBAKED flour; (verse 1) this is the
most perfect type of the Meat-offering: the SECOND is BAKED
loaves or cakes; (VERSES 4-7) in this emblem one or two
particulars are lost sight of: the THIRD: GREEN ears dried by the
fire; (verse 14) is lower still than either of the others.
Each gives us Jesus as Meat-offering, that is, as meeting and
fulfilling mans claim on Him: in all He is equally "a sweet
savour," (verses 2,9,12,16) in all equally acceptable to God but
the second class gives a higher View of His perfectness in this
relation than the third: and again the first class is higher than
either.
The first class shews us an offering, like that of the princes;
(compare verse 1, and Num. 7:13,19,25, etc.) the next gives us
something lower; (here too, there is within this class a measure
of variety, as the Meat-offering baked in the oven and in the
pan. The difference, however, I believe, is merely connected with
the SIZE of the offering. A large loaf could not be baked in a
frying pan) the last class shews us the offering in its rudest
form, "ears of corn dried by the fire." The Lord lead us to see
Jesus more fully; according to the measure of the first class,
that our joy and strength may increase. We must rejoice in
proportion as we see His perfectness; for His offering is all
ours; it was "offered for us."
Observe, then, the chief distinctions between the different
grades of the Meat-offering.
(1.) The first contrast is, that while in the FIRST grade
each article of the materials is enumerated, (verses 1,2) the
second describes the offering more generally as "unleavened
wafers anointed" (verse 4). The import of this distinction is at
once and easily discoverable. How many saints are there, who, in
thinking or speaking about Jesus, can fully assert that He is
"unleavened," who know and believe He is sinless, while yet they
cannot see all His perfectness. But absence of evil, the being
without leaven, is a lower thought than the possession of perfect
goodness. We can say, "He did no sin, neither was guile found in
His mouth," long before we can tell what was in Him, and the way
in which He spent it all for others.
(2.) A second point of contrast between the different grades of
the Meat-offering is too remarkable to be omitted. In the first
class it is observed, that the offerer himself takes the memorial
for God out of the offering (verse 2): in the second, the priest
is said to take it: (verse 9) while in the last class, - "in the
dried ears," - no mention is made who takes it. (verse 16). We
observed a distinction similar to this in the Burnt-offering; in
the first class the offerer killed the victim; in the last, the
priest did. The difference is obvious and instructive. The one
view shews Christ in His person as offerer; the other in His
appointed office as the priest. The first, Christ as offerer
personally giving to God, is a higher view than Christ offering
as priest officially. The latter view loses, at least, one
precious object in the precious offering of Jesus: the office is
indeed seen, but the person of the Lord quite lost sight of.
(3.) But there is a third contrast, and one which may be more
generally apprehended, between the first class of the Meat-
offering and the others. In the first class Christ's offering is
seen as flour: He is "the fine flour" bruised. In the other
classes this particular is almost merged: He is rather bread,
either "loaves" or "wafers." (compare verses 1 and 4). The
distinction here is very manifest. We may see Jesus as our
"bread," or even as God's bread, without entering into the
thoughts which are suggested by the emblems of " fine flour'' and
"frankincense." The perfect absence of all unevenness, and the
deep bruisings which He endured that He might satisfy us; the
precious savour also of the offering, only more fragrant when
tried by fire; these are not our first views of Jesus: for as
they are the most perfect apprehensions, so are they generally
the last.
(4.) The difference between the first class of the Meat-offering
and the third is even more striking and manifest: this latter
offering giving us a thought of Christ as "first-fruits," the
FIRST sheaf of the ripening harvest, rather than the bread
already prepared for food, or the fine flour as seen in the first
grade. This distinction I need not dwell upon, as its general
bearing is sufficiently clear. Suffice it to say, that here, as
in the latter grades of the other offerings, we lose what is
distinctive or peculiar in the particular offering, while a
thought or view of some other offering is in measure substituted
in its place. We have already seen this to be the case in the
Burnt-offering: we shall find it again in the Sin-offerings.
The fact is, that these classes are measures of apprehension.
When the measure of apprehension is small, one view of the
offering is confounded with another view. The building, to repeat
a former illustration, is seen too indistinctly to observe its
difFerent aspects: more than one side of it is seen at once,
though neither of these sides is seen very distinctly. This, I
doubt not, is the case here.
The thought of the MEAT-offering is joined with that of the
FIRST-FRUITS. How many true Christians are there whose views of
Christ are thus without definiteness: Sin-offering, Meat-
offering, Burnt-offering, all mixed together.
Such are some of the Varieties in this Offering; and if they
teach no more, they teach us at least what Christians lose from
their lack of knowledge: for many a precious truth seen in the
FIRST grade, is in the lower grades wholly overlooked. For
instance, in the first grade, all the materials are seen, "the
flour, the oil, the salt, the frankincense;" while nearly the
whole of this is lost in the lower grades, where it is only
noticed that, the offering is "unleavened." Is it to be supposed
that this mere negative knowledge, this bare knowledge of what
Christ was not, can ever have the same effect upon our souls as
the full apprehension of what He really was?
So again, in the FIRST grade Christ's person is seen: the offerer
is seen himself offering. Need we be told how different is the
effect of merely seeing Christ's office in His atonement? And so
of the rest.
He who, seeing the first-fruits, confounds or substitutes this
thought for that of the Meat-offering, though he sees Christ,
does not see Him as fulfilling the Law, but simply as the first
sheaf of a promised harvest. There are many who believe that
Christ is risen as the first-fruits of them that slept, who by no
means see how, by His offering for them, they also are accepted
in Him. But I will not pursue the subject. Such as have
intelligence will be able to trace it for themselves. Others, I
fear, would scarce understand the mere outline, which is all that
I could here give of it.
Here I close my remarks on the Meat-offering. More, much more,
might be said. What has been said, I trust, may, through grace,
lead us, FIRST to bless God for having given us such an offering;
and then to DESIRE a GREATER INSIGHT into ALL that Jesus has been
for us. For ever blessed be our God who has thus loved us. May we
daily know more of His love.
....................
TO BE CONTINUED, with the Peace Offering
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