more from God on offerings....

....I have moved onto chapter 2 of Leviticus today.  I prayed myself to a place where God would reveal how my relationship with Him can be seen through the list of laws that He sent forth for His chosen people.  After all, I am a child of  the King and therefore all parts of the Word are given for instruction and obedience. So I dived into "The Grain Offering."

* it must be a finely grained flour. It shall have oil and frankincense poured over it. A handful to be offered on the altar with the remainder given to Aaron and his sons, the priests.

(Frankincense is an oil from the Boswellia tree which has to mature from 8-10 years before you can harvest it's resin like oil. It is such a hardy tree that is has been found growing out of solid rock formations. It is  an edible perfumed oil that has also been used for medical usage.)

These are the verses and the instructions that were given:
V1-3...uncooked grain     V4-10....various cooked grains   V11-13...ingredients to be or not to be used: leaven (which was refused) and salt (which was required)     V14-16....early grain offerings

As with the Burnt Offering the Grain Offering also produced a "soothing aroma to the Lord"

These two offerings were most often performed together.  But since the Grain Offering did not require blood, it was not a part of atonement.  Grain was hard to come by in the middle of the desert so having  grain, oil and frankincense was a SACRIFICE for the offerer. 

What was it purpose?  WORSHIP. The act of this sacrificial offering praised God for His provisions daily.  (get it, daily)  It was a combined reminder of how the offerer needed to obey and please God out of his sacrifice not abundance.

As I read my Bible and gather biblical scholars views on these offerings I see where this takes me in 2011.  It takes me  to a simple list of  "must be's"....my worship must be:  authentic...pure...sacrificial...and  personal. (Note: this offering was to be done daily as the Burnt Offering was to be done)

Do I daily offer up to God my complete needs?

Do I sacrifice time , money and self so I can minister to others in their need?

Am I pure in my thoughts and motives?

AM I always reaching upward for that personal one on one time with God?

And since I have to answer honestly, I have to say, not always. But after today's study I realized I have to get better at this. Already The Book of Law is revealing to me my shortcomings and ways I can keep a "soothing aroma to the Lord" as a way to offer the best of ME to my God.

2Cor. 9:10 states " Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed and increase your harvest of righteousness."