If anyone brought a meat offering which was baked in the oven, it was to be of unleavened cakes mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. Leaven is a type of sin, and so these cakes and wafers, being unleavened, would remind us once again of the Lord Jesus who was the sinless One. He never had sin in Him, though it was laid on Him during those dark hours of Calvary. He was always “unleavened” and His every action was always by the Spirit — “mingled with oil.” He was also “anointed with oil,” when, at His baptism, the Spirit of God came upon Him like a dove, marking Him out as God’s beloved Son and giving power for service too. His perfect service was always by the power of the Spirit of God. These cakes were baked in the oven where no one could see them while the heat of the fire was doing its work. So we think of the hidden sufferings of Christ as a man in this world. He took a body capable of suffering. What sufferings He endured which no man could see or understand! He felt, as only a righteous man could feel, the sorrows which sin has brought and the rejection and hatred of man led on of Satan. Last of all He felt really and fully what it was to be forsaken of God when He was bearing our sins in those dark hours. Oh what hidden sufferings His holy soul endured there we shall never know and yet how fully God His Father was glorified in it all.
The Sufferings Seen by Others
Then there was the meat offering which was baked in a pan or a frying pan. We all can see anything while it is cooking in a frying pan, and so in these we learn that there were some of Christ’s sufferings which were seen by others: He was hungry, thirsty, and weary. Then what sufferings He endured at the hands of man which all could see as they stood around that cross: the crown of thorns, the spitting, and the nails in His blessed hands and feet. How the heart of God found its delight in seeing the perfect obedience of that blessed One all through His sufferings in this way.
No Leaven and No Honey
There were two things forbidden in any offering of the Lord made by fire. They were leaven and honey. We have already remarked that leaven is a type of evil, and since these offerings typify Christ, we can easily see that leaven could not be in them. Some might wonder why honey was forbidden seeing it is so sweet, but honey typifies that natural sweetness which is not the fruit of the Spirit’s work. The frankincense is typical of that fragrance which is by the Spirit. Sometimes we are generous because we like to be well thought of. We are very courteous at times just to make a good impression on others. Those are the motives which control the heart of natural men, but such motives never governed the heart of Jesus, nor will they be our motives if we are walking with God. We will be kind to please God. We will be courteous for the same reason — not to be well thought of by others. Then if faithfulness to the Lord leads us to do something that may seem unkind, there will be the fragrance of the frankincense which will be sweet to God, even if others do not appreciate it. Then, too, if we have Christ before our hearts, we can continue in kindness, whether people thank us or not, because we know that the Lord is pleased by these lovely Christian graces in His own.
For Further Meditation
1. What does “leaven” represent in the Word of God?
2. Often the deepest pain we feel in life can’t be directly seen by others. We long to be understood, but others don’t seem to grasp what we are trying to communicate. What scriptures show us how completely the Lord Jesus can act in true sympathy for those facing trials?
3. You can meditate a bit more on our sympathizing Jesus Christ by pondering the brief pamphlet Four Reasons Why Christ Became a Man, Suffered, and Died: Hebrews 2:5-185For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 6But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:5‑18) by B. Anstey.