Concerning the meat (or meal) offering, we read the following in Scripture — “And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord” (Lev. 2:22And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord: (Leviticus 2:2)).
The perfection of Christ in all His path was that He never did anything to be seen of men; it all went entirely up to God. Thus the savor of the meat offering was sweet to the priests, but it all was addressed to God. In Christ’s service to man, the Holy Spirit was in all His ways, but all the effect of the grace in Him was always toward God, even if it were for man. And so it should be with us; nothing should come in, as a motive, except what is to God.
In Ephesians 4:3232And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32) and 5:1-2, we see grace of our Lord Jesus Christ toward man, and the perfection of man toward God as the object. “Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children” (Eph. 5:11Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (Ephesians 5:1) JND). In all our service as following Christ here, we get these two principles: our affections toward God and our Father, and the operation of His love in our hearts toward those in need. The more wretched the object of service in the latter case, the truer the love, and the more simply the motive is to God. We may love up and love down — love up to God, and down to man. The more vile and unworthy the persons are for whom I lay myself out for blessing, the more grace there is in it. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). But while that is true, yet as to the state of my heart, the higher the object, the more elevated the affection. With Christ it was perfect. How can a poor creature like me, be an imitator of God? Was not Christ an example — God seen in a man? And we are to “walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:22And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor. (Ephesians 5:2)). He gave Himself for us, but to God; it was God’s grace toward poor lost sinners.
In the meal offering the priests could smell the sweet savor, but it was not offered to them; it was all burned to God. As regards His own path, there was not a feeling that was not entirely up to God — for us, but to God. It was that which was perfectly acceptable to God.
J. N. Darby (adapted)