Weekly Torah Lesson
Parasha: Tzav – Command
Torah: VaYikra 6:8 – 8:36
With Pesach being ten days away, I have been thinking about the role that bread and wine played in the “old covenant sacrificial system”. Here are a couple of Scriptures that helps us to understand the significant role of these two elements in their system and in ours.
*** 14 And this is the law of the grain offering (v’zot torat mincha): the sons of Aharon shall offer it before Avinu, before the altar. 15 And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the grain offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a sweet smell, even the memorial of it, to Avinu. 16 And the remainder thereof shall Aharon and his sons eat: with (as) unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place;
** “with (as) The grain offering was already considered “unleavened bread”. That is why I inserted (as) for your consideration.
What does the grain offering “remind” Avinu of? Every time a “priest” offered a hand full of finely ground, unleavened grain to Avinu, as the aroma of the roasted grain would rise toward heaven, Avinu would remember the priesthood and their service to Israel and the priesthood would remember Avinu and his abundant mercy toward them.
*** “38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. 39 “One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. 40 “With the one lamb shall be one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. 41 “And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and you shall offer with it the grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to Avinu. 42 “This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before Avinu, where I will meet you to speak with you.” (Ex 29:38-42 )
** So, we have unleavened “bread” and wine being offered on the altar multiple times every day.
*** “9 ‘then shall be offered with the young bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil; 10 ‘and you shall bring as the drink offering half a hin of wine as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to Avinu. 11 ‘Thus it shall be done for each young bull, for each ram, or for each lamb or young goat.” (Nu 15:9-11 )
** The bread (grain) and wine were an integral part of most of the offerings. It was very similar to the incense offerings that took place inside the Tent.
*** “23 For I received from Avinu that which I also delivered to you: that the Master Yeshua on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Master’s death till He comes.” (1Co 11:23-26)
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