BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: PICTURES IN THE LAW, SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS PICTURE JESUS CHRIST MESSIAH SAVIOR

COL 2:17

PICTURES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW

I) INTRODUCTION

A) [Col 2:17]:

"These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

"Things" = A reference to the elements referred to in the Mosaic Law. "which are a mere shadow of things to come" = symbols of spiritual principles, shadows of spiritual realities but the substance of which belongs to Christ and what He did. The OT pictures the wonderful grace provisions of God that were to come through Jesus Christ in the Mosaic Law

The whole of the Mosaic Law was a system of rituals, sacrifices, feasts, festivals, all of which symbolized something, but they were not the real thing. The elements of the Mosaic Law symbolized the person of Jesus Christ. They also provided pictures of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God in His redeeming work saving mankind from having to spend an eternity in the Lake of Fire.

The Levitical sacrifices give the facts about Jesus Christ and they form the basis about drawing near to Him. The Jews learned from those sacrifices what God was like and what the Messiah/Savior was going to be like and how they should relate themselves to Him. The sacrificial system was based upon 5 sacrifices. Three of these was voluntary. And these were described as a fragrant aroma to God. He loved when people chose to bring these offerings to Him.

II) VOLUNTARY OFFERINGS - FRAGRANT

There were three voluntary offerings. These three were a fragrant offering to God. He was pleased when they were performed by an individual who decided he wanted to bring such an offering to God as an expression of his love and thanksgiving to God. The fragrant offerings portrayed what is acceptable to God. Jesus Christ dying as the Lamb of God as the sinless One for the sins of the world. Salvation as a gift from God. The restoration to fellowship.

A) THE LEVITICAL BURNT OFFERING

1) INTRODUCTION

Portrayed the work of Christ in redemption satisfying the holiness of God. i.e., the doctrine of propitiation which has to do with satisfying the justice of God towards sin. It pictured the vicarious death of Jesus Christ for all mankind. It portrays what Jesus Christ was going to do. The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the whole world. It was a sweet savor offering. One that an individual chose to bring to God to deal with the doctrine of propitiation, i.e., the substitute for one’s sins. It was a voluntary offering. It portrayed the concept of a perfect substitute sacrifice for another person who was guilty - for his sin guilt. This was a picture of satisfying the justice of God against the sinner. Jesus Christ was the actual One whom was pictured in this sacrifice as the sinless Lamb of God. He had no old sin nature and He never was guilty of any act of sin.

2) IT PICTURED A SINLESS INDIVIDUAL

a) [Ro 8:3]:

For what the [Mosaic] Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh [i.e., the sin nature], God did, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh [i.e., He was a human being but with no sin nature] and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.”

b) [Heb 4:15]:

“For we do not have a high priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but One Who has been tempted in all things that we are yet without sin.”

He has been tempted but without a sin nature to appeal to.

This stresses that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God Who was absolutely sinless.

This is why when an Israelite believer brought an animal sacrifice, it had to have no physical blemishes to convey the idea of sinlessness.

3) THE INDIVIDUAL IS PICTURED AS COMING UNDER THE JUDGMENT OF GOD FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD

Now the Lord Jesus Christ here in the burnt offering is pictured as coming under God’s judgment against the sins of the world. That judgment which He experienced during the last three hours from noon to three o’clock in the afternoon as He hung on the cross. So the sins of all mankind were placed upon Him.

a) [2 Cor 5:21]:

“He [God the Father] made Him [God the Son] Who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the [absolute] righteousness of God in Him.”

Now all of this is very clear. You cannot save yourself. You cannot bring anything acceptable to God. It has to come as a gift. He has to do it all for you.

4) THREE CATEGORIES OF ANIMALS WHICH COULD BE USED IN THE BURNT OFFERING

a) INTRODUCTION

There were three categories of animals which could be used in the burnt offering. It depended upon one’s financial status.

b) ANIMAL FROM THE HERD = A BULL OF AN OX

i) INTRODUCTION

This was for a person of means, a more expensive offering to bring.

i_a) [Lev 1:2-9]:

(v. 2) "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When any of you brings an offering to the LORD, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.

(v. 3) If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD.

(v. 4) He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.' "

"If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect" = Notice that the animal had to be a male because Jesus Christ is a male.

"without defect" = it pictures being sinless.

"He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD." = Accepted vicariously on what Jesus Christ was going to do to pay for his sins in the future.

"He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.'" = Now the word atonement does not mean forgiveness, it means covering. This signifies a temporary covering between the one providing the sacrifice and the wrath of God. This is a covering which is going to be fulfilled eventually in history in the death of Christ on the cross centuries later when forgiveness will actually be made available and provided to the believer who made the burnt offering. So this is covering the problem.

(v. 5) "He is to slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and then

Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

(v. 6) He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.

(v. 7) The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.

(v. 8) Then Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar.

(v. 9) He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, and aroma pleasing to the LORD."

iii) SUMMARY OF THE MEANING OF THE BURNT OFFERING SACRIFICE OF THE BULL

So this is category number one. The worshiper has selected a suitable animal for sacrifice, brought it to the altar to the priest. A perfect specimen representing the sinless Jesus Christ. This animal has done nothing to deserve this death as Christ was also innocent. The worshiper lays his hands on the head of the animal to identify this animal with his sins. He transfers these sins as it were to the Lord Jesus Christ. This was done to Christ on the cross, (ref 2 Cor 5:21). And God will then accept this symbolic gesture on the part of the worshiper of his faith in the coming Messiah/Savior. As it says [paraphrased from] Lev 1:4:

“He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering saying God I’m a sinner and I’m depending on You through this symbol of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ that it may be accepted for Him to make atonement”

So propitiation is promised to take place and on this basis, God’s justice is satisfied, albeit on credit pending the actual historical event at Calvary which is the reality that fulfills the picture of the burnt offering. So God’s wrath on this particular individual is subdued. So this is a covering of the individual’s sins until the death of Christ, when comes the actual removal of the guilt.

Then the worshiper kills the animal. He cuts the throat and the blood pumps out. A strong animal gradually is weakened and he dies because of the sin of the worshiper. This is a pretty brutal picture. Gradually the animal’s life is drained out of it - the life is in the blood. This act symbolized both the spiritual and physical deaths of Christ on the cross. He died spiritually 12 to 3 o’clock as evidenced when He said, ?My God, My God, [addressing the Father and the Holy Spirit] why have You forsaken Me?’ as the Father and the Holy Spirit turned from the Son as He bore all the corruption of the sins of mankind. And then He died physically, completing the sacrifice. The sacrifices were a shocking sight and it thus was made clear that what was done to this bull would be done to Jesus Christ on the cross in paying for our sins. It would be enormous suffering and enormous physical abuse resulting in His death.

As the blood poured out of the animal, the priest caught the blood in the container and he disposed of it in a prescribed way around the altar. The worshiper then skinned the animal, cut it into pieces. When he skinned it, it demonstrated that there was no blemish. [Underneath the skin there could be unnoticed blemishes] again pointing to Christ in His humanity being sinless.

The priest then puts parts of the animal into the fire on the altar and burns them. This burning of the parts of the animal depicts the judgment of God upon sin. God is going to judge sin. God’s righteousness demands that sin be covered and paid for - either by Christ or for the rejecter to spend all eternity suffering for that sin that he can never pay for. This was all accomplished on the altar. The man who brought the animal did not do anything to achieve this. It was all done through the agency of the priest representing God’s action. And it all provided symbolically what Jesus Christ was going to do on the cross. The worshiper had no part in this burning process because salvation is a gift from God by grace alone.

The church age individual’s salvation is done directly by Jesus Christ our High Priest.

The head and the fat were burned. The head representing the mental purity of Jesus Christ, the fat is overt righteousness, i.e., pointing to Jesus Christ’s qualification to be the Redeemer. Then the viscera and the legs were washed in water before they were burned on the altar. They represented the inner relationship to God and the external walk before God - to cleanse internally and to walk in righteousness. This is what salvation enables you to do. It brings righteousness internally and gives you the capacity to walk a godly life. These parts were cleansed by water before they were put on the fire representing the Holy Spirit. In the bible, water represents the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, (cf. Ez 36:25-27). This was a fragrant offering, a sweet savor type, picturing Jesus Christ in His perfection, obedient to the will of God to bear the sins of the world.

The fire was a symbol of God’s holiness which is the judgment of God which no one is going to escape:

iii) [Heb 12:28-29]:

(v. 28) "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

(v. 29) for our God is a consuming fire."

It is foolish to think that you can offer God something to satisfy payment for your sins. Once that worshiper said, 'I want to present this burnt offering as an expression of my confidence in the coming Savior/Messiah, the priest representing God had to do it all. The worshiper had certain stages but for the ultimate presentation upon the fire of that altar here came the ministry of the priest.

Fire is a manifestation of the holiness of God which condemns sin.

iv) [Gen 19:24]:

"Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah - from the LORD out of the heavens." Regularly fire is associated with the judgment of God against sin. Here in this account it is literal fire. It is a manifestation of what God Himself approves. What He approves comes under His blessing and what He does not comes under His fire.

v) [Ex 3:2]:

"There the Angel of the Lord appeared to him [Moses] in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up." As you know, Moses was told, 'take off your shoes, you are on holy ground.',

(v. 5). Here the fire of God represents the holiness of God.

vi) [1 Cor 3:11-15]:

(v. 11) "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

(v. 12) If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

(v. 13) his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.

(v. 14) If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.

(v. 15) If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."

(v. 12) "If any man builds Here fire represents purification. So the remainder of the carcass and the ashes were then disposed of in the proper way.

c) ANIMAL FROM THE FLOCK A SHEEP OR A GOAT

i) [Lev 1:10-13]:

(v. 10) " 'If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, he is to offer a male without defect.

(v. 11) He is to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides.

(v. 12) He is to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar.

(v. 13) He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, and aroma pleasing to the LORD."

Now here you have another picture. You have a male without blemish, either a sheep or a goat, pictured as Christ unresisting, the sinless Lamb of God bearing the sins of the world. So a person who cannot afford a bull or ox, brings this offering.

ii) [Compare Jn 1:29]:

"The next day John [the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world!' " The world of unbelievers, everybody's sins are covered by this Lamb. This animal is killed on the north side of the altar.

iii) [Isa 14:13 NAS]:

"But you [Lucifer, v. 12] said in your heart, [God describing Lucifer's sin] 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God [the angelic hosts]. I will sit on the mount of the assembly in the recesses of the north."

This passage deals with the rebellion of Lucifer in heaven against the authority of God This declares that one of Satan's goals in his rebellion against God had to do with the north. He wanted to sit on the mount of the assembly in the direction of the north. In the ancient world it is viewed [pagan mythology] that the location of divine authority was always in the northern regions of the world. Mt Olympus was an example of this.

iv) [Isa 2:2]:

"In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it."

The last days, in the kingdom of God all nations will stream into the mountain of the LORD's temple. This mountain represents governmental authority. Here Isaiah is speaking of the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ from which mountain He will exercise governmental authority over all the nations. So Satan's goal was to substitute for Christ in this authority - to control the center of the universe in the north where God reigned. Satan decided to bring the universe under his sole sphere of authority in a place of God's control. So the north side of the altar speaks of this challenge of Satan who wanted to substitute himself for the sovereignty of God. He wanted to cause sin to predominate. The slaughter of the animal was not a pleasant sight. It speaks of the horror of sin, which is nauseating to God. On the other hand the sacrifice was a sweet savor offering to God. It signified something that was acceptable to God. As the animal was sacrificed, smoke arose to God as a fragrant oder which represented the person of His Son Jesus Christ in all of His holiness.

v) [Eph 5:1-2]:

(v. 1) "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

(v. 2) and live a life of love Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

[Scofield, NIV Study Bible, p. 114]:

"The sheep, or lamb, typifies Christ in unresisting self-surrender to the death of the cross (Isa 53:7; Acts 8:32-35). The goat typifies the sinner (Mt 25:33, 41-46) and, when used sacrificially, Christ as 'numbered with the transgressors' (Isa 53:12; Lk 23:33). God made Him, Who had on sin', to be 'sin for us' (2 Cor 5:21). The Holy Son of God became 'a curse for us' (Gal 3:13) when He hung upon the cross."

d) BIRD OFFERING

i) INTRODUCTION

A less costly procedure to symbolize the purity and the holiness of God and the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ.

ii) [Lev 1:14-17]:

(v. 14) " 'If the offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to offer a dove or a young pigeon.

(v. 15) The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar.

(v. 16) He is to remove the crop with its contents and throw it to the east side of the altar, where the ashes are.

(v. 17) He shall tear it open by the wings, not severing it completely, and then the priest shall burn it on the wood that is on the fire on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD"

But if his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds then he shall bring his offering from the turtle doves or from the young pigeons.

And the priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head and offer it up in smoke on the altar.

And its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar.

He shall also take away its crop with its feathers and cast it beside the altar eastward to the place of the ashes.

And then he shall tear it by its wings but he shall not divide it.

And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is on the fire.

It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to God."

The procedure here in the sacrifice of the birds is a voluntary offering representing Christ the GodMan in His resurrection. The bird rising up from death.

ii) [Cp 2 Cor 8:9]:

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich yet for your sakes He became poor so that you through His poverty you might become rich." = the resurrection of Christ.

In this procedure, the priest kills the bird, pours the blood out on the north side of the altar. The priest plucks away the crop - the feathers, throws it away on the east side - the ash pile signifying the place of sin removed. He splits the bird down the middle but doesn't divide it. The bird represents Jesus Christ - two parts and yet the parts are not divided by always joined = Christ's two natures, He was divine and He was human. Because the bird was not separated it showed that the two natures were in one Person and they will be there forever.

He will always be in heaven, the GodMan. The division without the separation also spoke of the singleness of the purpose of Christ in His Humanity and in His Diety.

iii) [John 8:29]:

"Jesus says, 'And He Who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone. For I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."

Because of His Diety, Jesus Christ always pleased the Father in His Humanity.

e) SUMMARY OF BURNT OFFERING

The burnt offerings all symbolize something of the work of Christ on the cross which is even more important to God than the salvation of sinners. God created man for His own glory and yet all men have dishonored Him. So God's character could be vindicated only by a man who lived on earth wholly to God's glory. It was through Adam that sin came

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B) THE MEAL OFFERING - A BLOODLESS OFFERING REPRESENTING THE PERFECTION OF THE NATURE OF JESUS CHRIST

1) INTRODUCTION

A sweet oder offering. This portrays the GodMan Jesus Christ in His holiness as the Redeemer of God. The sinless Lamb of God. It portrays Who Jesus Christ is. This sacrifice also dealt with propitiation but it was in terms of portraying the kind of person that was to be sacrificed, a sinless person. The animal sacrifice had to be without physical blemish representing the impeccability of Jesus Christ. The word impeccability means not able to sin and able not to sin. In His humanity He was not able to do anything that His divine nature was not able to do. So here was a man like Adam, capable of completely obeying God. He was a sinless person. Therefore on these counts He was qualified to bear the sins of others.

C) THE PEACE OFFERING

Portrays the work of Jesus Christ in reconciliation, bringing together God and man - removing the wall that was separating them. This was a grace provision.

II) COMPULSORY OFFERINGS - NON-FRAGRANT

[Compare NT 1Jn 1:9]

Portrays what is not acceptable to God. Carnality. Being out of temporal fellowship with God. While it was important to the Jew bring the burnt offering to God, it was more significant to God because when this offering was made it was declaring that God was right all along.

A) SIN OFFERING - UNKNOWN SINS

This portrayed under the Jewish system restoration of temporal fellowship which had been broken by some UNKNOWN sin. When a Jew was not sure that he had sinned - a periodic times he would come and bring a sin offering to the priest. And this would be his way of confessing his sins and he would be restored to fellowship.

In the Church Age, 1 Jn 1:9 covers this by confessing your known sins which then God purifies the confessing believer from ?all unrighteousness’.

B) THE TRESPASS OFFERING - KNOWN SINS

This portrayed the restoration of temporal fellowship which was broken by known sin, such as when he knew he was guilty of violating the moral code. He had to go and restore his fellowship as a child in the family of God so that he would be restored to the national and personal blessings of God to Israel.

III) NON-BLOOD OFFERINGS

[Compare Lev 2:1-2]:

(v. 1) "When someone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering is to be of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put incense on it

(v. 2) and take it to Aaron's sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD."

A) THE MEAL OFFERING - A BLOODLESS OFFERING REPRESENTING THE PERFECTION OF THE NATURE OF JESUS CHRIST

This sacrifice is a bloodless one and portrays the person of Jesus Christ. It is not stressing Him as a sacrifice for sinners on the cross. It was what He was like - His sinlessness quality of His character. It presents the other side of the burnt offering. The burnt offering was putting Him to death, paying the price through death. This is what that sacrificial Lamb was like. The Lamb had to be perfect.

1) ELEMENTS OF THE MEAL OFFERING

a) It was made up of fine flour

i) [Compare Lev 2:1-2]:

(v. 1) "When someone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering is to be of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put incense on it"

This was flour that was ground and sifted until it was uniformly fine. This pictured the uniformity of holiness of the character of the Lord Jesus Christ - all the qualities in the Man Jesus Christ were in perfect balance with the righteousness of God. Here was a man who was absolutely righteous. He had perfect fellowship with the Father. The humanity of Jesus Christ had nothing of the coarseness of the old sin nature in it. When the Jews prepared this offering they had to sift this flour so that is was absolutely uniformly fine and perfect because it was to picture the absolute righteousness of God.

b) The second element was oil

Oil was poured over the fine flour so that it permeated the flour. In the bible, oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It was used when people were being anointed as a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

i) [Compare 1 Sam 16:13]:

"So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah."

David was anointed as the future king of Israel as a symbol of his indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Oil is added to the meal offering which stands for the perfect humanity of Jesus Christ.

Oil was used in the bible to anoint people as a symbol of their commitment to a certain task.

ii) [Compare Acts 10:37-38]:

(v. 38) "You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--

(v. 38) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him."

Jesus Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit and the oil, the symbol of that actual anointing, signifying that Jesus Christ always operated under the power of the Holy Spirit in His humanity. It is important to realize that Jesus, while He was on earth, did not ever act in His diety, He always acted in His humanity under the power of the Spirit of God. This is an example of the church age power system for every believer. Jesus Christ ?field tested’ the system for every believer of being led in His humanity by the doctrine that He learned through the leading of the Holy Spirit.

iii) [Compare Isa 11:2-3]:

(v. 2) "The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD

(v. 3) --and he will delight in the fear of the LORD."

This passage named seven things which were going to be characteristic of the humanity of Jesus Christ. Verse 2 says, "And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him". Then it lists 7 things in verses 2 & 3 that would be the result of the Spirit of the Lord resting upon Him;

a) spirit of wisdom,

b) understanding,

c) counsel,

d) strength = physical well being, knowledge, fear of the Lord = He will not judge by what His eyes see, ears ear but by doctrine.

e) knowledge

f) fear of the Lord

iv) [Compare Isa 42:1]:

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. "

Here again, the Holy Spirit is the One Who anoints = directs one to a mission. This is symbolized with oil.

v) [Compare Isa 61:1]:

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners"

The humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ was constantly under the filling of the Holy Spirit. Individuals in the Church Age are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation, (Eph 1:13-14; 1 Cor 12:14). But our being filled with the Spirit means to be controlled, i.e., when the Holy Spirit is in charge.

And Jesus was our perfect example Who was always under the control of the Spirit:

vi) [Compare Jn 3:34]:

"For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit."

The Holy Spirit actually identified Jesus Christ as the Messiah at His water baptism:

vii) [Compare Mt 3:16]:

"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him."

That dove represented God the Holy Spirit. So Jesus Christ was water baptized symbolizing His mission as Messiah Savior of the world at which time the Holy Spirit of God came upon His humanity to carry Him through this mission.

God the Holy Spirit sustained Him throughout His earthly ministry:

viii) [Compare Mt 12:18]:

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations."

This is an example of how we are to be sustained in our daily lives.

ix) [Compare Mt 12:28]:

"But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."

x) [Compare Lk 4:14]:

"Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside"

Jesus was not operating in any capacity but in His human capacity empowered by the Spirit of God. And when believers are in fellowship with God - all sins confessed, (1 Jn 1:9), and not confused with charismatic emotional delusions, but with our minds focused on the doctrines of the faith that we have learned, then we can do the same.

xi) [Compare Lk 4:18]:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,"

It is the Holy Spirit Who had a major part in Christ’s resurrection:

xii) [Compare Ro 8:11]:

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

He Who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit Who indwells in you.

xiii) [Compare 1 Pet 3:18]:

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,"

And then there is the present of the Holy Spirit toward Jesus Christ which is to glorify Him. And that’s the mission of the Holy Spirit in us:

xiv) [Jn 16:13-14]:

(v. 13) "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.

(v. 14) He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you."

The Holy Spirit will among other things, help you understand Scripture, i.e., to illuminate the mind of God.

c) Frankincense

Frankincense was poured over the fine flour which was now permeated with the oil. It is one of the loveliest of oders - a perfume, not an incense - highly esteemed in the ancient world and very costly. It symbolized the complete pleasing effect that the humanity of Christ had on His Father in heaven - His sinless sin. God found that His Son was a pleasing aroma to Him in everything that He did.

When Jesus Christ came to John and was water baptized all three elements of the meal offering were there:

1) Jesus Christ in perfect humanity

2) God the Holy Spirit

3) The Father’s declaration of being well pleased with His Son.

2) SUMMARY

The meal offering represents the perfect nature of Jesus Christ in whose life we can walk via the Spirit Who dwells within us and which we receive a well done commendation to the extent that we do.

PICTURES, cont.