My answer to an email concerning the validity of a continued use of the "minchah" (the Hebrew grain offering) today

A retired Ph.D. from Biblical Research Institute writes:

 

It seems that Brother D______ L______ is an evangelical Christian who believes that during the millennium Christ will rule in Jerusalem here in earth (Christ’s millennial kingdom). This is part of the evangelical eschatology as taught by all premillennial Protestants, except Seventh-day Adventists. We believe during the millennium Christ will rule in heaven while on earth Satan will be bound because there is no one whom he can deceive.

 

The grain offering (minchah) is clearly part of the ceremonial law (Lev 2:1-16; 5:13; 6:14-23, etc.). Therefore, when Christ died on the cross all the OT offerings came to an end including the grain offering. As far as Jeremiah is concerned, Brother D______ L______ , like most premillennial Protestants (dispensationalists), believes that all the prophecies not fulfilled in the OT will be fulfilled in the future. Hence Jeremiah 33:16-18 will also be fulfilled literally in the future, and why not already practice it today.

What is not considered in this scenario is the context in Jeremiah. He wrote during the Babylonian exile and most of his prophecies concern the return of the Jews from Babylon and God’s promise to establish the Messianic kingdom here on earth. Note the promises in Jeremiah 33:6-9 and 15-17.

 

‘Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. 7 `And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first. 8 `I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 `Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’

`In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ 17 “For thus says the LORD: `David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel;

 

(And this passage continues on to say, “neither shall the priests the Levites want [lack] a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat [minchah] offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.” (Jer. 33:18).)

 

 

 

My friend D______ L______, believes that any Christian can offer the meal offering today, as a New Testament Levite. Therefore, my answer to the email:

 

My understanding is that the promise to Jeremiah was fulfilled in Christ, Prince Messiah, our Prince and Saviour, in His exaltation after His ascension. Now He is sitting on the throne of His Father until His Father can put all enemies under His feet; and as High Priest, He is also ever living to make intercession for us, offering His sacrifice in our place (“the chastisement of our peace was upon Him”, “He hath poured out His soul unto death”, “‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death’...and He went a little further, and fell on His face” and “His sweat was it were great drops of blood falling to the ground”). Thus, He could send the abundant, reconciled Spirit of His Father to His people. Jesus is the Lord our righteousness, and the church holds that name because she watches and waits with patience for the hope of His righteousness through trusting in her Lord Jesus and through following Him in His heavenly ministrations.

 

The precious promises that Peter (2Pet. 1:4) referred to, which give us the divine nature, came from Isaiah and Jeremiah and from all the prophets of the Lord, and those promises concerned Israel being given a new heart to love and obey the Law of God through double pardon after she would receive of the Lord’s hand double punishment for all her sins. Peter, Paul, and the other apostles went around the world proclaiming that the promises had just been fulfilled, and they were moving the world. And that gospel of double pardon will go around the world one more time after the church has again received of the Lord double punishment for all of our sins; and then the people of God in the world will be moved again.
 

It isn’t literal Israel that is to be exalted today, but the church of God, “the Israel of God”, the true “concumcision...which have no confidence in the flesh”, which “is that of the heart, in the spirit...whose praise is not of men, but of God.” But, the church’s exaltation will not come until after Jesus has accomplished His warfare against us and we have been punished for all of our sins of abandoning His truth, following after the Baalim and Asharoth of this world, instead of trusting in King Jehovah to bring us to love His righteousness through His only begotten Son, the great Prince.

 

Let’s go back to the old paths where is the good way, and we will find rest for our souls.

 

David

 

 

 

Exceeding important, though not mentioned in my email, is that a Hebrew offering a meal offering was the equivalent to him thanking God for His pardon. The minchah followed a burnt offering. And the burnt offering followed a conviction of sin, which followed a new, deeper understanding of the Law of God.

 

But, my friend who is a new Adventist, still clings to many errors of Evangelicalism, and hasn’t yet surrendered to the Law of God seen in the Spirit of Prophecy. He refuses to look at the high standard of righteousness from Jesus given through Ellen White. Everyone who has been given access to her writings, but who turns it down, is not surrendered to the 700 foot high Law of God and can receive no huge conviction of sin that needs a great big Saviour from sin.

 

Of them it is written, “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Rom. 8:7). “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Rom. 10:3). “Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.” (2 Cor. 3:16).

 

But, until they turn to the Law and brave its condemnation of their sin, all the “thank” offerings to the Lord are worse than a slap in His face. They are Cain’s offering, which the Lord rejected. They are the pagan offerings to Ashtoreth, [asherah, “happy”] that make the open sinners rejoice; but, their rejoicing is in Ashtoreth and Isis and Diana and Mary, and not in God, through His Son. From the very beginning of human history to this day, this pernicious substitute for redemption has been practiced. And it was just such rejoicing that the Lord promised that He would rid from Israel. And He will rid the same from His people today.

“Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.” (Jer. 7:34).

It is by going to the Law [the Spirit of Prophecy], and letting it give us the huge condemnation which needs a huge Saviour in Jesus, that will drive us to the cross and find One who loves to make intercession for us. But, if we fear to go to the Law and its condemnation of our sins, then we will find the consequences a hard road indeed, because we departed from the Law and are serving the gods of Satan. It will grind our souls to powder through “an evil spirit from God.” (1Sam. 18:10). “Whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” (Matt. 21:44). And they will do the work of Cain and Nimrod to corrupt the earth before God and to slay the innocent redeemed Abels and Davids who did fall on the Stone, Jesus Christ.

 

And as for the theologians who teach that the Law is abrogated because of grace, and who have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, we have these warnings. “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.” (1Tim. 1:5-7). “For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before Me, saith the Lord GOD.” (Jer. 2:22). All of their theologizing means nothing, because they speak not in accordance with the Law and the testimony of the prophets of God.

 

“There were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” (2Pet. 2:1-3).

 

“Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not Me, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Mal. 3:1-5).