Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenths deals. They shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord. Leviticus 23:16
The biscuits looked so nice in the pan after we had mixed up the dough, rolled them out on the board, and carved them out with the biscuit cutter. They were lined up, lovely and white, waiting to go into the oven. When the oven was ready, in went the pan, and we waited for the biscuits to rise. And we waited… and waited. But the biscuits did not rise; they just baked into hard, flat discs that were inedible. We figured out what the problem was quickly enough; we had forgotten to put the baking powder into the mix. The lack of a leavening agent made a big difference. The wave loaves of the feast of Pentecost had leaven, reminding us of the humanity of theLord’s people.
There are some people who claim they have become sinless when they are saved. They tell us they no longer commit any of the evil deeds that marked them before salvation. They claim they are without flaw in their testimony, their service, and their character. They don’t even tell lies anymore, they say. I don’t know any of these people personally, and I am sure I wouldn’t want to. They are totally out of touch with reality. Yes, you and I sin every day, although it should smite our conscience and drive us to our knees in repentance. This feast speaks of the character of the believers as a body. We are still in our weak and failing flesh, and will remain so until we are called Home. Leaven in the wave loaves speaks of the temporary presence of sin among God’s people. We can’t do anything about that, although we should try to lessen the impact of sin in our lives all we can.
There were two wave loaves, and they were not large. They were probably not very impressive. I see in these characteristics some features of the Christians. The two speaks of the men and women in their individual, distinct, but equally important roles in God’s Assembly. The small size and plain appearance tell us that our place in God’s Assembly is small, and should be hidden behind the greatness and the lordship of Jesus Christ. Although small and insignificant, these wave loaves were a particular treasure to God; He deeply appreciated them. In the same way, the Lord deeply appreciates the humble and obedient saints who gather to His name.
Pentecost ushered in an era of service and worship for redeemed sinners on their way home to Glory. The leaven is not all gone until we arrive. – Jim MacIntosh