The Kingdom of heaven

05/06/2011 Human Observations

There is something that stands out in one of the kingdom parables of Matthew 13; that a woman HIDES leaven, which is sin, in three measures of fine meal, or flour in verse 33. 

Matthew 13:33
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Consider the possibility that these three measures of meal are “The fellowship Offering”, according as it is detailed according to the law.  Interestingly enough, the first mention of these three measures of meal occurs in Genesis, the book of beginnings.

Genesis 18

 ¹And the LORD appeared unto him( Abraham) in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;  ²And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,  ³And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:  ⁴Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:  ⁵And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. ⁶And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

The scripture itself notes that “the Lord” appeared to him in verse one. I believe this to be Jesus Himself because He is the Lord (Colossians 1:16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:)

Then Abraham bows himself to the one he refers to as “My Lord”.  Now you might notice that when a man bows to an angel, the angel quickly tells him not to do so because such reverence is only for the Lord our God

 (Deuteronomy 5:⁹Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,)

So, this one of three men consents to the reverence offered to Him by Abraham.  Moreover, later, after the other two have departed to keep their appointment with Abraham’s younger relative, Lot, the Lord hangs around to participate in a very interesting discussion with Abraham, concerning the how many righteous men would be required to prevent the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  I just think it noticeable that this first fellowship offering to the Lord was without leaven.  Yet, in describing the church, Jesus likens the church to a woman who hides sin in her offering to God; which is what we offer Him daily.  Because the best that we as humans can offer God is ourselves, full of frailty and spiritual error.  Yet, God does not see our sin when looking upon us, but rather He sees Jesus the Messiah, the substitute for us, who’s offering of Himself, is acceptable to our Heavenly Father. The church is not full of “good” people; rather is a diverse collection of the forgiven.  I, being one of the spiritually frail forgiven, am grateful.