According to verse 31, the flesh of this ram was boiled in a holy place. God’s portion is not boiled; it is burned. Remember that the Passover lamb had to be burned, not boiled. What is the difference in spiritual significance between boiling and burning? Burning implies God’s judgment. Anything offered to God for His enjoyment must be judged by Him; that is, it must be burned by His holy fire. Although God’s food was burned, the priests’ food was boiled. It was not necessary for their food to be judged. Burning implies judgment, but boiling does not imply judgment. Therefore, the breast and the shoulder of the second ram, given to the priests as food, were boiled.
The priests’ portion of the second ram was boiled in a holy place, which must have been in the court of the tabernacle; and the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, is a type of the church. The children of Israel enjoyed the produce of the good land in the way of first laboring in the holy land. Then they reaped an abundant harvest. They were allowed to enjoy much of this harvest anywhere. The holy land is a type of Christ, and the harvest signifies the riches of Christ. Therefore, the children of Israel enjoying the harvest anywhere indicates that the children of God can enjoy the riches of Christ in any place. However, the children of Israel did not have the right to enjoy the top tenth of the harvest in the place of their choice. That portion, the tithe, had to be set aside and kept for the feasts. At the time of the feasts, they were to bring this top tenth, this tithe, to Zion. A part of this tithe was offered to God. Among the things offered to God were the two rams. One ram was for God, and a portion of the other was for the priests. Not only was this second ram eaten only in Zion; it had to be eaten in the holy court. This signifies that this portion of Christ is to be enjoyed in the church life.
This ram was the topmost portion. It was the top part of the tithe of the harvest produced in the holy land. The tithe was the topmost part of the harvest, and of this tithe a part was taken for the priests. Numbers 18:26 says that of the tenth offered by the children of Israel from their harvest, a tenth was separated for the priests. From this we see that the food of the priests was the topmost portion among the top tenth.
Yes, you can enjoy Christ in every place. However, the Christ you enjoy in other places will not be nearly as rich as the Christ you enjoy in a church meeting. Some say, “Why must we attend the church meetings in order to enjoy Christ? This concept is too narrow. Can’t we meet at home and enjoy the Lord?” You certainly can enjoy Christ in your living room with a few other believers. But that enjoyment is different from the enjoyment of Christ at the Lord’s table meeting in the church. To enjoy Christ in the church meeting is to enjoy Him in the Holy Place.
The holy land is itself a holy place. However, with believers there is a difference of degree. The holy land, the holy mountain of Zion, and the holy court of the tabernacle are all holy places. Nevertheless, the degree of holiness differs. In what kind of holy place are you? Are you in the holy land, on the holy mountain, or in the holy court?
The Lord Jesus promised that if even two or three are gathered together in His name, He will be among them (Matt. 18:20). Therefore, some may argue, “In our living room we have many more than two or three meeting together. Isn’t Christ among us?” Yes, Christ is with you in your living room. But that is Christ in the holy land, not on the holy mountain, much less in the holy court.
Let me give some further illustrations. You may be in a worldly place and still have some enjoyment of Christ. In addition, you may attend an evangelistic campaign conducted by a particular group of Christians and enjoy Christ there. You may also attend the Lord’s table meeting in the church and enjoy Christ. Here we have three kinds of enjoyment of Christ: the enjoyment in a worldly place, the enjoyment in an evangelistic campaign, and the enjoyment at the Lord’s table meeting. Are these kinds of enjoyment of Christ the same? No, they are not. The holy food for the priests must be boiled and eaten by the priests in a holy place. This holy place is not merely the holy land or the holy mountain; it is in the holy court of the tent of meeting. Therefore, the church meeting is the place to have the topmost enjoyment of Christ. In the meetings we enjoy the best portion of Christ. Thus, Exodus 29:32 says, “And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread which is in the basket, at the door of the tent of meeting. ”
Verse 33 goes on to say, “And they shall eat those things by which propitiation was made to fill their hands to sanctify them; but a stranger shall not eat them, for they are holy.” The holy food was only for the priests, not for strangers. This holy food was to be eaten by holy people in a holy place.
Concerning the holy food for the priests, verse 34 concludes, “And if any of the flesh of the filling of hands and of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, for it is holy.” In typology what does it mean that the flesh and the bread were to be eaten before morning? This means that we need to experience Christ before His coming back. We should not say, “Let me forget about the enjoyment of Christ today. I certainly shall enjoy Him when He comes back.” To do this is to keep the flesh of the second ram until the morning. The morning in typology is the Lord’s coming back.
This also indicates that we should not save Christ for enjoyment in the future. Do not open a spiritual savings account to keep the enjoyment of Christ for a later time. Instead, we should consume what we have of Christ. Do not save Christ for the future. Do not allow the flesh of the second ram to remain until morning. According to verse 34, the flesh that remained was to be burned, even though it had already been boiled. This means that it was then to be for God’s enjoyment. If we try to save Christ, God will say, “Instead of saving that portion of Christ, offer it to Me and let Me eat it. If you don’t enjoy Christ, let Me enjoy Him for you. Let what remains become My portion.” This is the significance of the flesh and the bread not remaining until the morning and the remainder being burned with fire.