Leviticus 2:4-6

Lev 2:4 “When you bring a tribute offering baked in the oven as an offering, it will be unleavened rolls of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened crackers coated with oil.
Lev 2:5 And if your offering is a tribute offering baked with a skillet, it will be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil.
Lev 2:6 You will break it in pieces and pour oil over it; it is a tribute offering.

tribute offerings and brother love

Cain and Abel each brought Yahveh a tribute offering. Yahveh had regard for Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s (Genesis 4:3-5). Cain’s envy of his brother’s acceptance — and his own rejection– led to the first murder in human history. This is just one of the incidents recorded in scripture which give us some idea of the purpose of a tribute offering. It is given by an inferior, with hopes of pleasing a superior, and gaining favour in the sight of the superior. It is something valuable, and must be chosen wisely. The idea is that this offering represents the worshipper’s respect for God, rather than his need for forgiveness or reconciliation. But God looks upon the heart. So, Jesus tells us that if we are about to present a gift to God, but remember that our brother has something against us, we should first seek to reconcile with our brother, then give our gift (Matthew 5:23-24). We show our greatest respect for God when we live in peace with our brothers.

LORD, show us how to give our best to you, while loving the brothers and sisters you have given us.