Salt of Promise
"Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt." (Leviticus 2:13)
For the longest time I've been struggling with finding deeper meaning in passages where God talks about salt, such as:
"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (Colossians 4:6)
and
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men." (Matthew 5:13)
Suddenly, during this morning's study through Leviticus 2, God granted me a light bulb moment.
Don't you love those? Studying the preparation of the grain offerings in the Old Testament made the references to salt in the New Testament come to life for me. This connection may already be obvious to some of you. But, for me it all came together this morning, and that gets me excited!
In Colossians 4:6, Paul's reference to seasoning my speech with salt so that I'll know how I should respond to each moment was before only an admonishment to watch my tongue ... to make sure what I said was edifying to the body and glorifying to God. (By the way, I fail miserably at this on a daily basis! Please pray for me!) Today, God has opened my eyes to see that my speech should be flavored with the "salt" of His promises to me as one of His people, and that this is how I'll know how to respond to the need of each moment and person He puts into my path. Of course, I can only have speech flavored with the "salt" of God's covenant promises to His people through Christ if I'm absolutely saturated with His Word! Oh Lord, renew my desire daily to dive into Your Word and to savor each jot and tittle that they may instill saltiness in my heart, which drives my thoughts and then pours forth from my mouth.
In Matthew 5:13, honestly I never really understood why God's people were referred to as salt. I thought, "We season the world as God changes it through our witness," which I think is true. God certainly does use His people throughout the world to change the flavor from worldliness to godliness when they act as mouthpieces for the propagation of the gospel of Christ, which has the power to change hearts. However, the deeper meaning He's showing me today is that God's people are the "salt of the earth" in that they are the means by which He displays His covenant promises to the world. God proves over and over throughout the church, which is scattered about the entire world, that He keeps His promises with His people by giving them faith in Christ and strength to persevere to the end, at times under bitter torture and murderous threat.
The Lord also brought to my mind the story of Lot's wife in Genesis 19. God sent the angels to command Lot and his family to leave Sodom in order that they might be saved from the impending wrath of God that was to come upon this wicked city. Lot and his family were told to escape for their lives and not to look back. (19:17) Of course, we all know that Lot's wife turned to look back and was turned to a pillar of salt. (19:26) Why salt? I've always wondered that. Why not stone, or dust? I've always thought it really odd that she would be turned to salt. I wonder if this wasn't, even then, representing God's covenant to Abraham. With the light of the New Testament, we know that only those with the faith of Abraham are under God's covenant to him. Obviously, Lot's wife did not have that faith, but longed for the environment of debauchery and sin she was leaving behind. God set her up as a pillar to remind all of His wrath upon those who are outside of His covenant. It is amazing to me that this same pillar of salt likely instilled fear in those outside the promise, but was a sign of comfort to those who'd been granted faith leading to obedience to God's commands. Lot's wife, when turned to a pillar of salt, represented the justice of God against the disobedient and the grace and mercy of God toward those to whom He granted faith leading to obedience. So it is today for me. God's sure wrath against the sons of disobedience is comforting to me because it proves He is just. At the same time, His promised vengeance against sin reminds me of His mercy and grace toward me as I was once under His wrath.
Lord, thank You for Your promises and Your faithfulness to keep them! Oh God, make my mind soaked in the salt of promise! May my heart, mind, and tongue be seasoned with the salt of Your covenant with me in Christ that I may glorify You more with my desires, thoughts, and words.
For the longest time I've been struggling with finding deeper meaning in passages where God talks about salt, such as:
"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (Colossians 4:6)
and
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men." (Matthew 5:13)
Suddenly, during this morning's study through Leviticus 2, God granted me a light bulb moment.
Don't you love those? Studying the preparation of the grain offerings in the Old Testament made the references to salt in the New Testament come to life for me. This connection may already be obvious to some of you. But, for me it all came together this morning, and that gets me excited!In Colossians 4:6, Paul's reference to seasoning my speech with salt so that I'll know how I should respond to each moment was before only an admonishment to watch my tongue ... to make sure what I said was edifying to the body and glorifying to God. (By the way, I fail miserably at this on a daily basis! Please pray for me!) Today, God has opened my eyes to see that my speech should be flavored with the "salt" of His promises to me as one of His people, and that this is how I'll know how to respond to the need of each moment and person He puts into my path. Of course, I can only have speech flavored with the "salt" of God's covenant promises to His people through Christ if I'm absolutely saturated with His Word! Oh Lord, renew my desire daily to dive into Your Word and to savor each jot and tittle that they may instill saltiness in my heart, which drives my thoughts and then pours forth from my mouth.
In Matthew 5:13, honestly I never really understood why God's people were referred to as salt. I thought, "We season the world as God changes it through our witness," which I think is true. God certainly does use His people throughout the world to change the flavor from worldliness to godliness when they act as mouthpieces for the propagation of the gospel of Christ, which has the power to change hearts. However, the deeper meaning He's showing me today is that God's people are the "salt of the earth" in that they are the means by which He displays His covenant promises to the world. God proves over and over throughout the church, which is scattered about the entire world, that He keeps His promises with His people by giving them faith in Christ and strength to persevere to the end, at times under bitter torture and murderous threat.
The Lord also brought to my mind the story of Lot's wife in Genesis 19. God sent the angels to command Lot and his family to leave Sodom in order that they might be saved from the impending wrath of God that was to come upon this wicked city. Lot and his family were told to escape for their lives and not to look back. (19:17) Of course, we all know that Lot's wife turned to look back and was turned to a pillar of salt. (19:26) Why salt? I've always wondered that. Why not stone, or dust? I've always thought it really odd that she would be turned to salt. I wonder if this wasn't, even then, representing God's covenant to Abraham. With the light of the New Testament, we know that only those with the faith of Abraham are under God's covenant to him. Obviously, Lot's wife did not have that faith, but longed for the environment of debauchery and sin she was leaving behind. God set her up as a pillar to remind all of His wrath upon those who are outside of His covenant. It is amazing to me that this same pillar of salt likely instilled fear in those outside the promise, but was a sign of comfort to those who'd been granted faith leading to obedience to God's commands. Lot's wife, when turned to a pillar of salt, represented the justice of God against the disobedient and the grace and mercy of God toward those to whom He granted faith leading to obedience. So it is today for me. God's sure wrath against the sons of disobedience is comforting to me because it proves He is just. At the same time, His promised vengeance against sin reminds me of His mercy and grace toward me as I was once under His wrath.
Lord, thank You for Your promises and Your faithfulness to keep them! Oh God, make my mind soaked in the salt of promise! May my heart, mind, and tongue be seasoned with the salt of Your covenant with me in Christ that I may glorify You more with my desires, thoughts, and words.
That is DEEP! And salty!
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I love Colossians 4:6 Its one of my fav. verses. But if you start at verse 2, it all starts with prayer! It always reminds me that if we are walking in the Spirit, our words will be in the Spirit. But in order to do that, like you said we have to be in the Word. I too fail at this daily, even in casual conversation with my children. I should be speaking of the promises that God has for us to my children, I desire that everything i do with them is all about Jesus. In prayer that one day they will not just be something their mom and dad talk about but that it will become real to them. It also brings to mind 1 Peter 3:15. We are to be ready to give an account of the hope which lies in us, how can we unless we are walking in His promises. I was blessed as i read how God spoke to you through these verses, and I praise His name that I too got convicted as i was reading it. You are a blessing in my life sister!
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Thank you for your comment, my blessed Sister! Yes, I too pray that the words of God's promises will become real to my child, that His heart may know the burning desire to know more of them. I pray that God gives me the faith to quit listening to the lies my flesh tells me and to hold tightly to the promises His Word speaks into my heart and mind. Thank you for your encouraging spirit, Taria. God speaks through you to me all the time and I praise Him for it! You are dear to my heart.
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Peace be with the moderator, as well as those able to read this message.(if not censored)
The time has come, the harvest is ripe.
Make sure to share this with fellow believers.
The Faithful Witness
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Thank you for your comment and wish of peace. Yes, the harvest is ripe. May we hasten the day of the coming of Christ by spreading the good news of His glorious Gospel!
"Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells." (2 Peter 3:11-13)
Peace to you through Christ, the Lord!
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