Topical Bible: Offerings: Different Kinds of Wave

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In the Old Testament, offerings played a crucial role in the religious life of the Israelites, serving as expressions of worship, thanksgiving, and atonement. Among these offerings, the wave offering holds a unique place, characterized by the ceremonial act of waving the offering before the Lord. This act symbolized the presentation and dedication of the offering to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and provision.

Wave Offering in the Mosaic Law

The wave offering is primarily described in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It was a component of several types of offerings, including peace offerings, grain offerings, and the consecration of priests. The Hebrew term for wave offering, "tenufah," implies a motion of lifting or waving, signifying the offering's presentation to God.

1. Peace Offerings (Zebach Shelamim): In Leviticus 7:30-34, the wave offering is part of the peace offerings. The offerer was to bring the fat and the breast of the animal, which were waved before the Lord. The breast was given to the priests as their portion, symbolizing God's provision for those who serve Him. "The priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. It is a contribution from the peace offerings for the LORD" (Leviticus 7:30-31).

2. Grain Offerings (Minchah): The wave offering also appears in the context of grain offerings. In Leviticus 23:10-11, during the Feast of Firstfruits, the Israelites were instructed to bring a sheaf of the first grain harvest to the priest, who would wave it before the Lord. This act acknowledged God's provision and consecrated the harvest. "He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD so that it may be accepted on your behalf" (Leviticus 23:11).

3. Consecration of Priests: The wave offering was integral to the consecration ceremony of Aaron and his sons. In Exodus 29:22-24, Moses was instructed to take the fat, the fat tail, and the right thigh of the ram, along with a basket of unleavened bread, and wave them before the Lord. This act symbolized the dedication of the priests to God's service. "Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering as a pleasing aroma before the LORD" (Exodus 29:25).

4. Nazirite Vow: In Numbers 6:19-20, the wave offering is part of the ritual for a Nazirite who has completed their vow. The priest was to take the boiled shoulder of the ram, along with unleavened bread and wafers, and wave them before the Lord. This offering marked the completion of the Nazirite's period of separation and dedication to God.

Symbolism and Significance

The wave offering, with its distinctive motion, symbolized the acknowledgment of God's ownership and the offerer's dependence on Him. It was an act of worship that demonstrated gratitude and submission to God's will. The portions given to the priests from the wave offerings underscored the principle of supporting those who minister in God's service.

The wave offering also pointed to the future fulfillment in Christ, who is the ultimate offering and High Priest. As believers, the concept of the wave offering reminds us of our call to present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). Through Christ, we are consecrated and dedicated to His service, acknowledging His lordship over our lives.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 29:26
And you shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be your part.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 7:30
His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Index of Subjects.
... offerings, 598; burnt-offerings, 598; peace-offerings, 599; sacrificial ... 579; their
essential character, 580; different kinds of types ... W. Wave-offerings, 601. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barrows/companion to the bible/index of subjects.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... From Asia he has at different times brought wheat barley ... with the of the Nile, including
two kinds of Alestes ... bears a flat tray, full of offerings"bunches of ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The First Theban Empire
... outer faces, marked the spot to which offerings were to ... his ancestors: the king at
several different times had ... in perfumes and rarities of all kinds had formed ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... are sometimes met with, appear to have been mostly ex-voto offerings placed somewhere ...
even from the remotest parts of the desert, the different kinds of stone ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

The Day of Atonement
... beasts which he slaughtered at different times, besides ... to be slaughtered, besides
the burnt offerings of thanksgiving ... ceremonies, sins of all kinds were taken ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the day of atonement.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... all the small feudal armies which had hitherto fought side by side on behalf of
the king into a single royal army in which the different kinds of troops were ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

On the Glory of Martyrdom.
... We behold new kinds of death of the body long ... pass before your eyes; let the offerings,
and the ... His control contemned, it punishes with different dooms; and in ...
/.../on the glory of martyrdom.htm

The Deputation from Jerusalem - the Three Sects of the Pharisees ...
... the Pharisee from fear') mark various kinds of unreality ... with Epicurean maxims,
betokening a very different state of ... the ashes of all sin-offerings, and kept ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ii the deputation from.htm

The Political Constitution of Egypt
... rations served out to them every day as funeral offerings. ... of the royal domain varied
with different dynasties, and ... of it to officials of various kinds, and to ...
/.../chapter ithe political constitution of.htm

The Dialogue against the Luciferians.
... a blemish shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the ... hear given of these things
was widely different, and, as I ... As in the ark there were all kinds of animals ...
/.../the principal works of st jerome/the dialogue against the luciferians.htm