“Corn, Salt, Wine,
& Oil”
(1 Esdras 6:30)
How is corn, salt, wine, and oil to be seen in
the lives of Believers?
1 Esdras 6:30
“… corn, salt, wine, and oil, …to be
daily spent:”
CORN
generally represents increase and blessings of the
harvest.
"And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the
sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number."
(Genesis 41:49)
"...if ye hearken to these judgments, and
keep, and do them ...The Lord thy God ...will love thee, and bless thee, and
multiply thee: he will also bless... the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy
wine, and thine oil..." (Deuteronomy 7:12-13)
Question:
Why does the King James Bible refer to “corn”, when
corn is a New World crop? Surely that must be an error in translation because
the Jews would not have known about corn.
Answer:
"Corn" comes from a word meaning
"grain". In North America, the Native Americans planted maize
(pronounced, "maze") that we later called "corn".
Over the years, residents of the New World used the
term corn for maiz (or maize). All maiz is corn, but not all corn is maiz.
Therefore, the King James Bible is not talking about our maize or “corn” at
all. It is talking of different kinds of grain, specifically wheat or barley.
The King James translators made no mistake. It is
the New World citizens who have mistakenly applied "maize" to the
biblical "corn."
SALT
represents purification and preservation from
corruption.
"And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt
thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of
thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou
shalt offer salt." (Leviticus 2:13)
"And he went forth unto the spring of the
waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have
healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren
land." (2 Kings 2:21)
WINE
often represents life and moderation in life
through God’s Spirit.
In the ancient Near East, with its scarcity of
water, wine was a necessity rather than a luxury. Wine came to symbolize
sustenance and life.
“...every one that thirsteth, come ye to the
waters... wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isaiah 55:1)
Wine can also be abused.
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and
whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1).
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" (Ephesians 5:18).
OIL
may represent authority, holiness, and wisdom.
Aaron, Israel’s first priest, was anointed with
oil. It consecrated him and his sons to serve as priests for God.
"...anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate
them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. ...This shall be an
holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations... it shall be holy unto
you." (Exodus 30:30-32).
"...Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed
their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our
lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not
enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for
yourselves." (Matthew 25:1-9).
The CORN (productivity),
SALT (holiness),
WINE
(moderation), and
OIL (wisdom)
should be exemplified
daily in the lives
of the
godly.