Salty salt

““You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.”Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

For the longest time I have not understood this scripture fully but last night I saw the meaning more fully. My study Bible gave three cross references to salt in the Old Testament and I followed them.

“Using the usual techniques of the incense maker, blend the spices together and sprinkle them with salt to produce a pure and holy incense.”Exodus‬ ‭30‬:‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Salt was used to make incense pure and holy. In the book of revelations we see incense burners full of the prayer of the saints. Incense now is the prayers of God’s people. Why does it need salt? Is it because our prayers must be holy? Purified by salt! Here is a deep thought worth pondering.

“Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God’s eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings.”Leviticus‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My offerings must be seasoned with salt. The most common offering I give is praise. It cannot be perfunctory, it must be pure and holy. Another regular type of offering is finance. It also must be pure and holy, given from a pure heart. Another need to ponder.

“Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl with salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with water and threw the salt into it. And he said, “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility.”2 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Elisha had been asked to do something about poisonous water. Amazingly God used salt. Salt purifies wounds, adds flavour but did you know it cleanses poisonous water?

“On the day you were born, no one cared about you. Your umbilical cord was not cut, and you were never washed, rubbed with salt, and wrapped in cloth.”

‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭16‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬ 

I do not know why the babies were rubbed with salt, however in this scripture it denotes care.

With all these in mind I must mention the opposite. Worthless salt was thrown out and used to kill vegetation. Everything it touches died. Do I want this scenario? No! I want to be valuable and Holy, just as the Lord requires. How about you?