The purpose of all offerings is to maintain unity with God. The focus upon the burnt offerings was not on the slaughter of the animal, but on a voluntary giving of a life, symbolic of a totally dedicated life which God expects from all us. The offering of a dedicated life needs to precede the offering of the first fruits. The emphasis on these offerings is not so much on the value, but on the cost to the giver. Three aspects of the offering include: (1) treasure- what one values, (2) the heart (center of passion, mind, or spring of life), and (3) mammon (or physical wealth). The burnt and meal offerings depict the requirement that the offering must not be given with a split allegiance, in which the marginal focus (upon physical concerns) displaces the central focus (upon spiritual goals and concerns- totally committed to God's service.)