“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, New Living Translation

‘Salt of the Earth,’ the award-winning hit song by Zimbabwean gospel artiste Michael Mahendere, is one of the most popular African gospel songs in within the gospel music community worldwide. 

So far, it has garnered almost 5.5 million views on YouTube alone.

“I’m salt of the earth/ I’m salt of the Earth/ I carry the flavor of God/ I season the earth,” the musician sings.

The use of salt by people dates back to 6,000 BC.

The Egyptians were using salt to preserve dead bodies in their mummification processes as early as 2,000 BC.

Over time, salt became so important that at a certain point it was used as currency in some regions, signifying its crucial role in the advancement of human civilizations.

Indeed, salt held profound significance in the Old Testament, serving three major purposes – ceremonial use in worship, covenantal symbolism, and practical applications in homes – which made its importance deeply woven into both religious practice and daily life.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for ‘salt’ is used in various contexts, often symbolizing purification, preservation, or covenant.

In Leviticus 2:13, the Bible says “every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.”

The “salt of the covenant of your God” was to be used in every grain offering.

Every offering from the fruit of the garden was a reminder of the covenant God had made with Israel at Sinai and of the worshiper’s obligation and privilege to remain faithful to God and God’s covenant.

Jesus may have had covenant faithfulness in mind when He told His followers, “You are the salt of the earth.”  

See also Numbers 18:19 where salt represented Aaron’s “everlasting priestly covenant.”

In the Old Testament, priests represented the people before God, offering sacrifices and prayers on their behalf.

They served as mediators between God and the earth. 

It’s because of the Church’s covenantal relationship with Christ that the earth is purified, preserved and seasoned!

Additionally, it was the role of priests to interpret God’s will and communicate it to the people. 

Generally, it was the role of priests to offer guidance and counsel to the people on matters of faith and morality.

So, in essence, the high priest was the human representation of God’s presence among the people.

These roles symbolized the continuous purification and preservation of not only the community, but the world in which the community existed.

Indeed, in Exodus 30:35, God instructed Moses to use salt as one of the ingredients of a special incense for use in the Tabernacle: “You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy.”

In other words, salt represented the purity and preservation of the sacrifices – it represented cleansing and purification.

This is what Jesus meant when He told His disciples that they are the “salt of the earth.”

As the saints of the Most-High God, we do carry the flavour of God; we season the earth!

This is what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:6)

It’s because of the Church’s covenantal relationship with Christ that the earth is purified, preserved and seasoned!

May we never, ever lose our efficacy in our various circles of influence!

Amen.