Leviticus Ch 3: Exegesis.
The Ritual of the Peace
offering.
This in earlier times was the typical altar offering. It was thus the
offering par excellence.
3:1 "`If someone's offering is a fellowship offering, and he offers
an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the
LORD an animal without defect.
Title: a Sacrifice of Peace offerings, or Thank offerings.
Hebrew - shelamim - derivation unsure.
The current interpretation "peace offering" is based on the
cognate noun meaning "peace"
and signifies the sacrifice as the as of establishing harmonious
relations with the deity.
It is likely that in earlier times the majority of sacrifices were in
fulfilment of vows or in gratitude for benefits received or expected, so the
Hebrew shelamim could be derived from the cognate verb meaning "to recompense,
repay, pay one's vows. On this view the name "Recompense offering" or
"Sacrifice of Requital" would be the best title leaving "thank
offering" to be the name of one of its varieties - Leviticus 7:12f, 16 22:29.
Rendering "peace offering" is due to Vulgate
"pacificorum, LXX has salvation - i.e. good health, prosperity and well
being. This is not far from the meaning.
The ritual is similar to the burnt offering only some parts of the
animal were retained for consumption.
The animal could be a "female", as it did not go on the altar.
Age is not specified, nor about acceptance by God, nor atonement. It was a
sacred meal which the worshipers ate.
3:2 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it
at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons the priests shall
sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides.
"Kill it at the door of the tent of meeting"
I.e. in the opening but not where the whole offerings were slaughtered.
Thus the flesh of the shared offering never entered the holy area since neither
God nor priest received it. What went in never came out.
3:3 From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the
LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
"The fat that covers the inwards"
I.e. the entrails.
Hebrew omentum - the membrane which encloses the intestines and in the
case of a healthy animal had large bits of fat attached to it.
3:4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering
of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
"The appendage/caul on the liver"
The causite lobe of the liver. Played a prominent part in Ancient
divination of the liver, so for that reason is expressly claimed by the altar.
3:5 Then Aaron's sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt
offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, an aroma
pleasing to the LORD.
3:6 "`If he offers an animal from the flock as a fellowship
offering to the LORD, he is to offer a male or female without defect.
3:7 If he offers a lamb, he is to present it before the LORD.
3:8 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it
in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood
against the altar on all sides.
3:9 From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the
LORD by fire: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all
the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
"The fat tail entire"
This was a delicacy in ancient times.
A broad tail of a species of sheep bred in Palestine. It can contain as much as 10
pounds of fat. The sheep are specially fattened and by mid October the fat can
be so heavy as to prevent the sheep standing. Small carts with wheels are often
put under them to support them.
It is rendered with small bits of meat and stored by Lebanon
peasants for the winter. It is uncertain if Jews ever ate it as the only
references we have to it are WRT sacrificial animals, when it was taboo.
3:10 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering
of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
3:11 The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made
to the LORD by fire.
"The food of the offering made by fire"
Literally - food offered by fire. C/f 1:9 21:6.
"food"
Hebrew lehem - bread - in Semitic countries means the regular food of
the country, so can mean flesh, fish, etc. In P it is the regular word for what
is burnt on the altar and it God's food.
3:12 "`If his offering is a goat, he is to present it before the
LORD.
3:13 He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the
Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar
on all sides.
3:14 From what he offers he is to make this offering to the LORD by
fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
3:15 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering
of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
3:16 The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made
by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD's.
3:17 "`This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come,
wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.'"
"You shall eat neither fat nor blood"
C/f 7:23f.
7:11-21,28-36: The Law of
the Peace offering.
Important information is given here on the different types, the votive
offering, the thank offering, the free will offering.
7:11 "`These are the regulations for the fellowship offering a
person may present to the LORD:
7:12 "`If he offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along
with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and
mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of
fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil.
7:12
"for a thanksgiving"
Literally - for a thank offering.
C/f 22:29 Amos 4:5 Ps 56:12
Differed from other two in that it was accompanied by wafers and cakes
(2:4).
7:13 Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present
an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast.
7:13
"Leavened" cakes allowed - unusual as leaven usually not
allowed in the temple precincts.
These are presumably not put on the altar, and are not a cereal
offering. No incense is placed on them and none of them goes on the altar.
The priest receives both leavened and unleavened bread and his portion.
7:14 He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to
the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship
offerings.
7:14
"for a heave offering"
Hebrew teruah - denotes something lifted off from the whole and
dedicated to God directly or to his representatives the priests. Here it is
applied to the priest's share of the cereal offering which accompanied the
peace offering, and to the right thigh.
7:15 The meat of his fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten
on the day it is offered; he must leave none of it till morning.
7:16 "`If, however, his offering is the result of a vow or is a
freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day he offers it, but
anything left over may be eaten on the next day.
"if the sacrifice be...a vow"
Rather "be a votive offering". I.e. a sacrifice in payment of
a vow.
Judges 11:30,34, 2 Samuel 15:7,12.
Special legislation on the importance of vows is found in 27:1-16.
7:17 Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be
burned up.
7:18 If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, it
will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who offered it, for it
is impure; the person who eats any of it will be held responsible.
"An abomination"
Hebrew - piggul, as technical term for putrid sacrificial flesh.
Abomination as applied to unclean creatures is a different word.
7:19 "`Meat that touches anything ceremonially unclean must not be
eaten; it must be burned up. As for other meat, anyone ceremonially clean may
eat it.
The sacrificial meal was an important part of the ritual so only clean
people could eat it.
7:20 But if anyone who is unclean eats any meat of the fellowship
offering belonging to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.
"Shall be cut off from his people"
Literally - from his kinsfolk.
Not sure if death or excommunication is meant. Probably
"kinsfolk" implies excommunication. Suggests an act of tribal
jurisprudence as practiced by Bedouins today. Similar to Cain (Genesis 4:14).
Such excommunication implies he is handed over to the judgement of God.
7:21 If anyone touches something unclean- whether human uncleanness or
an unclean animal or any unclean, detestable thing- and then eats any of the
meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, that person must be cut
off from his people.'"
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7:22-27. An intrusion, and a later section expanding on the general
prohibition of fat and blood given in 3:17.
The fat, as well as the Blood, are considered to contain the life. Thus
are taboo.
7:22 The LORD said to Moses,
7:23 "Say to the Israelites: `Do not eat any of the fat of cattle,
sheep or goats.
7:24 The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals may be used
for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.
7:25 Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which an offering by fire
may be made to the LORD must be cut off from his people.
7:26 And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or
animal.
7:27 If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his
people.'"
7:28-36
Deals with the portions falling to the priest. This seems to have
developed over time. Initially it seems to have been the choice of the offerer
(1 Samuel 2:13-16), then Deuteronomy 18:3 assigns certain parts. Here other
more valuable parts are given.
7:28 The LORD said to Moses,
7:29 "Say to the Israelites: `Anyone who brings a fellowship
offering to the LORD is to bring part of it as his sacrifice to the LORD.
7:30 With his own hands he is to bring the offering made to the LORD by
fire; he is to bring the fat, together with the breast, and wave the breast
before the LORD as a wave offering.
"Waved for a wave offering"
Hebrew tenuphah - denotes a movement to and fro - symbolizing its
presentation to God and his return of it to his representative.
7:31 The priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast belongs
to Aaron and his sons.
7:32 You are to give the right thigh of your fellowship offerings to the
priest as a contribution.
7:33 The son of Aaron who offers the blood and the fat of the fellowship
offering shall have the right thigh as his share.
7:34 From the fellowship offerings of the Israelites, I have taken the
breast that is waved and the thigh that is presented and have given them to
Aaron the priest and his sons as their regular share from the
Israelites.'"
"Wave breasts...heave thigh"
7:35 This is the portion of the offerings made to the LORD by fire that
were allotted to Aaron and his sons on the day they were presented to serve the
LORD as priests.
"The anointing portion" (AV)
Aaron and his sons not yet anointed thus this is a gloss.
7:36 On the day they were anointed, the LORD commanded that the
Israelites give this to them as their regular share for the generations to
come.
Leviticus Ch3: - The
Peace Offering.
Application to Christ as
The Peace Offering.
Background.
This in earlier times was the typical altar offering. It was thus the
offering "par excellence".
Predates Moses.
Genesis 31:54 - Jacob and Laban.
Exodus 18:12 - Jethro.
Known in all other religions.
Exodus 32:6 - golden calf.
1 Corinthians 10 - pagan worship feasts.
In this we see an expression of man's sense of need and want for
fellowship with God.
Title: A Sacrifice of Peace offerings, or Thank offerings.
Hebrew - shelamim - derivation unsure.
(i) Current interpretation "peace offering" is based on the
cognate noun meaning "peace",
and signifies the sacrifice as the as of establishing harmonious
relations with the deity.
(ii) It is likely that in earlier times the majority of sacrifices were
in fulfilment of vows or in gratitude for benefits received or expected, so the
Hebrew shelamim could be derived from the cognate verb meaning "to
recompense, repay, pay one's vows". On this view the name "Recompense
offering" or "Sacrifice of Requital" would be the best title,
leaving "Thank offering" to be the name of one of its varieties
(Leviticus 7:12f,16; 22:29).
(iii) Name "peace offering" is due to Vulgate
"pacificorum".
(iv) LXX has "salvation" - i.e. good health, prosperity and
well being. This is not far from the meaning.
(v) The Hebrew word for peace is an interesting word in that it is often
found in the plural (as here) where we would not expect to find it as such.
Hebrew often does this with words to bring attention to some special emphasis
the Holy Spirit wants to make. Often tremendous truths are revealed in the
quirks of the grammar. In this case God wants to call our attention to the fact
that the sacrifice which brings peace brings every form of peace we could
possibly imagine.
(vi) The Hebrew word means two main ideas:
(a) Cessation of hostilities, harmonious agreement, peace, tranquility.
(b) The results of such peace, including prosperity, welfare, joy, happiness,
etc.
God shows by this that he is not only interested in us achieving a state
of peace, but that he also wants us to enjoy that peace to the fullest possible
extent.
Other Names:
Emphasize its main purpose.
A fellowship offering, or a covenant offering. Both of these deal with the fact that its aim
is the restoration of relationships, not only the healing of hurts and
forgiveness, but the establishing of a totally new relationship between
previously warring parties - a relationship that has the character of committed
friendship, wherein a man would die for his friend.
Symbolism.
The main aim of the offering was a sacrifice terminating in festive
sacrificial meal, to express the concept of friendship, peace and fellowship
with God as secured by the shedding of atoning blood.
To the Ancient Easterners if one ate with another there was by
implication a covenant relationship of brotherhood and friendship that endured
for all time. Here the offerer eats with God, thus signifying a relationship of
friendship and covenant love between them.
Employing a symbol already familiar to the world for centuries God
ordained this eating of the peace offering to be the symbolic expression of
peace and fellowship with himself.
A Blood Sacrifice.
The working of this sacrifice is dependent on Christ. It is only by the
shedding of his blood that real peace can come into the human situation.
Atonement is necessary.
Atonement is what it is all about. The word atonement is an old English
word meaning simply " to make peace, or to make to be as one that which
was divided."
When God created man in the Garden of Eden there was a perfect unity.
Male and female he created them in perfect harmony with each other, with God
and with nature. There was no conflict, no stress, no anger or division, no
competition, no jealousy. No! There was simply a perfect harmony of all of
God's creation moving together in the perfect will of God.
And then sin entered.
The result of that is depicted in the first eleven chapters of Genesis.
In ch 3 we see man hiding himself from God because of his sin.
Then we see man and woman hiding themselves from each other and from
nature by making clothes, and shortly after man blames the woman for his
predicament. Division had already reached the family.
In ch 4 brother kills brother and lies about it.
In ch 6 the fallen angels come and rape women resulting in the birth of
great giants who rampage across the earth killing and maiming everything in
their path. Division between the heavens and the earth.
In ch 7 God decides he has to start again and there is a flood to
destroy mankind.
But in ch 10 only a few years later there is an attempt by Nimrod to
form a world empire by armed force.
Sin caused man to live at loggerheads with each other. It is only by the
blood of Jesus that Peace can be re-established. Man is at war with God and
himself - he cannot bring peace. Someone
who was at peace with God had to come and pay the price to buy peace for us.
CHRIST OUR SACRIFICE FOR PEACE.
Isaiah 53:5 (amplified) - " the chastisement needful to obtain
peace and well being for us was upon him."
Ephesians 2:11-14.
2 Corinthians 5:19ff.
Three offerings, each of which speaks of a different aspect of the
person of Christ that he had to be to bring peace:
(i) Ox (v1 from the herd) = Christ as the strong and patient one.
(ii) Sheep (v6 from the flock) = Christ as the meek and gentle one.
(iii) Goat (v12 - a goat) = Christ as the despised and rejected one.
Christ as the Burnt offering satisfies the demands of God; Christ as the
Peace offering satisfies the needs of the human heart. The language of the
peace offering is "It is meet that we should be merry and be glad".
The peace offering ended in a joyous sharing, feasting together of offerer,
priest and others with God in the court of the tabernacle.
Psalms 23:5 36:8. Isaiah 25.
Deuteronomy 12:5-7,17,18.
A sweet savour offering:
It does not directly speak of dealing with sin but of acceptance that
comes from sin being forgiven. Thus there is not a major emphasis on atonement.
Blood is shed, but the blood is seen here to be the ground of the acceptance
and blessing which the sacrifice speaks of.
Place of observance:
(1) Third in the list of sacrifices (ch 1-6:14)
c/f the law of ritual in Ch 6:15-7 - it there comes last.
Peace comes to the soul as a result of complying with all God has
required. It tells us that peace can only come to mankind through the operation
of the other sacrifices - sin, its root and guilt must be dealt with first,
then man needs to fulfil the law of love - the Lord first, and neighbour as
oneself.
(2) Burnt on altar of burnt offering, implying that the peace offering
is directly consequent on the altar and so reveals the consequences of those
aspects of Christ's offering which are latently prefigured in the burnt and
cereal offerings.
Differences From Other Offerings:
Show the unique aspects of Christ's work revealed in the Peace offering.
(1) The sexes: Male or female.
Not so in any other offering. The greatest symbol of friendship, this
speaks of a friendship between God and man which had not previously existed.
The animal could be a female as it did not go on the altar. Age is not
specified. It was a sacred meal which the worshipers ate. It speaks of
enjoyment, and the sex, age, etc, of the animal made no difference to its
enjoyment as food.
(2) "Kill it at the door of the tent of meeting"
In the opening but not where the other offerings were slaughtered. Thus
the flesh of the shared offering never entered the holy area since neither God
nor priest received it. What went in never came out. The priest's portion was
taken home by the priest, not eaten in the sanctuary, hence his family could
share in it. God's portion, as a guest, is taken into the sanctuary and burnt.
(3) No birds as:
(a) They had no fat - fat an important essential in peace offering,
God's portion.
(b) The only sacrifice shared by three parties - birds not large enough
to provide a meal.
(4) The treatment:
In BO all went to God, but in PO the
bit that suits me best is left for me to enjoy. But I am not left to enjoy it
in solitude, but in companionship with others - God, the priests, friends. Communion is in order here.
(5) Flaying, cutting into pieces and washing are all omitted.
BO speaks of Christ's perfections offering his life to God.
PO speaks of the communion of the
worshiper, it is not Christ as exclusively enjoyed by God but as enjoyed by the
worshiper in communion with God. Thus the actions are less intense.
Christ as the Burnt offering satisfies the demands of God, Christ as the
peace offering satisfies the needs of the human heart. The language of the
peace offering is, "It is meet that we should be merry and be glad".
(6) Four parties feed on it.
No other offering is like this.
(a) God
(b) Priest
(c) Offerer, and friends.
(d) Priest's children
(a) God.
Is satisfied - calls it very good.
The offerer feasts with God. They find common food together. Speaks of
communion. Communion means simply sharing. In Christ, God and man have something
to share. There can be intercourse without communion but if we want communion
we must share in the offering. Let us be filled with him and our intercourse
will be changed to communion.
(b) Priest.
Christ in his official character is satisfied also.
Christ experiences a satisfaction when he sees man and God in communion.
The common friend of both is satisfied when he sees them satisfied.
Varieties in the Offering:
The Different Grades of the offering:
Different measures of apprehension which believers can have of Christ as
peace offering.
(1) Thank offerings: A token of gratitude for mercies received.
(2) Vows: A token of gratitude for prayers answered but the offering was
promised before, on condition that the prayers were answered.
(3) Freewill offerings: A spontaneous expression of love to God, no
reason.
Need to look at the variations WRT God's part, Priest's part and
offerer's part.
(1) God's part:
(a) The value of the offering.
When we c/f the Burnt offering we see there each grade had different
detail. Here each grade is treated nearly alike.
Implies that if we appreciate God's part in the peace offering at all we
will appreciate it nearly equally.
(b) The offerer's purpose in bringing the offering:
Thanksgiving = praise, or vow i.e. service. Many details of the
thanksgiving offering are lost in the vow.
We can see in the Burnt offering Jesus as offered for:
(i) Praise, for God's glory, or
(ii) God's service, a vow.
Most of us see the atonement as Christ in God's service not as something
done for God's glory. To understand it as for God's glory will open to us far
deeper understandings of his work.
(2) The priests and the offerer’s part:
Again differs whether it is for praise or service.
When offered for Praise:
(i) Meal offering is offered with peace offering of which the offerer as
well as priests partake.
Meal offering = fulfilment of 2nd half of decalogue. Peculiarity is here
offerer takes part in it. In the usual meal the priest and God alone partake.
We see there that the keeping of the law satisfies God and Christ, but here we
learn that the law satisfies us too if we do it.
(ii) Leavened cakes also offered but not burnt.
Represent the offering of the church c/f Pentecost. Not burnt, not fit
to stand the trials of fire but are offered with the PO
and are accepted by God and are fed on by priest and offerers. Our service
brings satisfaction to Christ and other Christians, even though it is tainted
with sin.
One cake out of the whole oblation of each sort - leavened and unleavened
is offered as a heaveoffering and given to the priest. It belongs to offerer.
Christ finds pleasure not only in his own offering but also in our work,
the offering of the church.
Heave Offering:
Hebrew teruah - denotes something lifted off from the whole and
dedicated to God directly, or to his representatives the priests. Here it is
applied to the priest's share of the cereal offering which accompanied the
peace offering, and to the right thigh.
(iv) Flesh of the offering is to be eaten same day.
Morning and third day are common types to denote the resurrection, but
in different senses.
Morning = resurrection as the time of Christ's appearing.
Third day = deliverance from the grave.
The basic meaning is the same, the PO
is our food until the resurrection, but in one case we eat as those whose time
is short (in the night but in hope of morning), in the other case the thought
is of morning is lost but we see days of labour to intervene.
The first view is a higher and happier view.
But the offering of Christ for atonement is wholly past - nothing can be
added to it. However the giving of Christ to us as food is a present reality -
hence he must be this food, not as dead but as living in the present in his
resurrection life of glorified humanity. This is suggested by a ritual here -
none of the flesh should remain beyond the third day.
Why? - the possibility of decay. Christ as our antitype did not suffer
corruption (Psalms 22).
Christ on the third day rose from the dead in the incorruptible life of
the resurrection.
Three of these are overlooked in vow and the fourth is extended to the
second day.
(3) God's Portion:
(a) The fat and the inwards:
Hebrew omentum - the membrane that encloses the intestines and in the
case of a healthy animal had large bits of fat attached to it.
Considered to be the best part of the beast. Protects the vital
life-giving health sustaining parts of the body, keeps warm and feeds every
part of the being.
This is what the Lord requires - all that maintains spiritual life, keeps
the warmth and fire of our devotion and feeds the should with divine energy and
spiritual fervour.
(b) "The appendage/caul on the liver"
The causite lobe of the liver. Played a prominent part in Ancient
divination of the liver, so for that reason is expressly claimed by the altar.
(c) "The fat tail entire"
Literally: - "the tail cut off hard by the backbone."
This was a delicacy in ancient times.
A broad tail of a species of sheep bred in Palestine. It can contain as much as 20
pounds of fat. The sheep are specially fattened and by mid October the fat can
be so heavy as to prevent the sheep standing. Small carts with wheels are often
put under them to support them.
It is rendered with small bits of meat and stored by Lebanon
peasants for the winter. It is uncertain if Jews ever ate it as the only
references we have to it are WRT sacrificial animals, when it was taboo.
We only have to give to God what is his due, not the leftovers but the
best. Fat burns very quickly and fiercely - suggests a readiness of the Lord to
accept the best when it is offered to him.
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"You shall eat neither fat nor blood"
The prohibition of Fat and blood:
Leviticus 3:16,17; 7:22-27; 17:10-16.
An important law. It was not only for sacrificial animals but also for
those slain in the fields and even unclean foods, hunted animals.
(i) Blood = life.
Speaks of atonement by blood as the only ground for acceptance.
We cannot share in the making of atonement.
(ii) Fat = strength, the best we have to offer.
Speaks of God's claim on man for the best we can offer. The consecration
of our best. Our own works, no matter how good, are not enough, it is only as
we obey Christ doing his works that it is acceptable to God. We cannot claim our
own works as righteousness.
These are timeless truths for our time.
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(4) The priests portion:
(a) Breast:
Symbol of affection - went to priesthood and shared by whole family -
the love and affection of the Lord is shared by all his children
(b) Shoulder:
Symbol of strength - went to the particular priest who offered the
particular sacrifice, reminds us that the strength of the Lord is given to
those who serve.
Wave Offering of breast and shoulder.
Affection and strength should be yielded to the Lord. Having offered
them to the Lord the priest received them back. We receive back with interest
all we dedicate to the Lord.
Leviticus Ch 3:
Application to Us of the Peace Offering.
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Two aspects:
(1) Our Sharing in Christ our Peace.
(2) Our being a Peace Offering.
"As he is so are we in
this world".
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(1) Our Sharing In Christ our Peace.
What Peace Does Christ Bring to us?
Three major areas:
(a) Peace with God.
(b) Peace with our own self.
(c) Peace with each other.
God has to work these three in the order here because each is dependent
on the other.
These three seen in the parties who share in the offering.
As we saw in the Garden of Eden, man first sinned and lost fellowship
with God. Immediately he lost the sense of his own identity and began the great
cover up. Then Adam and Eve fell out with each other.
The root problem was the sin which divided from God, this has to be
dealt with first. Then we need to find our identity with God, then we can
openly and honestly relate to each other.
(a) PEACE WITH GOD.
Romans 5:1,2, 6-11.
Romans 3:24,25.
By his blood Jesus bought for us forgiveness of sins. That sin which
divided us from God has been once and for all time dealt with on the cross of
Christ. There is now no barrier between us and God and, as it says here, we
have access again into God's presence.
Law of Peace offering:
It is of importance that we distinguish between:
(i) Sin in the flesh and
(ii) Sin on the conscience.
1 John 1:8-10
The light makes us aware of indwelling sin, but the blood cleanses our
conscience from guilt. We do have sin within us - we deceive ourselves if we
say otherwise, but there is no longer and sin on us, i.e. any guilt. Confession
is the key.
This truth of sin in us and sin on us is clearly seen in the peace
offering:
(i) v13 - eat with leavened bread = sin in us.
(ii) v20 - no uncleanness on him - there should be no sin in the
worshipers conscience.
The leaven in the bread was perfectly met by the blood of the sacrifice;
the priest who gets the leavened bread must sprinkle the blood.
"Cutting off" is due to sin becoming "sins", and
corresponds to our loss of fellowship when we have unconfessed sin.
We err if we are over occupied with our sins - sin or sins can never be
the ground of communion with God. Fellowship is in the light, and there can be
no sin there.
Communion is a peace offering - we cannot partake while bowed down with
sin, as it speaks of the perfect removal of sin. We should not gaze on our sins
but on him who took them on himself.
None of the priest's family could eat unless they were clean. There is a
difference between being a priest and being clean. The rules for cleanliness
apply only to God's elect - we can be a priest, but we need to be a clean
priest. Uncleanness cuts us off from the meat of God.
(a) Leprosy and running issue - both breaking outs of the flesh that are
manifested to others, but manifested differently. They typify those outbreaks
of the flesh in Christians that are too flagrant to be hidden from others. The
appointed discipline is temporary exclusion from the camp (Leviticus 22:1-7).
(b) Less visible uncleanness - touching dead things, creeping, things,
contact with dead (Leviticus 7:20,21). Need to wash with water. Typifies if our
spirits come into contact with the spirit of the world, if it's dead things are
felt to touch us, if creeping things affect our souls, no visible impression
may be seen by others but we ourselves might feel our communion hindered. We
cannot at those times approach that which is normally our food.
Leviticus 22:7 - such an unclean one can eat after sunset, i.e. his food
is eaten in the dark.
In the peace offering peace is established by the blood, then fellowship
can proceed. We cannot make peace, it is already made - through the blood, and
this is enough for faith.
Feeding On The offering:
(a) The offerer, and friends.
Man (in Christ) as offered has his part and is permitted to share this
offering with his friends. He stands here FOR us, the man Christ Jesus. He did
it instead of us, as us.
What is true of him is true of all who are in him. What we see as being
true of him is thus true of us. We are accepted in the beloved. God looked on Christ AS
us. God sees us, therefore, as Christ before him.
Hence what Christ enjoys, we enjoy, for as us he enjoys it. This is the
thought of the peace offering. Christ, as man, is satisfied in the peace
offering, thus man is satisfied.
Many do not realise this - it is true of them but they do not see it,
and they do not enter into the experience of the things he has for them.
Experience is nothing more than our measure of apprehension of what is
already true for us in Christ. The sufficiency of his work does not depend on
our apprehension of it but our satisfaction depends on our apprehension.
Our strength particularly depends on our apprehension. Strength is
sustained by food and the peace offering shows man fed by the sacrifice. What
satisfies us is the meat of the altar - the perfection of Christ in his life
and work, the perfect sacrifice that has already satisfied the Father.
Satisfaction, peace only comes by and through Christ.
(b) The priest's children:
Christ's children are satisfied with him.
This is the church viewed in a particular way. The church, like Christ,
stands to both God and man in different relations, each relation has a
particular type:
Israel = the church as the
peculiar people, in covenant with God.
Levites = the church in service.
"family of priests" = church in communion with God, sharing
with him in his intercession as high priest.
Thus here in Leviticus 3 the priest's children feeding on the sacrifice
speaks of the church in communion, sharing with the offerer in the satisfaction
afforded by the offering. To find satisfaction as priest's children in the
offering we need to see that he is a faithful one who has been offered and that
we have a claim on that offering. We do not need to know our oneness with
Christ. To know our share in the offering as offerers we need to apprehend this
oneness with him, we are in him.
The body of the animal is shared - the blessings bought by him who made
peace are to be shared amongst those who come to him for peace. He did not buy peace for himself but for us,
so that we could enjoy the blessings of his kingdom of peace.
This feasting together in what has been accomplished by Christ must be
celebrated in the sanctuary of the church. There is service to be rendered to
the world = the cereal offering, but there is also spiritual feasting with the
Lord and the saints, feasting on his word which is done in the place where he
has put his name.
(b) INNER PEACE OF MIND.
This peace should spread into our lives in experience - firstly in that
our conscience is cleansed and we are no longer condemned, but also there
should grow an inner peace in our whole being.
How do we get real inner peace?
There are two main keys that bring this peace:
(i) Casting our cares on Him:
1 Peter 5:7.
If we are to know peace we need to cast all our cares on him. but we
cannot do this unless we know that he cares for us.
(ii) Having the mind of Christ.
A lot of our inner tension comes from the desire to do our own thing.
The word PEACE, in both Greek and Hebrew means ONENESS or UNITY. It has the idea of two or more thing flowing
together. Real peace can only come into our hearts as we make ourselves
available to God as a living sacrifice.
These offerings all go together.
We can only live in peace if:
(i) We have accepted the Blood of the sin offering as the ground of
peace, dealing with sin in us.
(ii) We have accepted the blood of the guilt offering as the cleansing
for guilt.
(iii) We have let God work out in our lives a Burnt offering, thus being
one with him in mind, heart, soul and strength.
(iv) We have become a Cereal offering, giving as he gives.
Real unity, oneness comes only from this.
When God sets out to work out in our lives these offerings the
experiences will be hard, but we need to submit to them and flow with God until
we learn to do his will no matter what the cost. We need to learn to relax in situations. We cannot have faith in God if we are
uptight. But to rest in God in trial
will take ALL of our strength, all of the fat will be burnt up in the trial
until we are spent, exhausted, consumed with God in that area of our life.
It is as we come to know God and his will for our lives and walk in that
that we can come to inner peace with ourselves.
Man was made by God to know who he was in relationship to God. Man without God is less that man, and can
only strive after the elusive pot of gold.
Man with God knows who he is and can relax in life without striving after
that which God has not ordained for him.
(c) PEACE WITH EACH OTHER.
This also flows out of Walking in God's will.
Two scriptures indicate this.
(i) 1 John 1:5-9.
If we walk in the light - that is in the knowledge of God's will, then
sin's guilt is dealt with in two ways.
·
That which we are aware of is cleansed as we confess it.
·
That which we are not aware of is automatically cleansed by
the blood of Christ.
The result of this is that we can have fellowship with one another, and
with God. It is only as the shame of our sinful life is cleansed by the blood
that we can open ourselves to each other in love and take away the pretences.
(ii) James 4:1-3.
When we come to know the will of God for our lives and we walk in it,
accepting his calling and limitations on our lives, then we will not strive
jealously after that which God gives to someone else. Peace with each other can
only come when we learn to do what God has given each of us individually what
he wants us to do, and instead of jealously coveting the gifts of others we
rejoice with them in what God is doing in their lives. Self acceptance is the
basis of acceptance of others.
So Christ brings peace to us through two things, firstly through his
blood, and secondly through his will as revealed in his word. This peace will
extend into our whole life as we conform to his word.
(2) MINISTERS OF PEACE.
Just as Christ came to be peace to the world, so too now we are called
by God to be peacemakers.
Matthew 5:9.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
Romans 12:18, 14:19.
We are called to be ministers of reconciliation, bringing the peace of
God to the world. We should be so known by our love for one another that the
world is knocking on the door wanting to get in.
There are three ways God uses us in the ministry of peace.
(a) In the preaching of the Gospel.
We are to minister the Reconciliation Christ has brought through word
and deed, by miracle, healing, prayer, preaching, witnessing, service - in
whatever way God gives us to bring his love to the world.
(b) By being a reconciler.
By using the wisdom of God to bring peace through understanding and
reconciliation. Often this involves on
our part eating humble pie, by forgiving, by building bridges to establish
peace.
(c) By making us a Peace offering.
In a situation where there is tension. There is a price to be paid for
peace, and where people are at war someone must pay the price to bring peace.
There are times in our lives when God will put us into situations of tension so
that all of the anger, hatred, slander, accusation, tension, turmoil, can be
laid on us - EVEN THOUGH IN ACTUAL FACT WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CAUSES OF
THE TROUBLE. It is not our fault, but he allows this to happen in our lives,
unjustly, so that he can remove the tension from the situation and bring
blessing.
You may have seen a situation where a family is constantly bickering.
They just can't seem to get on together at all. But then an attack comes on
someone in the family from outside. The whole family rallies together and the
anger in the family is then directed at the intruder. In the process often a
healing takes place in the family and after the crisis peace is now enjoyed in
the family.
This can happen in the spiritual realm also.
God may put us in a situation where everyone turns against us - FOR NO
REASON - and all of the enmity is heaped on us. Then God simply moves us out
and the enmity goes with us and God is able then to bring blessing into the
situation.
God will do this in our lives on at least one occasion, and maybe more,
because in the process he can teach us things that he can't teach any other
way. Such experiences deal with our attitudes to our rights - after all we were
not the guilty party in the situation yet we got the blame. We learn that God
is the only one who has rights. But we also learn, as we go through these
situations that God is indeed just and he will vindicate in the end -SO LONG AS
WE DON'T TRY TO VINDICATE OURSELVES.
To be a peacemaker in any of these ways is a sacrifice, it costs, and
this chapter tells us how it will cost us.
(1) The fat.
(a) The fat of the inwards. Speaks to us of all that gives us strength
in our inner life, our emotions, and our spirit.
(b) The fat of the tailbone. It is that reserve of strength in our will
that is pictured here.
When God asks us to be a peacemaker of any form it will take all of our
inward strength, all of the love, commitment, will power and spiritual
resources we have to stick it through.
To get this inward strength out of us God has to cut us open - there has
to be a laying of ourselves bare in the face of those with whom we are making
peace. Honesty is vital.
(2) The inward parts.
Speak of human love, human desires and emotions - to bring peace
requires all that we have, but will require more that that.
(3) Offered on top of the burnt offering (v 5).
The burnt offering speaks of that commitment to God that is total, no
holds barred. There can be no peace offering unless the burnt offering is
already in place in our lives. If we have not first dealt with who is our first
love, then we will not be able to be a peace offering. We will not be able to
stand the attack on ourselves if we still love ourselves more than God.
(4) Always offering with a cereal offering (7:11 - 14).
Again, unless we allow God to deal with our own selfishness and
bitterness we cannot become a peace offering. If we have not allowed God, or
are not prepared to allow God to work out in our hearts love for our neighbour
as ourselves then we will never make peace.
The cereal offering is dealing with working out our love for each other.
There cannot be offered a peace offering that at the same time does not include
a cereal offering. God wants to work out pure love in our hearts for each
other, love that comes from God himself, so he must burn up all that is of
human endeavour.
(5) Shared amongst many partakers.
In making peace there is a similar dividing of our life, the best goes
to God. Our affections and strength are consecrated to him, but the rest of our
lives is given in the ministry of reconciliation.
What does being a peace offering achieve in a person?
(1) Learning of love:
Towards people who are unjustly attacking you. In this love is perfected
but it is not easy. To achieve victory
in this there needs to be a working through of hatred, anger and bitterness.
You can see why there can be no peace offering without a cereal offering. The
two deal with the same areas of our emotions and desires.
(2) Learning to Trust God:
For vindication and not to justify yourself.
It is interesting that when someone has wrongly made up their minds
about you in judgement you cannot do anything to change that point of view.
Anything you say or do to justify yourself will be automatically taken as proof
of the initial accusation. Nothing can be done in this sort of situation to
counteract the accusations laid against you, only God can vindicate, and even
then the people will often not see the vindication, nor will it change their
attitudes towards you. God is the righteous judge, but we need to know that we
are walking with him when we seek vindication.
(3) Learning of some aspects of spiritual warfare:
The power created in the spiritual arena by criticism and slander is
dynamite. Such criticism brings curses on the person who is the object of
attack, and unless you learn to fight it there is no way out. Criticism will
fuel the forces of the enemy in the areas of despair and depression in
particular, and a heavy cloud descends on the person being attacked. We need to learn to deal with it.
(4) Learning of yourself:
Your own selfishness, lovelessness, ambition, pride, as God allows
slander to destroy your life so you can learn to rely on him.
Deuteronomy 12:6,7,17,18.
Gives directions on how the Peace offering is to be eaten:
(a) In the place the Lord chooses.
It seems that the fullest experiences we will have of being a peace
offering are going to be in the church. The place where there should be peace,
love, harmony, is the place where it will cost us the most to procure that.
This intensifies the pain of the peace offering in our lives.
(b) With rejoicing.
Seems a bit optimistic to me. It would require all of our faith to
remain joyful, with hope in God, in the face of slanderous accusation.
(c) All members of family, friends and Levites staying with him.
Everybody seems to get a bite on you.
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