Blood sacrifices had great significance. Blood was offered as an atonement for sin, but its incompleteness required the perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ. The sacrifices in these chapters of Leviticus taught the Israelites how to worship God through personal commitment.  God’s people must revere him, commit themselves to his laws, and show sincere dedication to him.

But sometimes I wonder if God is teaching the Israelites even more than the offering itself?  So, I looked it up. I poured over a few study commentaries by reputable people and here is what I learned;

1. There are several distinctive features about the peace (or fellowship) offering that should be noted. For one thing, the offeror could bring a female animal, something not permitted for the other animal sacrifices. If the offering was not in fulfillment of a vow, the sacrifice could have some defects and still be accepted (See Leviticus 22:23). After all, it was basically going to be used as food for the priests and the offeror’s family, and those defects wouldn’t matter.
2. The peace offering is the only offering that was shared with the worshipers. After the priest had completed the sacrifice, a large portion of the meat went to him; the rest went to the offeror, who could then enjoy a feast with his family and friends.

Where God guides His People; He always provides.  Consider the work of Aaron and his sons as priests. God guided Moses to appoint Aaron and his sons to give all their time serving as priests.  Their priestly work seemed to be 24/7 as they kept the lights on, so to speak, but making sure there was enough oil in the lamps to keep burning day and night in the tent of meeting as directed by God which indicated the Presence of God.

They also had specific, detailed instructions of the care of all things used for burnt offerings unto the Lord.  That meant cleaning the grill after all the burnt offerings were cooked over the designated grates made especially for this purpose.  The priest took their work seriously and did their best to please God.  They were appointed and anointed to do this specific work.  There is no time for priests to grow a garden or shepherd a flock of animals so God provided “leftovers” from the offerings to feed their families.

God thinks of all the details—we can always count on God in all the details of our lives, too!

Leviticus 3

The Fellowship Offering

“‘If your offering is a fellowship offering, and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect. ² You are to lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash the blood against the sides of the altar. ³ From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, ⁴ both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. ⁵ Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is lying on the burning wood; it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

⁶ “‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect. ⁷ If you offer a lamb, you are to present it before the Lord, ⁸ lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. ⁹ From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, ¹⁰ both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. ¹¹ The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord.

¹² “‘If your offering is a goat, you are to present it before the Lord, ¹³ lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. ¹⁴ From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, ¹⁵ both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. ¹⁶ The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s.

¹⁷ “‘This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.’”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

In the East, to eat with people is to make them your friends and allies. It means the end of hostilities, as with Jacob and his father-in-law Laban (Genesis 31:54), or the sealing of friendship, as with Israel and Jethro and his people (Exodus 18:12). In the church today, the Lord’s Supper, or Eucharist, is a simple meal that shows the unity of God’s family (1 Corinthians 10:16–18; 11:18–34). That’s why it’s called “Communion.”

The peace/fellowship offering meal, however, meant more than the enjoyment of good food and fellowship with loved ones. It was also an expression of joyful thanksgiving of worshipers at peace with God and in communion with God. The peace/fellowship offering emphasized the fact that the forgiveness of sins resulted in communion with God and with God’s people.

JESUS IN LEVITICUS…THE ULTIMATE, ONCE AND FOR ALL SACRIFICE FOR US!

On the cross Jesus Christ purchased reconciliation with God (2 Corinthians 5:16–21) and peace with God (Colossians 1:20) for all who will believe Him and follow Him with trusting obedience.

We enjoy fellowship with God and other believers, because of His shed blood (1 John 1:5—2:2). Christ did for us what we could not do for ourselves—remove our sins.  We who believe hunger for truth and discover Christ is the truth we seek.  We “feast” on Jesus Christ as the Bread of Life and the Living Water when we feed on His Word and accept all that He is to us with all that He has done for us.

Today, instead of bringing animals, we offer God “the sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Psalm 116:17) and the “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15), from pure hearts that are grateful for His mercies.  We give ourselves, our very lives to God, as an offering. (Romans 12:1-2)

We who believe and receive salvation are now His priests who tell others of His forgiveness and love!  Peter, disciple of Jesus, proclaims to all who believe:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

Paul clearly explains our work as priests chosen by God to freely give what He has freely given us—the way to be reconciled to God in communion with God by the blood shed by Jesus Christ, His son!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Our work as Christ’s ambassadors (representing Christ) as priests are like Aaron and his sons’ work in this—

Our work as “holy priests” with the ministry of reconciliation is also 24/7!  We live expectantly and grateful with His power working in us; reflecting the Light of Christ, keeping the light of His presence burning in our hearts, minds, and souls with the precious “oil” of His Word and the guidance of His Holy Spirit, while pointing the Way to be reconciled to God through Jesus to others who do not yet know Him!  It’s not about us but all about Jesus!

Lord,

Help us to fulfill your commandment to us to go and make disciples, teaching them all that you are teaching us.  May your Light and your glory be seen in us.  Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

He said: ‘Freely, freely, you have received,
Freely, freely give;
Go in My name, and because you believe
Others will know that I live.’