Scripture Daily

Context No. 1883 of 4322 · Leviticus

Context · Reflection

Leviticus 3:6-11: in context

6“‘If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD is from the flock, either male or female, he shall offer it without defect. 7If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD; 8and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it before the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 9He shall offer from the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to the LORD; its fat, the entire tail fat, he shall take away close to the backbone; and the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails, 10and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away. 11The priest shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to the LORD.

Leviticus describes the peace offering, or fellowship offering, one of the sacrifices Israel could bring. The worshiper lays his hand on the animal, it is offered before the LORD, and its blood is sprinkled on the altar; the fat is burned as an offering by fire to the LORD, called the food of the offering. Unlike the whole burnt offering, the peace offering was shared: part was given to God, part to the priests, and part eaten by the worshiper, a meal enjoyed in God's presence. Its very name speaks of peace and fellowship with God.

The peace offering is distinguished by what it expresses: peace and fellowship with God. It was, in part, a shared meal, some given to God on the altar, some eaten by the worshiper, a picture of communion, of fellowship restored and enjoyed between God and his people, a sitting down together, as it were, in peace. Where some offerings dealt with sin and guilt, the peace offering celebrated and expressed reconciliation, the restored fellowship that is the aim of all the rest. And this points beyond itself to the great reality of the gospel: peace with God through Christ. The whole story of Scripture moves toward this, the restoring of peace and fellowship between God and a people estranged from him by sin. And the New Testament announces that this peace is accomplished in Christ: being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our peace, Paul says, who has reconciled us to God. The fellowship the peace offering pictured, communion with God, a shared table, restored relationship, is what Christ has secured for us at the cost of his own life. There is something worth resting in here. The heart of our faith is not merely forgiveness of sins, real as that is, but the peace and fellowship with God that forgiveness opens up: reconciliation, communion, a restored relationship, a place at God's table. The peace offering was a foretaste of this, a meal shared with God in token of peace; and Christ has made it real, so that we who were far off are brought near, at peace with God, welcomed into fellowship with him. The aim of it all is not distance but communion; and through Christ our peace, the fellowship the peace offering pictured is ours.

Do I think of my faith mainly as forgiveness, or can I take hold of the deeper reality the peace offering pictured and Christ secured, peace and fellowship with God, reconciliation and communion, a place at his table, and rest in the truth that through Christ our peace I who was far off am brought near, at peace with God and welcomed into fellowship with him?

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