Leviticus 3 SHARED FELLOWSHIP As an observer of those people of old who know God and learned more of Him as they obeyed and served Him, I can see how, why and what they brought to the Tabernacle in this peace offering. The full meaning and particulars relating to the offerings they brought was explained to them (and us) more fully at a later time. The person who brought the peace offering appreciated God, and what satisfied God. The burnt offering was constantly on the altar because the whole offering was for God. On that burnt offering was put God's part of the meat (meal) offering and the fragrance of the frankincense was ascending to God as the priests ate of the cakes of unleavened bread. In this event, the approach offering is brought signifying there is something God, the priests and the offeror have in common and can each partake of the peace offering. This animal, whether one of the cattle or one of the flocks, was to be a perfect animal, either male or female. Provision for peace is made for all. The burnt offering that was always burning provided for acceptance with God. The meat offering was the gift offering expressing appreciation with God. The peace offering of this perfect animal, was shared by different ones, and expressed fellowship with God by the offeror and the priest.
The sweet savor offerings are significant in a special way because the offering itself is what is important. The perfections of Christ that satisfied the righteous claims of God, and therefore our acceptance in the Beloved, has been established and we come into the good of what satisfies God. What relief it is to be accepted by God through His acceptance of the perfect God-Man, our Lord Jesus Christ! The meat offering also is of great significance to us because in the Person of Christ, we can see what is so unique and satisfying of Him, not only to God, but to us. Our appreciation of Christ enables us in our worship to glorify God when we exalt Him, and at the same time we are refreshed ourselves. In this peace offering in its perfection, we learn that our fellowship is possible and is maintained by our Lord Jesus Christ. "He is our peace." The sacrifices that were brought to be offered were such that each part could be given without hesitation to each participant.
Looking on at that scene that took place so many years ago, I wondered how the offeror would see Christ clear enough to believe on Him before He ever came to earth. Then by meditation on that action taken at the door of the Tabernacle before the altar, I see the offeror putting his hand on the sinless animal's head as an act of personal identification. In essence he is saying, "I am not perfect nor sinless, but this living creature is. This is for me. I have peace with God because of the perfections of this offering." The offeror would watch as the priests sprinkled the blood in the right places. He would see all the fat removed and the kidneys along with the fat, even that lump of fat on the liver, and the priest would place it on the burnt offering that was burning. As the fat flared into flame there would be the scent that was a sweet savor to God that both the offeror and the priests would see as they ate of the flesh of the same animal.
The offering of Christ satisfied God and He found pleasure in the sacrifice He made. The offering of Christ satisfies me because of His perfection that is imputed to me and makes possible meaningful fellowship with God. The offering of Christ was satisfying to Him. "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." The peace offering provided for the needs of the priest's children. There is full provision for the Church to be in communion with God because our standing in Christ is secure. However, many of those who are in the Body of Christ do not find their satisfaction and peace in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so try to get from religion and/or the world, what God has already provided for them in Christ. Instead of finding joy in seeing what delights God, and feeding their souls on what makes and maintains fellowship with God, they turn to things that cannot satisfy. To know Christ as our Savior does not make our fellowship secure. Our standing is secure, but unless we "go on to know the Lord, and practice what we know," there will be no real sharing of fellowship with the Father and with the Son, and the peace that goes with that.
I am challenged as in my mind I watch the flame from the burning fat of the peace offering ascend to God. As I watch the priest and his family eating of the body of the offering, and the offeror himself partaking of that same spiritual food, I say to myself, "Peace has been made through the blood of the cross." I can declare to others and for my own benefit, "We preach peace by Jesus Christ," and be assured in my own soul that fellowship with God has been established on the basis of the value of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. God and I enjoy fellowship together because we share the Lord Jesus Christ together. Christ is the Mediator, who has reconciled us to God by His death. Because of His nature, His Person, His character, His work and the many "offices He bares," fellowship with God is possible.
When we gather at the Lord's Supper to remember Christ and to proclaim His death until He comes again, we find ourselves in fellowship with God. The sacrifice Christ made was first for God. The passion and the energy typified in the fat, speaks to us of the desire to please God that motivated the Savior to give Himself as a ransom for us. Fat on the flanks tells of His confidence in God and the caul (lump of fat) on the liver tells of His glory - all that brought delight to God. The flesh of which the offeror and priest partook of - and in a spiritual sense we too partake of, speaks of the strength, the life and the holy walk of the Lord Jesus, delights us because we know we had none of that ourselves. Without it we could never please God. But He did that for us. "Hallelujah, what a Savior."
Christ has made peace and the sinner and God are reconciled through the death of the Mediator. Now we share eternal life in fellowship with God and the Savior. It is my privilege to partake of that same Person who God finds His joy in - and we are at peace.
It seems so elusive to men, that no matter what direction we turn - There is no peace to be found from men, by what we are given or earn. Either it is not there or is hidden by the clutter of things of the earth. Everyone wants to have peace, but few comprehend its true worth.
In order for me to have peace, God first must be satisfied. That only can be possible, if for me the Peace Offering has died. My hand on the head of the sinless, is what make peace good to me. God looks at the Offering first, that is what He can see.
One time in the past God said, "When I see the blood , will pass over you." That happened on the night when the death angel, in judgment, Egypt passed through. In a similar way the Lord Jesus on the cross first satisfied God. Then He could pass over me because He saw the witness of blood.
Now both God and the one He has saved, find in Christ their joy and delight. God alone knows the deep passion and cost; I know Him by faith not by sight. So, I am limited in a way, to appreciate what has been by God recorded. His holiness, His walk and His redemption, to me He graciously afforded.
God feeds on what is uniquely His, and finds delight in His Son. I feed on what I can know of my Lord and what by grace He has done. But I can also appreciate much when through His word I read. For fellowship and communion with God, I have all I really need.
Fellowship is because peace is made by Christ when He died on the cross. Fellowship is maintained when I stop to remember all that salvation cost. Fellowship and communion continue when eternal life we share. Fellowship and joy are real when to Calvary in spirit I repair.
"Father, how delightful it is to me to know that we share our joy and fellowship with each other because of the Lord Jesus Christ. He means so much to me - I can't enter into all He means to Thee. But I can worship in fellowship with Thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."