04.03. THE PEACE OFFERING
THE PEACE OFFERING Leviticus 3:1-17
Leviticus 3:1. “And if his oblation [approach offering] be a sacrifice of peace offering, if HE offer [bring] it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer [bring] it without blemish [perfect] before Jehovah.”
IT is still a question of APPROACH with confidence before Jehovah, and the ground on which a sinful man can draw near with boldness unto God. The name JEHOVAH is a title expressive of everlastingness, and it always combines the three persons in the ever- blessed Trinity - the everlasting Father, which implies the everlasting Son, and the eternal Spirit - in one undivided Godhead. In Leviticus 1:1-17 it is a question of ACCEPTANCE, here it is a question of PEACE; there can be no approach to God by sinful man apart from sacrifice, hence it is the sacrifice of peace offering - and “peace” is in the plural in the Hebrew - for in this near approach with confidence before God the mind, heart, and conscience must be in perfect repose: the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is ever speaking, ever proclaiming, PEACE, PEACE, PEACE, and God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him. The sacrifice of the HERD, or BULLOCK, is that which represents Christ in His perfect SERVICE and obedience both in life and death. In the consciousness of our own imperfectness and shortcoming in our service to God, we need to realize in His presence the ground for confidence and peace which this sacrifice affords. The offering might be male or female, as typical of the active and passive obedience of Christ as meeting our need, both in the path of practical obedience or in passive subjection to the divine will. The law of God concerning that which was offered - or, literally, “brought near” before Him was, “It shall be perfect to be accepted” (Leviticus 22:21); but as none of our services can be of this character, it is well for us that we can plead before the throne of grace the perfect service of Him who in obedience and suffering active and passive, was without a blemish and without a spot.
Leviticus 3:2. “And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering [approach offering], and kill it at the door [entrance] of the tabernacle [tent] of the congregation.”
Christ is our peace. God proclaims peace through Jesus Christ. Christ has made peace not only between Jew and Gentile, but between God and man. The believer, in drawing nigh to God through faith, apprehends this, realizes it, and identifies himself with Christ as our peace. This is signified by the laying on of the hand of the offerer upon the head of the peace offering. But this peace with God is not secured by the living obedience of Christ only, something more than this was needed. He “made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20); hence the offerer kills the victim before the door of the tent of the congregation, the appointed place of meeting and communion with God (Exodus 29:42-43), thus confessing that it was his own sinfulness which caused the death of the innocent sufferer, and it was only on the ground of the atoning sacrifice of Christ that he could have peace with God, or draw near with acceptance before Him.
“And Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.” This is a priestly act, and may be regarded as setting forth the action of the believer, in his priestly character, pleading that blood before God; or as setting forth that blood as the ground of approach to God, “preaching peace through Jesus Christ.”
Leviticus 3:3-4. “And he shall offer [bring] of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and the two kidneys [reins], and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.”
“We which have believed do enter into rest” - God’s REST - and have fellowship with God in that perfect repose wherein He is resting; even so it is with PEACE. Through faith in Christ we enter into God’s peace; not only peace with God, but the peace of God which passeth all understanding. The sacrifice of Christ in its internal excellency, having been tested by the righteousness and holiness of God, has given Him entire satisfaction. The words employed in Hebrew to designate these inwards parts are beautifully significant. The word “fat” expresses that which is most excellent, and is sometimes rendered BEST. The Hebrew word f or “kidneys” signifies PERFECTION; and the word for “flanks” expresses CONFIDENCES; while the words “the caul above the liver” may be rendered THE SUPERABUNDANCE OF THE GLORY. These inwards of the victim, which were taken away and burnt as incense upon the altar, represent the internal thoughts, feelings, affections, purposes, and desires of Christ, whilst making peace with God for us on Calvary’s cross. Every inward thought and feeling, tested by the infinite purity of a holy God, was all found a sweet savour, or savour of rest to God.
Leviticus 3:5. “And Aaron’s sons shall burn [burn as incense] IT on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice [ascending offering], which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour [savour of rest] unto Jehovah.” The fire was ever burning on God’s altar. The wood was ever consuming upon it, but the sweet savour of the daily burnt offering was ever ascending up, and it was upon this burnt, or ascending offering, that the fat of the peace offering was laid; for Christ not only presented Himself as the ground of our acceptance, but as the foundation of our perfect peace with God.
Leviticus 3:6-7. “And if his offering [approach offering] for a sacrifice of peace offering unto Jehovah be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer [bring] it without blemish [perfect] .If HE offer [bring] a lamb for his offering [approach offering], then shall he offer [bring] IT before Jehovah.” In the sacrifice of peace offering before Jehovah of the flock, male or female, provision is made for perfect peace in drawing nigh to God, not only with regard to SERVICE, as represented by the BULLOCK, but also as to CHARACTER, as by the LAMB.
Conscious as we must be of our imperfections in character, active and passive, in our spirit, temper, and disposition, it is well for us that we can present and plead for our acceptance the name of Him who was altogether perfect - the Lamb of God without a blemish and without a spot; seeking meanwhile increasing conformity to Him, in obedience to His gracious invitation, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
Leviticus 3:8-11. “And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering [approach offering], and kill IT before the tabernacle [tent] of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar. And he shall offer [bring] of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the back bone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, It shall he take away. And the priest shall burn [burn as incense] it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto Jehovah.” The blood of atonement was not only required to meet man’s necessity as to outward transgression, it was equally needful to meet his inward condition as to feeling and disposition, for in heart he is alienated from God: the carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to His law, neither indeed can be. But the sacrifice of the Lamb which God has provided for a peace offering furnishes the basis for perfect, lasting, and eternal peace. For it was when we were ENEMIES that we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son (Romans 5:10). When we contemplate the scenes of the judgment hall and of Calvary we gaze on the exterior, but the eye of God penetrated beneath the surface. The inward thoughts, feelings, experiences, of Him who was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and who on Calvary prayed for the forgiveness of His murderers - all this, and infinitely more, far beyond what the intelligence of men or angels will ever know, in all its human preciousness, spiritual perfection, and divine excellence, furnished “the food of the offering made by fire unto Jehovah.” In Numbers 18:29-32 “the fat that covereth the inwards” is three times rendered “the best,” and this is God’s estimate of the internal preciousness of Him who hath reconciled us to God by the blood of His cross, and who is Himself in the presence of God our peace. The fat tail of the eastern sheep has ever been regarded as a peculiar delicacy, and it was this which was taken off entirely and burnt as incense upon the altar, as a portion for God.
Leviticus 3:12-16. As the LAMB represents the Lord Jesus in His personal character as the meek, lowly, and gentle One; so the GOAT sets Him forth, according to Romans 8:3, as made “in the likeness of sinful flesh,” although Himself sinless. And in His atoning sacrifice on Calvary’s cross, He not only bore and put away the guilt of our actual and outward transgressions as the spotless LAMB, but also as the GOAT; our sin in the flesh in its internal springs, was judged and condemned by God, and full atonement made by the sinner’s Substitute and full and perfect Saviour. Whilst as to Himself, His inward thoughts and feelings were divinely pure and perfect, and infinitely acceptable to God. Thus, in drawing nigh to God in the full consciousness of what we are in character and conduct, outward and inward, through Him we have boldness and confidence, for HE IS OUR PEACE.
Leviticus 3:17. “It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.” As the prohibition of BLOOD (Genesis 9:4) teaches man that as a sinner he has forfeited his claim to life, so the prohibition of “the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah”(Leviticus 7:25), teaches him that he cannot present his internal thoughts and feelings apart from atonement, as being acceptable to God, for in the estimate of God every thought and imagination of man’s heart is only evil, and that continually (Genesis 6:5).