Remember This -The Fellowship Offering
(Leviticus 3: 1-17)
At the age of around 7 or 8 I stated to my parents that I was going to read the entire bible starting at the beginning and read it all the way through. The first thing that happened on day two or three I hit a long list of names in Genesis 5 that I could not even pronounce, and I gave up. A few months later I tried again, and I made it through the list of names and got all the way to the building of the tabernacle at the end of Exodus and crashed and burned again. A couple of years later I tried again and got further this time, but this time I hit the book of Leviticus, and I hit it hard. It started talking about all these sacrifices and offerings.
I’m all grown up now, but we are back here again, and I need to ask again, what is going on with all those offerings? What is the Lord trying to tell us? Welcome to another enlightening episode of "Remember This," where we journey through the rich and profound Book of Leviticus. In today's episode, titled "The Fellowship Offering," we dive into Leviticus 3: 1-17, exploring the significance and symbolism behind the peace offering in ancient Hebrew rituals.
One clue, a big clue, is that they are been given to redeemed people. These aren't sacrifices given to get you to a good place with the Lord; they are given to people who have already been redeemed saved and redeemed. Another huge clue to what this all means is found herein Chapter 2, where it's called a memorial, a remembrance. That’s significant, that another clue as to what's the Lord is saying in all of these offerings. It is a case of God saying, these are things I want you to remember.'
The first thing we encountered yesterday was a burnt offering. We discussed that and talked about the fact that it could be a bull, a lamb, or just a small bird like a dove or a pigeon. The burnt offering was something the Lord wanted us to remember, and I would suggest that the point of that offering is that it's a blood offering, and the Lord wants us to remember that redemption is by blood. So, of all the things the Lord wants us to remember, I'd say that's at the top of the list, especially when we compare that with the fact that the Lord's Supper is also a memorial, a remembrance. 'This do in remembrance of me, Jeus himself said. And the one thing He wants us to remember is that His death was a sacrifice, a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.
So, that was chapter one but when you get to Chapter 2, there is a second offering, this time it's not made out of blood; it's made out of flour or grain, and it’s called the meal offering. I would suggest that this is the second most important thing that the Lord wants us to remember, or at least it's high on the list of things the Lord wants us to remember. But what does this meal, this fellowship offering teach us? I would suggest that among other things, that it probably primarily has to do with the fact that we're offering the Lord things we would normally eat daily. So, this is a remembrance of the fact that the Lord provides, daily as we in turn remember to to trust Him for that provision.
So far, so good but now, we come to Chapter 3, and right off the bat, it tells us that this is a peace offering. So, what is a peace offering? If the purpose of all these offerings is for us to remember something, what is it the Lord wants us to remember by the peace offering? In order to answer that, I would invite your attention to Leviticus Chapter 3, and we're going to survey these verses. They're relatively simple, and then I'd like to talk a bit about what they signify. So, let's begin at verse one.
“When his offering is a sacrifice of a peace offering, if he offers it of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord. And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood all around on the altar. Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire to the Lord. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; and Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is on the wood that is on the fire, as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.
(Leviticus 3: 1-5)
I'm going to stop there; This is the first division of chapter three. The whole chapter deals with one kind of offering, and that is called the peace offering. I'm going to say more about that in just a minute. The chapter is divided into the various types of sacrifices that could be used in the peace offering. So, verse one says, 'When his offering is a peace offering, he shall offer it of the herd.' And then, if you drop down to verse six, you will see that you can select something from the flock. In this chapter, there are three main categories of offerings discussed: a lamb or sheep, and later a goat. These divisions are crucial to understanding the chapter. Additionally, there is a part at the end that outlines prohibitions, making it the fourth element in the chapter.
Let's break down the first question: what does 'peace offering' mean? In Hebrew, 'peace' has a different connotation compared to the English understanding of peace, which generally refers to reconciliation or harmony between conflicting parties. In Hebrew, 'peace' is closer to 'prosperity' or 'welfare.' It signifies a state of well-being, health, and possibly even prosperity, implying a sense of gratitude and acknowledgment for the provisions the Lord has given.
This offering, often translated as a 'sacrifice for well-being,' encompasses both the concept of well-being from the word's meaning and fellowship, emphasized by the communal meal shared after the sacrifice. The idea is to commemorate one's general well-being, focusing on fellowship. The offering involves sharing parts of it and eating together, symbolizing fellowship with God and fellow human beings, based on a blood sacrifice.
In verse one, the instructions mention taking an offering from the herd, which refers to cattle and could be either male or female—bull or cow. The distinctive aspect of the peace offering is that the one offering it, when a bull or cow, shares and eats a portion of it with others, illustrating fellowship between God and humans and among humans themselves, founded on a blood sacrifice.
Moving to verses two to five, the procedure is detailed, which might sound familiar if you've been following along from chapter one. The person offering the sacrifice lays their hands on the animal's head, after which the animal is killed at the entrance to the Tabernacle. The priest then sprinkles the blood around the altar, a familiar process from previous offerings.
Verses three and four explain the removal of specific parts of the sacrifice like kidneys, fatty parts, and innards. These portions are placed on the altar and offered to the Lord, symbolizing offering the best part to the Lord, as the ancients considered fat the finest part of the animal. These offerings are placed on the fire and burnt, creating a pleasing aroma to the Lord, signifying His pleasure with the sacrifice. So, the first portion, verses one to five, describe the sacrifice taken from the herd, the cattle. Now, look at verse six. 'If his offering as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord is of the flock.'"
To comprehend the structure of this passage, start by examining verse one, where it mentions a peace offering sourced from the herd. Compare this with verse six, which also talks about a peace offering. We're discussing the same type of offering, but now it's sourced from the flock, either male or female, and it should be without any blemish. If one offers a lamb, it must be presented before the Lord. This distinction is crucial.
It's initially mentioned as from the flock, and then it specifies it's a lamb. Later in the passage, it'll mention a goat from the flock. There are three distinct offerings indicated here. Each time it's mentioned as from either the herd or the flock, it's associated with lamb or goat. In this case, we can confidently say it's referring to using a lamb, not a bull or a cow.
In verses six and seven, we get details about the offering and the procedure. The procedure will sound familiar if you've been following along since Chapter 1. The person offering the sacrifice would place their hands on the head of the animal, in this case, a lamb. They would then sacrifice the lamb at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Afterward, the priest would sprinkle the blood around the altar.
In verse nine, it elaborates on what should be offered on the altar: the removal of fat from the animal's cavity again, the kidneys, the membrane around the liver, and in this case, the fatty tail.
It's interesting to note that the principal breed of sheep in Palestine was the oriental fat-tailed sheep, which had extra vertebrae to support the body fat stored in the tail, weighing between 4o-70 pounds. So, when sacrificing a lamb, they removed the fat, including the heavy fatty tail. The ritual was similar to offering a bull or a cow, except the lamb had more fat. The again we see in verse 11, the priest would burn these parts on the altar as an offering made by fire to the Lord.
Now, let's pause here for a moment and highlighted two aspects of this offering. First, it's called the peace offering, suggesting well-being and gratitude. Second, the procedure reveals that more is happening here. This is the only offering where the one making the sacrifice gets to take part of it back for a meal with family and friends, implying fellowship.
This notion is further explored in verse 12, where it specifies offering a goat. The procedure remains consistent, mirroring what we've seen before in the case of a lamb. Lay hands on the head, sacrifice at the Tabernacle entrance, and the priest sprinkles the blood around the altar."
Then he shall offer from it his offering, as an offering made by fire to the Lord. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma; all the fat is the Lord’s.
(Leviticus 3: 14-16)
So, let me summarize the key points we've covered: We've discussed three types of peace offerings: one involving cattle (could be male or female), another with lambs (male or female), and the third with goats (male or female). Unlike the burnt offering, the peace offering has fewer restrictions, allowing bulls, lambs, and goats. However, birds aren't accepted, likely due to their small size and impracticality in dividing among the Lord, the priest, and the offeror. Finally in verse 17, it's emphasized that the peace offering is a perpetual statute, highlighting the importance of not consuming fat or drinking blood.
Now, let's consider the relevance of these offerings in the context of ancient Israel and in our lives today. In ancient Israel, the peace offering was a way for anyone to express gratitude, make a voluntary offering, or fulfil a vow. The act of presenting a peace offering also involved specific rituals like waving and heaving parts of the animal.
Eating together after presenting the peace offering held significant importance, symbolizing fellowship and unity. Sharing a meal was a gesture of commitment and loyalty in the ancient Near East, and it remains a symbol of fellowship today.
Lastly, in the New Testament context, the typology of the fellowship offering illustrates the believer's fellowship with God and other believers, based on Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Christ's sacrifice brought peace, allowing us to have a meaningful connection with God and fellow believers.
In the New Testament church attendance is assumed. So, you come to church, and then what? You sit and soak up a sermon, but that is just level one of being a Christian in community. Level two, you come and sit but you also serve. All churches need that—if you have any kind of program whatsoever, you have people who serve. In the New Testament the Lord said, 'I want you to remember that after you do all the religious stuff, go home and don’t forget to have a stay in fellowship with one another.' Interesting. So, if you know Christians or a Christian that you have fellowship with, I urge you to cultivate that. And if you don't, I urge you to develop that. It's one of the things the Lord wants us to remember to do—go eat together, so you can fellowship together."