Bible Talks: The Peace Offering

From: Messages of God's Love: 1971

• 3 min. read • grade level: 8

Leviticus 3:6-17⁶And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. ⁷If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord. ⁸And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar. ⁹And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, ¹⁰And 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. ¹¹And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord. ¹²And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord. ¹³And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about. ¹⁴And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, ¹⁵And 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. ¹⁶And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savor: all the fat is the Lord's. ¹⁷It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. (Leviticus 3:6‑17)

WE HAVE seen that in the peace offering all the fat, which was the excellence of the animal, was for God — it was to be burned upon the altar as a sweet savor unto the Lord. From this we learn that there was in Christ that which only God His Father could fully appreciate, which He alone could measure, and it was a delight to His heart. Oh what excellence the Father found in His beloved Son!

But if there was a part for God there is also a part for man. In fact the sacrifice of Christ on the cross unites all who partake of it in joy, thanksgiving and praise. If we turn to chapter 7: 11-18 we read that “the breast” was for Aaron and his sons. This typifies all believers. The breast was their portion, and this tells us that the affections of Christ, the precious love of Jesus, is the portion of all His own eternally. It is for all who own Him as Saviour, and He makes that love good to the feeblest heart that beats in Christ. His weakest child can say, “The Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2:20²⁰I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20).

Then we also read in chapter 7:33: “He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.” The priest who offered the sacrifice is a type of the Lord Jesus who offered Himself without spot to God, and He, blessed to think, has His part, too. What joy and delight to His heart to see His own, those for whom He died, those who are the fruit of His sufferings, seated around Himself in worship and praise, or going on, living for and serving Him now on earth. But what supreme joy for Him when He shall have all His redeemed around Himself in the glory, and all on earth worshiping at His feet. Then “He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied.” Isa. 53:11¹¹He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11).

On that last night in that upper room we hear Him say, “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” Matt. 26:29²⁹But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. (Matthew 26:29). He would not enter into the joy of the heavenly glory (the Father’s kingdom), which belongs to Him, apart from His own; He is waiting to bring us there so that He might share it with us.

Thus in the peace offering we have in type that which flows from the death of Christ in which all rejoice — the Father, the Son and all His redeemed. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3³That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3).

But, dear young friends, God would not have us wait until we get to heaven to taste these joys of counion and love. He would have us to enjoy them even now by His Spirit. “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ.” 1 Cor. 10:16¹⁶The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16).

Life, rest, and peace, the flowers of deathless bloom,

The Saviour gives us — not beyond the tomb,

But here, and now; on earth the taste is given

Of joys which wait us through the gates of heav’n.

ML-06/13/1971

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