Leviticus
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Leviticus Chapter 3

• Leviticus 3:1 And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. 

A peace offering was a sweet savor offering to our Lord God. It is the only offering that all feast upon and share together in peace. It had to be perfect without blemish.

When we gather together as a fellowship of believers and eat together in fellowship with one another and fellowship also in the Lord, it is similar to their peace offering. It pleases God if it is done by acknowledging His presence, sharing freely with one another and not having respect of persons or shunning the poor. Like Paul mentions in the New Testament, we are not to take our own supper and eat leaving others standing about having nothing. 

Fellowship in the Lord is not just talking about anything and everything with anyone, but true Christian fellowship is fellowship with the Lord in our midst speaking of things that edify and help one another spiritually.

Foolish jesting, telling jokes and frivolous behavior is not the fellowship described as the type we are to have as believers. Avoid cliques, favoritism and foolishness. There is nothing more hurtful than to have someone standing in our midst alone when we are talking, laughing and joking while they have no one to fellowship with.

This is why some people will never go to church functions outside of regular services unless they have someone to go with so that they do not appear to be alone. It can actually be lonelier to be in a crowd of people than to be alone at home in one's own room. 

The peace offering was offered in two ways, as a thanksgiving or praise offering or as a voluntary offering of service sometimes accompanying a vow made to the Lord. It was offered to glorify God. 

In Ephesians we see Christ described as one who was offered to make peace with God or to reconcile us back to God to whom we were separated from because of sin. 

• Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 
• 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 
• 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 
• 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 
• 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 
• 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 
• 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
• 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 
• 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord:

Through Christ we are not only reconciled to God or having come to Christ we are at peace with God but also Jews and Gentiles that come to Christ are made into one body also. Fellow believers are to be as a building growing together into a holy temple. This building is to be built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, the prophets and the apostles. We are not to be moved off that foundation onto another gospel or another way other than Christ.

A true church or body of believers is not a man made organized church or religion. What we call the church may be part of this but then again if we are moved off the foundation of the truth we may call ourselves a church but not really be part of the true church. 

True unity is something God wants us to have but it is built upon the truth which is found in the written word of God. It is also built upon the Holy Spirit which is the teacher of the word. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot understand the word and we cannot worship in spirit and in truth. We can't leave out the word or the Holy Spirit and have true unity. If we leave out either one, we will have a flawed weak unity. 

Those that want to lay aside sound doctrine in order to unite us, just may be leading us in the direction of the false unity or false religion that will be under the anti-Christ in the latter days. 
This has happened before after the reign of Constantine the Emperor of Rome. What happens in the past will happen again if we abandon the truth under the pretense of unity and love. Love that comes from God will never abandon sound doctrine and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The true Holy Spirit will never lead us away from the foundation of Jesus Christ or the written word. Jesus is the only way of salvation. Even the law given to us through Moses leads us to Jesus the Christ.

• Leviticus 3:2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. 

Laying the hand upon the offering is a symbol of transferring all sin upon the animal similar to what happens when a believer turns to Christ confessing his sin. Our sin is transferred to Christ. This was already done for us at Calvary when Jesus died for sin but we have to receive this for ourselves in order for it to count on our behalf. 

• Leviticus 3:3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 
• 4 And the two kidneys, 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. 
• 5 And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD. 
• 6 And 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. 
• 7 If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the LORD.
• 8 And 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. 
• 9 And 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, 
• 10 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. 
• 11 And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD. 
• 12 And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD. 
• 13 And 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. 
• 14 And 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, 
• 15 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. 
• 16 And 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. 
• 17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. 

They were not to eat the fat or the blood of any offering. The fat was to be burnt and the blood was to be out of the animal before eating. 

Blood represents life and it was not to be eaten. Blood was used for the atonement or cleansing of sin and was not to be eaten. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. It is easy to understand why we do not eat blood. Eating blood is a heathen custom. The fat spoken of here is probably the fat that accumulates by itself not that which may still be within the edible portions of the meat. 

Studying all these rituals of the law helps us to understand more of the atonement provided for us through faith in Jesus Christ especially when we read this part of the bible realizing all of this is pointing to the perfect sacrifice to come. 

The blood of animals could not take away sins but only covered them for a season or made peace with God temporarily until the sacrifice of Jesus Christ had come. 

Those in the Old Testament were actually saved by faith when they came to present these sacrifices according to their obedience to the law. They were actually trusting in God to provide the salvation of the soul needed to eternal into eternal life. 

For us who have already come to Christ, it would be an insult to go back under animal sacrifices, the earthly priesthood or the Old law which was fulfilled and changed at the coming of Christ. Now we obey with a heart that has been cleansed of sin through the blood of Jesus and reconciled to God by His atoning sacrifice on the cross. Now we serve God because we love Him and not because we are under the law. 

It is my understanding though that during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ upon the earth they will have some kind of animal sacrifices as a memorial or type pointing back to Christ similar to when we take communion to remember His death. It will not be to save anyone from sin but probably as a thanksgiving or memorial offering similar to the kind Noah gave after they left the ark and started life afresh on dry ground. This is one opinion of Exekiel's prophecies about the temple built during the reign of Christ. 

There are other interpretations of this so don't just take my word on anything. Another thought is that there will be natural people on the earth when Christ rules for one thousand years. Those people are the ones that happen to escape death during the reign of the Anti-Christ. Perhaps they are people that are not yet what we call saved from sin. It could be that since many rejected the grace of God through faith, that the day of grace ends and those that missed the day of grace may have to go back under the law. This of course is another speculation.

That may be a little far fetched but we do see the Millennial temple that is prophesied in the book of Ezekiel and animal sacrifices being offered again that future time. This is just something to study and ponder upon. It seems like during the tribulation when the wrath of God is poured out upon those that rejected Christ and persecuted His people, we see God as He was in the Old Testament rather than the one of mercy we see in the New Testament. Still this is my observation, not doctrine. I encourage all to study this on their own.   

When we study Revelation, the last book in the volume of the bible we do see that after the 1000 year reign of Christ there is no temple, sacrifices or offerings. The 1000 year reign of Christ is like a test of some sort to show the world how things are under a righteous ruler. After that reign Satan is let loose again for a season of time. That will be a test to see who is really on board with living for God and who is going to rebel. The best is yet to come though after that season of time.

That is the goal we need to desire to reach. Through Christ we are part of that new kingdom that is everlasting. In the end, the New Jerusalem comes down from Heaven for all who overcome. After that time the devil can no longer tempt and God's people will be safe forever in righteousness and glory. DC