The peace or fellowship offering (Lv 3:1-17) was a way for an Israelite to express thanks to God, give God a gift, or make a special promise to God. It was offered on the bronze altar, either a male or female herd animal plus bread made with and without yeast. The blood and fat of the animal could not be eaten. These represented one’s life and their very best to be devoted to God. The fat, liver, and kidneys of the animal were sacrificed. These represented one’s devotion to God. In ancient times, the liver represented the essence of one’s life, the kidneys represented one’s inner emotions and seat of one’s inner thoughts, and the fat represented the very best of one’s life. This represented one was giving their very essence to God. Isn’t that what one does when they get to know someone they care deeply about? To really know someone, you share deep thoughts and ideas that you would not share with just anyone.

The offering could only be offered at the tabernacle (or later, the temple) as this represented where God dwelt. The one making the offering was intimately involved with the slaughter of the sacrifice, and the meat of the offering was eaten at the tabernacle or temple in the presence of God to represent one’s fellowship with God.

Christ became our peace offering. As the meal was eaten in God’s presence to represent having fellowship with him, likewise because of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, we can have fellowship with him as well. The apostle Paul tells us, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in the flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Ep 2:13-14). This is saying that both Jew and Gentile are one and have fellowship with each other and with Christ in the same way. This sacrifice therefore represents our Fellowship with God.

We have seen how the first three sacrifices reveal our now right standing with God, our devotion to him, and how we share out deepest thoughts with him. Is there more? Join me next time and find out.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens