Leviticus
Notes
Transcript
Leviticus 3.
Leviticus 3.
Leviticus 3 gives us one of the most sought after
desired
precious realities in the world
can anyone guess what that is?
Here some hints..
we cant get it through politics
we cant buy it
no human can give it to us
The coveted reality that Lev 3 gives us
is Peace with God
This offering is called the
Fellowship offering
or the Peace offering
The Peace offering is about restoring
broken relationships
especially, our broken relationship with God
that was broken because of our sin
This fellowship offering signified communion
between God and the worshiper (9:18,21 ; 21:19; Nm 6:18)
What do you think about having a meal with God?
how do you think it would go?
Just y'all 2?
maybe just us as a congregation?
what do you think that would be like?
Thoughts?
would you feel ashamed
or would it be the best time of your life?
Jews loved celebrations
and one thing about our church that we do very well
as I have learned
is fellowship
I really enjoy our meals together as a congregation
well to the Jews it was the same way
They loved feasts together
we have the pass over
pentacost
all of those were feasts essentially
they loved communion with each other
and with God
Does fellowship with God sound good?
Yes?
Then we should love this peace offering or
fellowship offering
This one is called the peace offering
well because we got to eat some of it as well
we got to eat a meal with God per se
And we see that a lot even in the NT
correct?
One of the characteristics of the early church was shared meals
Acts 2:46 “46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,”
A lot of things are similar with the burnt offering
as far as how it is sacrificed
but, the whole thing isn’t burned
because this is a meal with the Lord
this is displayed the fact that
you, we have peace with God
we share some with the priests
and some with our friends
we dont see that in this text
but we see it when these are further explained
in chapter 7
it says in a round about way
that after the specified portion
of the fellowship offering were burned on the alter
the rest of the animal was cooked as a meal for the worshiper
for the priest and for the other people
we can also gather that this is a meal from
verses 11 and 16 that refer to it as food
But this is the only offering that “we”
or they got to partake in
as in they ate some along with the priest
that is why in V3 it says part of offering
is to the Lord
now… why do we get to have a peace offering
or a fellowship meal with God?
Because so far
We have
in chapter 1 with the burnt offering
we have atoned for our sin
remember that was all about blood
and atonement
remember sin had to be removed before we
could be with God
and sin is removed by the blood of something
in order for us to be reconciled to Him
In chapter 2 we learned of the grain offering
this offering expressed dedication
and thanksgiving to the lord
it was an offering given to the lord for all he has provided
remember the bread of life
that God gives us everything we need for life
So if we are tracking along we
see the significance
in the order
once we have come to God and
received forgiveness for our sins
and the wrath of God is satisfied
then we express Thanksgiving and worship
followed by communion with God
fellowship
peace
See how awesome those 3 go together
its almost like its a picture our of salvation in
Jesus Christ
So lets look at a few things here
Its broken again into 3 sections
Bull - 1-4 (from the herd)
Sheep - 6-11 (from the flock)
Goats - 12-16 (from the flock as well)
goats are distinguished differently from sheep here because sheep have moe fat and are therefore
theoretically worth more
where as in the burnt offering the
sheet and goat are together because it
is all burnt up
none is shared
No option for dove
this means restoring broken relationships
is costly
We see again that the worshiper would
lay his hand on the head of the offering
just like in the burnt offering
signifying that personal connection
with the animal
a lot of this is the same as the burnt offering
one major difference is that
as we have already discussed
not all of it was burned up
only the fat was given to the Lord
because back them the fat was seen
as the best part
and I must admit I love a steak with a lot of marbling
but not only the fat was burned up
but also the kidneys
figuratively back then the kidneys
signified a persons feelings and inner thoughts
so that was given to God
and the liver,
thats interesting
well according to one of my sources
Exalting Jesus in Leviticus (We Submit to the Word of God)
The livers of animals… were used by the Canaanites in pagan worship in a form of divination called hepatoscopy. Canaanite priests examined the livers of animals to divine the future or to determine the will of the gods. Archaeologists have discovered clay models of livers at ancient Canaanite sites. Evidently Canaanite priests used the models to teach apprentices how to read animal livers to divine the future (Yelton, “Cuneiform Texts,” 17–22).
The one true God told His people not to save that part of the animal—not for divination or for anything else—but to burn the liver on the altar. They were not looking at a liver to determine the future; they were trusting in God for the future.
I found that pretty interesting
So, the overall theme here is..
That after we see our need for reconciliation with God
which is seen in these 5 things we have learned thus far
which are the foundation of the sacrificial system
they are
Exalting Jesus in Leviticus We See the Need for Reconciliation with God
1. God is holy—so holy that no sin is allowed in His presence.
2. God is just; He always punishes sin.
3. The penalty God has ordained for sin is death.
4. People are sinners, so in our sinful state we’re not allowed into God’s presence, and our sin will lead to death.
5. God is gracious, loving, and faithful to His covenant.
So once we learned all of this
we learn that we must bring our lives to God
We must submit to Him and his word
Then, we can enter into fellowship with Him
and within that fellowship we express Thanksgiving
we give Him our best
and thus we get to share our lives with the People of God
just like we do at our fellowships
and on evening like tonight
Because ultimately, God wants us to be at peace with him
and we can only be at peace with him after those things occured
according to the sacrificial system
but thanks be to God that he has given us another
way
a new way to be at peace with him
and that is through his son
Jesus Christ
Just like they found peace with God through this fellowship offering
we find peace with God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Colossians 1:20 “20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Ephesians 2:14 “14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh,”
Ephesians 6:15 “15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.”
Romans 5:1 “1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
John 14:27 (Jesus says) “27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.”
Amen for the for the fact that we have peace with God
And through Jesus we have the peace of God
Close with Reading Hebrews 9:11-15
11 But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), 12 he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?
15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.