Leviticus 3 Commentary: Peace Offering Or Fellowship Offerings.
Chapter 3 introduces us to Fellowship Offerings or Peace Offerings. Think of reconciliation. The laying of hands on the male or female animal indicated transference of the worshipper’s life to the animal. The animal was then slaughtered. There cannot be reconciliation without giving one’s life to the LORD.
Of course, it pointed to the man Jesus who took the place of the animal in a perfect Peace Offering to bring about eternal reconciliation. Jesus’ title “Prince of Peace” underlines the significance of the Peace Offering.
Only selected parts were to be burnt on the altar. You may notice that these parts could be considered choice parts – an indication that the best part of our lives belongs to the LORD. It follows the pattern we have seen so far.
The animal itself must be in perfect condition. The thought is that the worship of the LORD is serious business. The LORD is perfection itself and worshippers are therefore required to be perfect. It is a condition man has clearly failed to meet. Only by the cross do we find means to attain perfection and be in a position to worship.
The splashing of blood against the altar is an indication that life belongs to God. Blood was never to be consumed. I guess blood was splashed against the altar to achieve the same effect as burning. The fat was not to be consumed by people, just like blood.
The word “fat” carries with it a negative feeling but in reality, no one would complain about a fat income! It is a positive word!
Jacob’s blessing included the ‘fat of the earth’. We can think of the best for Jacob in these lines. When the LORD forbids man from consuming fat, the thought is that the best portions belong to the LORD. It is symbolic of what the worship of the LORD should be like. The LORD demands the very best of us!
Who doesn’t feel defeated by these high standards? These symbols point us to what the LORD Jesus Christ achieved at Calvary on your behalf.
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