Leviticus 3:1-17 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Leviticus 3:1-17. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage. Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage? After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Leviticus 3:1-17 (NIV)
1 “‘If someone’s offering is a fellowship offering, and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the LORD an animal without defect.
2 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides.
3 From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
5 Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
6 “‘If he offers an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the LORD, he is to offer a male or female without defect.
7 If he offers a lamb, he is to present it before the LORD.
8 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides.
9 From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the LORD by fire: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
10 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
11 The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made to the LORD by fire.
12 “‘If his offering is a goat, he is to present it before the LORD.
13 He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides.
14 From what he offers he is to make this offering to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
15 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
16 The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.
17 “‘This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.'”
On verses 1-17: As you read the first few chapters of Leviticus talking about the different offerings that God commanded the Jews to give, maybe you’re thinking, “What do these offerings have anything to do with us today?” These offerings have much to do with us. They are pictures foreshadowing what Christ would do for us in the New Testament. Each offering described in Leviticus speaks to a unique aspect of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
To review:
– Leviticus 1 speaks of the burnt offering, the killing of a male lamb without defect so that a person’s sins could be forgiven. This points to the day Jesus would die on the cross for our sins. Jesus is the perfect lamb whose blood was spilled like a burnt offering so that we could be forgiven.
– Leviticus 2 speaks of the grain offering, an offering given to thank God for His love. The grain offering is a picture of how our lives should be: a continual offering of thanks and praise to God in response to all that He has done for us (see Romans 12:1-2).
Now in Leviticus 3, we read of a third offering that God commanded the Jews to give: the “fellowship” offering. What is fellowship? Fellowship in the Bible means having a relationship with God where you can be close to God and enjoy His presence. This idea of “relationship” can be seen even in how the fellowship offering is given: the person giving the fellowship offering offers parts of the animal to God “as a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (e.g. verses 3-5) and then he or she eats the other parts of the animal (see Lev 7:15). In other words, it’s the picture of a person sharing a meal with God – fellowship.
It reminds me of what Jesus says in Revelation 3:20: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
Praise God that because of what Christ has done for us, we can have close fellowship with God — not a one way communication, but a two way relationship where by His Holy Spirit living in us we can enjoy His presence, hear His voice and share a meal whenever we meditate on His Word, our daily bread.
Another thing to notice about the fellowship offering in Leviticus 3 is that it comes after the burnt offering in Leviticus 1. What does that teach us? Before we can truly have fellowship with God and offer him a fellowship offering, we need His forgiveness for our sins obtained through the burnt offering. Without forgiveness, there is no true fellowship. Praise God that Jesus Christ died on the cross as our burnt offering so that we could be forgiven of our sins and have fellowship with God.
Finally, the fact that the internal parts (like the kidneys, the liver, the fat) of the animal are offered to God shows that the fellowship we have with God is not superficial, but intimate. It’s a connection on the deepest level, where we can give to God our innermost feelings, thoughts, hurts and thanks. We don’t need to play pretend with God. Rather we can spill the innermost parts of ourselves – our burdens, our hurts, our brokenness, our deepest longings, feelings and dreams – to Him because He loves us and rises to show us compassion.
So if you are going through a difficult time today, bring your innermost feelings, thoughts, and pain to God. He loves you, understands you, and is here to heal you and restore you. That’s what fellowship with Him does.
Heavenly Father, thank You that You made me for a close relationship with You, one where I can be real with You, come to You as I am and experience Your love and presence in an intimate way. I am amazed that You would want fellowship with me so much that You give Your Son Jesus on a cross to make our fellowship possible. Jesus’ shed blood on the cross is a reminder that there is nothing more precious or expensive than the relationship we get to have with You, a relationship with Jesus’ blood made possible. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
