And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as a food offering to the Lord, he shall offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire; it is a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Leviticus 3:3-5
“The sharing of a meal by worshippers was important because it symbolized God sharing a meal with them. Human beings live in communities with each other, and God has graciously entered into community with them. If course, there is no suggestion of any merging of the divine and human in the ritual. God will always be God and human beings will always be human and finite. However the privilege of sharing a meal with God evokes emotions of joy and celebration. The ritual allowed people to express their deep-seated emotions…
The Lord’s Supper resembles the peace offering in many ways. Jesus referred to the cup of wine as ‘the new covenant in my blood’ (1 Corinthians 11:25) alluding to the blood of the old covenant. At the conclusion of the Sinaitic covenant, Moses took the blood of the burnt offering and of the peace offering and threw it over the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you’ (Exodus 24:8) Both at the making of the Sinaitic covenant and the Lord’s Supper, there is a sharing of a meal (Exodus 24:11; Luke 22:15).”
Felix Chingota in “Leviticus” in Africa Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 136-137.
I am going to Africa next month so I plan to study my word for the year, share, through the Scriptures from an African perspective. May we all learn a lot from our African brothers and sisters on the way.
Today we explore the peace offering and find that it includes sharing a meal with God. It’s symbolic and foreshadows the Lord’s Supper. Is there anything better than envisioning a meal with God?
It’s an amazing picture of intimacy and community, of sharing with union and communion. And Jesus, who is our peace, makes it possible. What’s the lesson today for those who want to grow in generosity?
Let us pause to give thanks that God wants to share a meal with us so much, that He sent His son to be the peace offering to make the meal possible. That’s a costly tab, which makes it the greatest meal ever.
Then He promised to enjoy another meal with us, a awesome banquet, in the eternal kingdom. Today or this week, invite someone to a meal. Give thanks for Jesus and tell Him about the meal and how to enjoy it.
We serve a God who did not want to be remembered in a miracle or a sermon, but in a meal. And He wants everyone to be there. Tell your friend that cost is free at the invitation of Jesus. He or she need only to accept it.