Leviticus 3:1-2, “If his offering is a
sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or
female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. (2)
And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the
entrance of the tent of meeting, and Aaron's sons the priests shall throw the
blood against the sides of the altar.”
The sacrifices and offerings served as constant reminders of God’s
holiness, our sinfulness, the separation between us and God, the need for our
sin to be dealt with and the coming reality of God’s eternal condemnation
against us. Because God is holy and we are sinful, we cannot have peace with
God, peace with God is based upon righteousness, acceptability and holiness,
all of which we lack. Therefore if we desire to worship God in an acceptable
manner, we must first make peace with Him. This was the point and purpose of
the peace offering, to bring peace between God and man. This offering seems to
accompany a burnt offering, thus the person would seek first to make atonement
for their sin, seek the forgiveness of God and then would offer up the peace
offering, making peace with God. The peace offering was to be placed on top of
the burnt offering which was already on the altar.
But as with all the various offerings and sacrifices, they were only
ever temporary. Therefore the peace offering could not bring lasting, abiding
peace with God. In fact it could not bring real peace because sin had not been
effectively and permanently dealt with. While the worshipper may have earnestly
sought after the peace of God, as long as the sin remained within them, peace
with God was not possible. This offering was symbolic, rather than effective.
Thus it is plain for us to see how this offering clearly points us to Jesus
Christ. Look at these words of Paul in, Ephesians 2:13-18, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought
near by the blood of Christ. (14) For he himself is our peace, who has made us
both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility (15)
by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he
might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, (16)
and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross,
thereby killing the hostility. (17) And he came and preached peace to you who
were far off and peace to those who were near.
(18) For through him we both have
access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Jesus is the great peacemaker, for he offers up, sacrifices His life,
not only to atone for and deal effectively and permanently with sin, he also
offers up His life so as to bring peace and reconciliation between God and man.
Jesus is the ultimate peace offering, and this passage in Leviticus 3 points
clearly to this fact.
As believers in Christ, we seldom think about the peace that Christ
has brought us through His death and resurrection. We fail to meditate on this
reality that we now have peace with God, and shall continue to know and have
this peace for all of eternity. This peace is not merely the absence of war, it
is far deeper. It is an all-encompassing peace, a peace that goes beyond all
human understanding. It is a divine peace, a permanent peace, a peace that is
not dependent upon us, or our circumstances. It is God’s peace, peace as
defined, understood and given by God. It is a soul-satisfying peace that
remains even when all is in turmoil around us. It is a peace that daily reminds
us that we have a personal relationship with God, that we are the people of
God’s eternal favour. It is a peace that cannot change or even be taken away
for it is based upon and held secure by God’s unchanging eternal character. It
is a peace the world cannot understand, but desperately wants. It is peace that
is a gift, an undeserved gift, given by God. It is the deepest, longest, most
soul-satisfying, eternal, divine peace. It is a peace that guards our soul and
can cause fears and doubts to fly away for it reminds us that we are being held
in the hand of the omnipotent God, who is our Father, who shall never forsake
us, and shall lead us safely into our eternal home. It is peace, perfect peace.
Father of peace, we thank and adore You
today for the great peace that Christ has brought between You and us. To think
that we have been reconciled to You, brought back into a right relationship
with You in which we will know Your blessing and favour, is a reality too
wonderful for us to fully understand and appreciate. We pray that You would
help us to meditate more upon the peace that Christ has brought us. We also ask
that You would help us to rest in this peace when we are surrounded by trial,
distress and difficulty. Thank You that Christ is our peace. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment