The Pentateuch Leviticus

The Fellowship Offering

Discover Jesus as: Atonement Leviticus 7 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 55 of 730
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INTRO

We’ve been studying the different types of offerings: guilt offering, burnt offering, sin offering, grain offering, and fellowship peace offering. I’d like to slow down and take a look at what we’ve learned so far.

When God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, He said, “This is how I want my people, my treasured possession, my holy priesthood, my holy nation, to engage with Me. I want them to bring forth offerings so they can be cleansed from their sins and experience more of Me.”

God taught Moses how the Israelites, whether priests, leaders, or common people, could experience forgiveness. It was all about the blood that provides atonement. Through death, there is life.

Here is a how Christ is represented in each of these offerings:

Burnt Offering

Leviticus 1

Atonement

Christ’s sinless nature

Grain Offering

(or Cereal Offering)

Leviticus 2

Dedication/Consecration

Christ is wholly devoted to the Father’s purpose

Fellowship Offering

(or Peace Offering)

Leviticus 3

Fellowship

Christ was at peace with God

Sin Offering

Leviticus 4

Propitiation

Christ’s substitutionary death

Guilt Offering

(or Restitution Offering)

Leviticus 5–6

Repentance

Christ paid it all for repentance

Today we’re going to discuss the fellowship offering, and it’s refreshing. Yes, there’s a sacrifice, but there’s also a party. And when we slow down, we see that Christ is in all of this.

TEACHING

Leviticus 7:1–2: Restitution Offering (or Guilt Offering) is the restoration of something lost or stolen, thus restoring it back to its proper owner. It is offered at the altar of burnt offering.

Leviticus 7:3–10: The offerer (the Israelite who sinned) presented the fat. The priest burned it. The priest could eat the meat of the restitution offering, like the sin offering. The priests were actually getting payment through the restitution offering. Grain offerings were also payments for the priests.

Leviticus 7:11: The Fellowship Offering (or Peace Offering) was when believers were celebrating peace with God. This was a positive offering. Sometimes it’s so easy to focus on our sin, but we need to remember to celebrate the things God is doing in our lives.

Leviticus 7:12: The fellowship offering was presented for thanksgiving! Nelson wrote, “Thanksgiving [is] a confession of human dependence on God’s grace and mercy, and a praise of the living God.”1So many of us wallow in our woes and sorrows. Think of what it would mean if we had this perspective of, “Praise God, I’m alive! Praise God, I’ve been atoned for!”

They celebrated the fellowship offerings by presenting unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, or well-kneaded cakes of fine flour mixed with oil. Nelson wrote, “The sacrifice of thanksgiving was a public proclamation of who God is and what He does.”2I want to be known as the guy who offers the fellowship offering more than any other offering. Moses was saying, “I want you to thank the Lord for what He’s doing.”

Leviticus 7:13: The bread and meat were to be served as a sacrifice. The Israelites were celebrating peace with God and expressing public gratitude to God. Not just saying thanks but expressing thanks to God with material things. Jacob offered a sacrifice and invited his relatives to eat a meal (Genesis 31:54). The fellowship offering included a sacrifice and eating a meal together. Solomon offered a fellowship offering—22,000 cattle and 122,000 sheep—to dedicate the temple (1 Kings 8:62–63). First Moses built the tabernacle, later Solomon built the temple.

Leviticus 7:14–15: Heave offerings (not a wave offering) were waved before the Lord to acknowledge that He is the giver of gifts. There were certain types of food that would be lifted up in thanksgiving. There could be no leftovers.

Leviticus 7:16: Constable wrote, “There are three types [of fellowship offerings]: 1) Thanks offerings expressed gratitude for an unexpected blessing. 2) Votive offerings expressed gratitude for a blessing granted when a vow had been made while asking for the blessing. 3) Freewill offerings expressed gratitude to God without regard to any specific blessing.” The leftovers may only be left one day if he offered a vow or a freewill offering. The Israelites are given an opportunity to have peace with the Lord and celebrate it. Are you at peace with the Lord? The only way you can have it is through Christ!

Colossians 3:15, “And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.” When we’re at peace, it results in thankfulness. If you don’t have the peace of Christ, it’s time to give control back to Him. Scripture tells us the following:

Romans 3:23 – we all sin

Romans 6:23 – the wages of sin is death; there is no peace

I want us to experience the peace available in Christ! When there’s anxiety, give it to Him! So how do we overcome these things that lead to anxiety?

Romans 5:8 – His love takes away the sin and death.

Stop trying to do it on your own! He’ll take it! That’s what I love about Leviticus. It points to the Atonement of Christ, which gives us peace. That’s when you can experience the peace offering.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – you are saved by grace through faith; it’s a gift.

Romans 10:9-10 – if you confess and believe in Jesus as Lord, you will be saved = life

CLOSING

When you experience Romans 10:9–10, that’s when you experience the fellowship offering; that’s when you experience life and peace.

  1. Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1999), p. 161.

  2. Radmacher, p.161.

  3. Thomas Constable, Dr. Constable’s Expository (Bible Study) Notes (available at https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/leviticus.pdf), pp.225-226.

Questions

  1. What is the difference between a guilt offering and a sin offering? (Leviticus 4; 5:14–19) Which one is considered the most holy? (Leviticus 7:1)
  2. Some sacrifices were required at specific places and times. What was unique about the peace and thanksgiving offerings? (Leviticus 7:11–14)
  3. Whywas the blood to never be consumed? (Leviticus 7:26; 17:11) What was the penalty for doing so? (Genesis 9:4–6)
  4. How has Christ fulfilled the burnt, grain, peace, sin, and guilt offerings? (Romans 5:1; 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 5:2)
  5. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Leviticus 7 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Leviticus 7:28-29

“The LORD spoke to Moses: ‘Tell the Israelites: The one who presents a fellowship sacrifice to the LORD must bring an offering to the LORD from his sacrifice.’”

The people of Israel received instructions on peace offerings, sometimes referred to as fellowship offerings. The peace offering focused on wholeness or completeness. The Israelites would sense completeness with God as they brought sacrifices. Completeness with God can feel like joy and peace of mind, which comes from knowing God is at peace with you. Likewise, Paul instructed believers to present their requests to God with thanksgiving and supplication, and then, the peace of God will cover them completely.

Jesus is your peace and brings completeness to your life. His peace will come upon you when you stop trying to control every situation and instead give every moment over to the Lord. What are you still trying to control that you may need to surrender as a sacrifice to the Lord? Make today a day of surrender, a peace offering to God!

“The LORD spoke to Moses: ‘Tell the Israelites: The one who presents a fellowship sacrifice to the LORD must bring an offering to the LORD from his sacrifice.’”

— Leviticus 7:28–29

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Psalm 29:11 — “The LORD gives His people strength; the LORD blesses His people with peace.”
  • Ephesians 2:17–18 — “When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.”
  • Philippians 4:6–7 — “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ.”