Sermon #9 Leviticus
Sermons
Title: Things Pertaining to Peace
Text: Leviticus 3:1-17
Subject: Peace Offerings
Date: Sunday Morning – May 6, 2001
Tape # W-40b
Reading: Portions of Romans 3-5
Introduction:
Readings before the Message
[Romans
3:19-31] "Now we know that what
things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. [20] Therefore
by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by
the law is the knowledge of sin. [21] But now the righteousness
of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the
prophets; [22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference: [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. [27] Where is boasting
then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
[28] Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the
deeds of the law. [29] Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not
also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: [30] Seeing it is one
God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through
faith. [31] Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea,
we establish the law."
[Romans
4:1-16] "What shall we say then
that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? [2] For
if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not
before God. [3] For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and
it was counted unto him for righteousness. [4] Now to him that worketh
is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. [5] But to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
counted for righteousness. [6] Even as David also describeth the
blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
[7] Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and
whose sins are covered. [8] Blessed is the man to whom the Lord
will not impute sin. [9] Cometh this blessedness then upon the
circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that
faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. [10] How was it then
reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in
circumcision, but in uncircumcision. [11] And he received the sign of
circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being
uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though
they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
[12] And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision
only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which
he had being yet uncircumcised. [13] For the promise, that
he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed,
through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. [14] For if
they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise
made of none effect: [15] Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law
is, there is no transgression. [16] Therefore it is of
faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure
to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which
is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,"
[Romans
4:25] "Who was delivered for our
offences, and was raised again for our justification."
[Romans
5:1-11] "Therefore being justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By
whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice
in hope of the glory of God. [3] And not only so, but we glory in
tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; [4] And
patience, experience; and experience, hope: [5] And hope maketh not
ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us. [6] For when we were yet without strength, in
due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, being now justified by
his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, when
we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more,
being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [11] And not only so,
but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now
received the atonement."
The title of my message today is Things Pertaining to Peace[1].
But before we look at our text, let me tell you about a couple, a family of
believers who knew something about the peace of God which I want to preach to
you.
John
and Betty Stam
John and Betty Stam and
their family found peace in the midst of indescribably more extreme stress than
most of us can ever imagine.
John and Betty met in Bible college about 1930. They were both in
their mid-twenties. Betty grew up in China. Her parents were missionaries there.
She returned to China in 1931. John soon followed. In a little less than two
years, in October 1933, they were married.
Fourteen months later, communist insurgents under the command of
Mao Tse Tung captured the town where John, Betty, and their infant child Helen
lived. The Stams were arrested. Early on December 8, the soldiers discussed how
they would kill baby Helen. A poor Chinese farmer stepped forward, pleading for
the child's life. The soldiers replied, "Fine. We won't kill the child -- if
you're willing to die in her place!" The farmer agreed. The soldiers shot
and killed him.
The next morning, the soldiers forced John and Betty to leave
their house without Helen. They stripped the couple down to their underwear,
and marched them through the town, mocking them. As a crowd formed, the Stams
were sentenced to death. A Chinese doctor, until this time afraid to speak up,
made a last-minute plea for their lives. The communists asked if he was a
Christian. When he professed Christ as his Lord, they killed him. Then John and
Betty were ordered to their knees. John was beheaded with a sword. Betty
grabbed him to hold him and she too was beheaded.
When Betty’s parents were informed of her death,
they replied by telegraph to the staff of China Inland Mission: -- “Deeply
appreciate your consolation. Sacrifice seems great, but not too great for Him
who gave Himself for us. Experiencing God's grace. Believe wholeheartedly
Romans 8:28.”
Betty Stam's parents knew the peace of God and found strength and
comfort in his free grace in Christ and in his wise, adorable, good providence.
They knew that no matter what the circumstances, even in death, we are "more
than conquerors through him who loved us."
Betty’s sister Helen, for whom the baby had been
named, wrote to her bereaved parents: -- “Dearest Daddy and Mother, you don't
need to hear me say how much we love you and are thinking of and praying for
you in these days... I have such a radiant pictures of Betty and John standing
with their palms of victory before the Throne, singing a song of pure joy…that
I cannot break lose and cry about it as people expect. Crying seems to be too
petty for a thing that was so manifestly in God's hands alone; but my heart is
very, very sore for you.”
It is this peace, the peace of God that passeth understanding
that is set forth in the peace offerings. It is this peace, found only in
Christ, obtained only by faith in him that inspired those who worshipped God to
bring their peace offerings. It is this peace that God gives to sinners, as we
trust his Son and feed upon him. It is this peace, the peace that Christ gives,
which the world can neither understand nor take away. May God be pleased to
make it yours and mine, for Christ’s sake.
Now, I want us to look at and ask God the Holy Spirit to teach us
the things pertaining to this peace from the typology of the peace offerings in
Leviticus 3:1-17.
In Romans 4:25 we are told that the Lord Jesus Christ "was
delivered for (because of) our offences, and was raised again for (because
of) our justification." Then, in chapter five, the apostle Paul
declares the result of this.
[Romans
5:1-2] "Therefore being justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By
whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice
in hope of the glory of God."
Proposition: It is this peace arising
from our justification by the finished work of Christ that was pictured in the
typical peace offerings of the ceremonial law.
These offerings might be taken from the herd (vv. 1-5), or the
flock (vv. 6-11), or the goats (vv. 12-17).
I.
The peace offering might be an offering from
the herd (vv.
1-5).
[Leviticus 3:1] "And if his oblation be a
sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it
be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the
LORD."
The
Connection
The peace offerings are set before us in direct connection with the burnt offerings and the meat offerings. “The connection is simply this: a justified soul, devoted to the Lord in all things, spontaneously engages in acts of praise and exercises of fellowship, for the soul has been accepted and is at peace with God.” (Andrew Bonar). The redeemed sinner gladly lifts his heart in praise to God because God has given him peace by the blood of Christ.
[Psalms
116:16-17] "O LORD, truly I am thy
servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou
hast loosed my bonds. [17] I will offer to thee the sacrifice of
thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD."
Male
or Female
You will notice that the
animal sacrificed for a peace offering could be either male or female. When I
read that, I could not help asking, “Why?” The reason appears to be this:
The burnt offering pictured atonement, atonement by Christ, the
Lamb of God and the Son of God, our God-man Mediator. The peace offering
pictured the result of the atonement, peace with God, which flows to all
believers, male and female through the accomplishments of Christ at Calvary.
Without
Blemish
The sacrifice could be
either male or female, but it must be “without blemish” because it
represents the holy Lamb of God, that One who knew no sin though he was made to
be sin for us, the altogether lovely One in whom the Father delights. Were he
not perfect, we could never have peace. He who is the sinners’ Substitute must
be both infinite and perfect, else he could not satisfy the demands of God for
us.
[Leviticus 3:2] "And he shall lay his hand upon the
head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the
altar round about."
Laying
His Hand on the Sacrifice
By laying his hand upon the sacrifice, the believing sinner both identified himself with the victim and pointed to Christ as the source of his peace, saying, my peace cannot be found in me, but only in my sin-atoning Substitute. Peace is found entirely outside ourselves, in the person and work of Christ.
At
the Door of the Tabernacle
We cannot cross the threshold of the sanctuary, we cannot enter into the presence of the Almighty, except by the blood of Christ that speaks better things than the blood of Abel. -- Abel’s blood cried for wrath and vengeance. Christ’s blood says, “PEACE!” -- “Being justified, by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace (COMPLETE JUSTIFICATION) wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
[Leviticus 3:3-4] "And he shall offer of the sacrifice of
the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that
covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, [4] And
the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the
flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take
away."
The
Lord’s Portion
Those portions of the animal offered for a peace offering to be set aside from the rest burned unto the Lord were considered the richest portions of the animal and were those nearest its heart.
Worship
We come to God, not as One
to be reconciled, but as One who is reconciled. We come to hold fellowship with
the eternal God, like those before his throne in heaven, in holy worship. What
can we bring him except the deepest, richest love of our hearts? Our very loins
were once filled with pain when sin laid heavy upon us.
[Isaiah
21:3-4] "Therefore are my loins
filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that
travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the
seeing of it. [4] My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night
of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me."
Now, where once we knew nothing but pain and turmoil, the peace of God and the joy of the Lord reign within.
As our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Peace, offered himself as
our Substitute to God’s holy law and justice with every depth of affection,
with every feeling of love, with every desire of compassion, so we must “worship
him in spirit and in truth.”
Fire
Let us never fail to
recognize and give thanks to God for him who offered himself as “an offering
made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord.”
We have peace only because the Son of God endured and extinguished the fire of
God’s holy wrath. Such a sacrifice as Christ is demands our hearts! Shall not
the heat of his love for us melt our hearts for Christ, as the fire of God’s
wrath melted his very soul for us!
[Leviticus 3:5] "And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the
altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on
the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the
LORD."
Nothing regarding the worship of God was random, unplanned, or
haphazard in the Mosaic age. Neither shall it be today. If we worship God, we
must do so “after the due order,” with care, diligence, and preparation.
That portion of the peace offering to be burnt must be burnt “on the altar upon the burnt
sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire.” There is a distinct
reference here to the daily sacrifice, which typified full atonement by the
blood of Christ.
This is what that means: -- Our daily fellowship
and communion with God, our daily worship, praise, and thanksgiving, must be
that which arises fresh to God from a fresh sense of Christ’s sacrifice for us.
[Hebrews
13:15] "By him therefore let us
offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips
giving thanks to his name."
II.
The peace offering could also come from the
flock of sheep (vv. 6-11).
[Leviticus 3:6] "And if his offering for a sacrifice of
peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall
offer it without blemish."
Without
Blemish
Have you noticed how
frequently the words “without blemish” are used in connection with the
offerings? Surely, this is intended to teach us that the sacrifices offered to
and accepted by God point to our Lord Jesus Christ who is the infinite delight
of his Father (Isa. 42:1; Matt. 3:17; 17:5).
[Isaiah
42:1] "Behold my servant, whom I
uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit
upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles."
The constant repetition of these words, “without blemish,”
is also designed to teach that as our God is infinitely, perfectly delighted
with his Son, he is infinitely, perfectly delighted with all his people in his
Son, for the sake of his Son, who are “without blemish” in his sight!
[Zephaniah
3:17] "The LORD thy God in the
midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with
joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing."
Can you get hold of this? Nothing can be more
unspeakably delightful to the believing sinner’s heart than this. – The holy
Lord God has satisfied, totally and forever satisfied all his holy demands for
us in the sacrifice of his own dear Son as our Substitute. He who pardons sin
by Christ is truly “a just God and a Savior!”
[Leviticus 3:7-8] "If he offer a lamb for his offering,
then shall he offer it before the LORD. [8] And he shall lay his hand
upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the
congregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about
upon the altar."
The lamb was just as fully accepted as the calf because the value is not in the type but in Christ the antitype. Atonement was not made by these animal sacrifices. They only pointed to the Lamb of God who alone took away the sins of his people.
[John
1:29] "The next day John seeth
Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world."
[Romans
8:1-4] "There is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For
what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending
his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the
flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
[Leviticus 3:9-10] "And he shall offer of the sacrifice of
the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat thereof, and
the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that
covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, [10] And
the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the
flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take
away."
There is only one additional thing mentioned here that is not
mentioned with regard to the calf in verse 3 and 4. – “The Rump.” The
rump was considered the very richest portion of the lamb.
The teaching here is plain enough. Only our best is to be offered
to God. If we worship God, we will give him our best.
· The Best of our Affections
· The Best of our Time
· The Best of our Labor
· The Best of our Gifts
With David, let us resolve,
“I will not offer the Lord that which doth cost me nothing!”
[Malachi
1:6-11] "A son honoureth his father,
and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine
honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of
hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we
despised thy name? [7] Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye
say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is
contemptible. [8] And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not
evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto
thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the
LORD of hosts. [9] And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be
gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons?
saith the LORD of hosts. [10] Who is there even among you that
would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on
mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts,
neither will I accept an offering at your hand. [11] For from the rising
of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great
among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my
name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen,
saith the LORD of hosts."
[Leviticus 3:11] "And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it
is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD."
There is a different expression used here. Instead of the
sacrifice being called “a sweet savor” it is called “the food of the offering
made by fire unto the Lord.” This represents both the
holy Lord God and the believing sinner feeding upon and finding satisfaction in
the sacrifice of Christ.
III.
The peace offering might also be a sacrifice
from the goats (vv. 12-17).
[Leviticus 3:12-13] "And if his offering be a goat,
then he shall offer it before the LORD. [13] And he shall lay his hand
upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and
the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round
about."
The goat is set before us here in the same way as the turtledove in chapter one. It was the sacrifice of the poor.
Substitution
The goat represents our Lord
Jesus Christ as one taken out of the flock for the salvation of the rest. One
is killed, the rest are spared. Thus, the sacrifice is a picture of
substitution.
[Psalms
89:19] "Then thou spakest in
vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen out of the people."
[John
11:47-52] "Then gathered the chief
priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth
many miracles. [48] If we let him thus alone, all men will
believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and
nation. [49] And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high
priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, [50] Nor
consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people,
and that the whole nation perish not. [51] And this spake he not of
himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die
for that nation; [52] And not for that nation only, but that also he
should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered
abroad."
[2
Corinthians 5:21] "For he hath
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him."
[1 Peter
3:18] "For Christ also hath once
suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
[Leviticus 3:14-16] "And he shall offer thereof his
offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that
covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, [15] And
the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the
flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
[16] And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food
of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the
LORD'S."
The sacrifice was fully accepted for the believing sinner. So,
too, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world is
fully accepted for God’s elect and we accepted, fully and forever accepted in
him!
[Leviticus 3:17] "It shall be a perpetual statute
for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor
blood."
Let me call your attention to three things in this verse, and I will send you home, I hope with peace in your soul flowing from the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A. First, we read that “all the fat is the Lord’s.”
Clearly, the fat, as we have seen, represents the best. Let us ever give God our best.
B.
Second, this statute was not for one or two generations and was not for the
house of God alone, but throughout the generations of God’s people on this
earth and to be observed in all our dwellings.
Obviously, we are no longer to observe the rituals of the law. “Christ
is the end of the law.” But we are to worship God in exactly the same way
those saints of old worshipped him, by faith in Christ.
Moreover, we are to worship him not merely in the house of God at
the appointed time of public worship, but in our homes. Our homes are to be
sanctuaries of worship. In other words, we are to live as redeemed sinners, devoted
to Christ, our God and Savior.
C.
Third, in all things, we are to remember and honor the blood, the precious
blood of Christ, by which we have been redeemed.
Realizing our utter dependence upon the blood of Christ, let us ever cast the crown of his grace at the feet of our all-glorious Savior, in constant remembrance of his blood atonement to the everlasting praise of his worthy name!
[1
Thessalonians 5:23-24] "And the
very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. [24] Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."
AMEN.
[1] The Hebrew word for “peace
offering” is always used in the plural, except in Amos 5:22. Perhaps the
closest equivalent in English would be “things pertaining to peace.”