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Scripture Reading: Lev. 3:1-17; 7:11-21, 29-34; Num. 10:10; Deut. 27:7; Col. 1:20-22a; Rom. 5:1; Luke 15:23
The past fourteen chapters have been on the meal offering, and I believe that by them the Lord has shown us something of the humanity of Jesus. Now we come to the peace offering. From the above verses it is clear that the presenter has to lay his hands on the peace offering. “If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he presents it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall present it without blemish before Jehovah. And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood on and around the altar” (Lev. 3:1-2). To lay your hands on the offering means that you identify yourself with what you offer. This means that you are declaring your oneness with the offering which you are presenting to God. And this present that you offer is the Lord Jesus Christ.
How can we be one with the Lord? Is this just a positional matter, or is it possible to be one with Him in reality? If so, how can we be one with Him? How can we lay our hands on Christ as a present to God? The way is to exercise our spirit. To lay our hands on the offering, which is Christ, is a picture. To exercise our spirit is the fulfillment today. To exercise our spirit really makes us one with Christ. When we come to present Christ to God as the peace offering, we need to exercise our spirit to declare that we are one with Christ. Thus, it is not just a positional matter; it is also a practical matter. We are practically one with Christ in our spirit. “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit” (1 Cor. 6:17). Hence, when we come to the Tent of Meeting to present Christ to God as a kind of present, we need to exercise our spirit in order that we might be one with Him. This is the first point concerning the peace offering.
The second point is that the peace offering can be presented and enjoyed only in the Tent of Meeting. It is not to be enjoyed at home, but it must be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. We know that today the Tent of Meeting is the meetings of the local church. It is rather difficult for any one of us to enjoy Christ as the peace offering in our own home. We must be in the church meeting in order to have the position to enjoy Christ as the peace offering.
Of course, I realize that some will say that the Lord is omnipresent; He is everywhere. Therefore, He can be enjoyed everywhere. I will not say that you cannot enjoy the Lord everywhere, but I am sure that you cannot enjoy the Lord as the peace offering everywhere. You may enjoy the Lord in other aspects, but you cannot enjoy the Lord as the peace offering in any place but in the Tent of Meeting. This is exceedingly vital. To enjoy the peace offering is not to be done at home but absolutely in the Tent of Meeting.
The third point concerns the shedding of the blood. The offering was killed on the altar by the presenter, and then the priest sprinkled the blood around the altar. We all know that the altar symbolizes the cross, and the killing of the offering symbolizes the Lord’s death. But the blood of the peace offering was not to be brought into the Holy of Holies; it was to be sprinkled around the altar where the peace offering was enjoyed. It was not for God but for the presenter, for when the presenter looked at the blood, he immediately had peace.
We know that Satan, the accuser, is always busy. He never sleeps. Wherever we are, there he is, and he is even with us now. He is always accusing the hearts and minds of the saints. Sometimes he says, “What are you doing here in this meeting? Don’t you remember how you lost your temper this morning? Don’t you remember what you did today? You have no right to be here.” What shall we do when the accuser comes to us in such a way? Praise the Lord for the blood! We must not only apply the blood but also point the enemy to the blood. We must say, “Satan, look at the blood! You ask me to look at my failures, but I ask you to look at the blood!” When we do this, there is real peace.
But sometimes we are not so bold. Immediately after Satan accuses us, we pray, “O Lord, have mercy upon me and forgive me.” Is this right or wrong? It is absolutely wrong! Do not pray or confess but declare to Satan that the blood is here. “Satan, look at the blood! You ask me to look at my failures and my sinfulness, but I demand you to look at the blood!” This really gives us peace. We have the blood of Christ, and the blood gives us peace. Hallelujah! We have an altar for the shedding of the blood, and we have the sprinkling of the blood around the altar. This is the peace offering.
How many times have you applied the blood in this way? I am afraid that many, many times we have applied the blood in a begging way, not in a way of declaration and proclamation. Moreover, it is not necessary for us to claim; we must simply proclaim: “Satan, look at the blood!” Would we be so bold? If we practice this, we will have peace.
The fourth point concerning the peace offering is that it is built upon the previous offerings. “Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire; it is an offering made by fire, a satisfying fragrance to Jehovah...If he presents it for a thanksgiving, then he shall present with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil and unleavened wafers anointed with oil and saturated cakes of fine flour mingled with oil. With cakes of leavened bread he shall present his offering with the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving” (Lev. 3:5; 7:12-13).
The peace offering is built upon two columns of the burnt offering and the meal offering. The two foregoing offerings are the base of the peace offering. We all must realize that though there are five kinds of offerings, yet only two are the base: the burnt offering and the meal offering. These two are the basic offerings upon which the following offerings are built. According to Leviticus 3:5, the peace offering must be burned upon the burnt offering. If we do not have the burnt offering, we have no place to burn the peace offering. The burnt offering is a base for burning the peace offering. Then Leviticus 7:12-13 shows us that the meal offering is also necessary for presenting the peace offering.
What does this mean? It simply means that we must first experience Christ as the burnt offering and then as the meal offering. Then upon these experiences we may have the experience of Christ as the peace offering. If we are going to offer Christ as the peace offering, we need many experiences of Christ as the meal offering. The more we experience Christ as the meal offering by enjoying His humanity, the more we will enjoy Him as the peace offering. Hence, the experience of the peace offering is based mainly upon the burnt offering and the meal offering.
The fifth point is that the peace offering is a matter of joy. “Also on your days of rejoicing and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a reminder on your behalf before your God; I am Jehovah your God” (Num. 10:10). “You shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and you shall rejoice before Jehovah your God” (Deut. 27:7). The peace offering is a joy and a feast. It is a little different from the burnt offering and the meal offering. It is absolutely a matter of joy and feasting.
First Corinthians 10:18 refers to the peace offering, for it says that the people of Israel ate the sacrifices and had fellowship with the altar. By the following verses in this chapter, we can realize that presenting Christ to God as the peace offering today is to come to the Lord’s table. When we come to the Lord’s table, that is the time to present Christ to God as our peace offering. And the Lord’s table is a joyful feast. Whenever we come to the Lord’s table, we come to enjoy a feast. We will see more concerning this later.
The sixth point is that the peace offering is the fellowship of God’s people with God and with one another. In Leviticus 3 and 7 we are told clearly how many parties have the right to enjoy the peace offering. The first party that enjoys the peace offering is God. All the fat, the inward parts with the kidneys, and the appendage on the liver belong to God. All these tender parts are God’s portion. These verses tell us clearly that these parts are food to God. He is the first party to enjoy the peace offering.
The second party to enjoy the peace offering is the serving priest who sprinkles the blood and offers the fat to God. The serving priest enjoys the right thigh and one of each kind of the cakes of the meal offering. All these pieces are called the heave offering, which signifies the ascended Christ. To “heave” signifies to ascend. The ascended Christ is the heave offering, and this is the highest enjoyment of Christ. The serving priest enjoys Christ in these pieces as the ascended One.
The third party to enjoy the peace offering is the priesthood. Aaron and his sons have the breast as their portion. The thigh signifies the walking strength, and the breast signifies the embracing love. The priesthood can enjoy the embracing love of the peace offering. This is called the wave offering. The wave offering signifies Christ in resurrection. These points are all very meaningful.
The fourth party to enjoy the peace offering is the presenter. The one who presents the offering enjoys the flesh, that is, the meat. All the flesh is for the enjoyment of the one who offers the peace offering.
But there is also a fifth party. All the people of God who are clean are also entitled to enjoy the peace offering. “The person who eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which belong to Jehovah, with his uncleanness upon him, that person shall be cut off from his people. And when anyone touches any unclean thing, the uncleanness of man or an unclean beast or any unclean abomination, and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which belong to Jehovah, that person shall be cut off from his people” (Lev. 7:20-21). All the clean ones among the children of God are entitled to enjoy the peace offering. This is Christ in the Lord’s table meeting. At the Lord’s table, Christ is our peace offering.
Coming to the Lord’s table is a declaration to the whole universe that we have peace with God. It is also a declaration that we have peace with all the saints. If I do not have peace with a certain brother, it is rather difficult for me to come to the Lord’s table in a true way. To come to the Lord’s table is to declare that we have peace with God and peace with one another. We have peace with all the priesthood, and we even have peace with ourselves. We have peace with all the saints, so we are in the feast enjoying Christ as our peace offering. There is a part for God, a part for the serving ones, a part for the priesthood, a great part for the presenter, and also a part for all the saints. This is our real communion. Our communion is simply Christ as the peace offering for God’s enjoyment, for the serving one’s enjoyment, for the priesthood’s enjoyment, for our enjoyment, and for the enjoyment of all the saints.
The proper way to have the Lord’s table is not simply a matter of singing hymns, praising, and praying while taking the bread and the wine. It is absolutely a matter of having the full enjoyment for these five parties. There must be the enjoyment for God, for the serving ones, for the priesthood, for the presenter, and for all the attendants who are clean. In other words, the Lord’s table meeting is a matter of enjoyment, so it is a feast full of gladness.
Numbers 10:10 tells us that we should blow the trumpet over the sacrifices of our peace offerings. What does it mean to blow the trumpet? It simply means to declare and to proclaim. The trumpet was a picture, and the fulfillment is to proclaim. We need to proclaim to the whole universe, “Look, all of you angels, demons, and even the devil! Look at the peaceful enjoyment that we have here! As the redeemed ones we have peace with God, we have peace with one another, and we even have peace with ourselves. We are enjoying Christ in the presence of God and with one another!”
I do not believe that many Christians today have fully realized to such an extent what the Lord’s table is. We all must realize that the Lord’s table is a feast with Christ as the peace offering for all five parties to enjoy. God is here, the serving ones are here, the priests are here, and the presenters with all the children of God are here. When all five parties are together, we do not sit inactively but trumpet and proclaim to the universe, “What a Christ we have!” He is our peace, not only in an objective way but as our enjoyment. We are enjoying peace, and this peace is Christ.
Christ as the peace offering is not like manna sent from the heavens. This offering is something that we must bring to the Tent of Meeting. What we bring to the meeting is the very Christ whom we have experienced as the burnt offering and the meal offering. After experiencing Christ in such a way, we have something of Him to bring to the meeting to offer to God as the peace offering for a mutual enjoyment for all the five parties. This is the presentation and the enjoyment of the peace offering, and this is a full portrait of the Lord’s table.
God’s portion of the peace offering is the hidden part. He gets all the inward parts with all the fat and the two kidneys. This is indeed meaningful. We cannot understand the “inward parts” of Christ. We can present them, but we cannot appreciate them so deeply. The inward parts of Christ can only be understood, apprehended, and appreciated by God Himself. They are too deep, too hidden, and too mysterious to us. Yet, praise the Lord, we can present them! We cannot appreciate them so deeply, and we cannot apprehend the mystery, but we can present them to God and let God enjoy this hidden part.
What does Christ think within Himself? What does He consider deep in His being? No one can realize such depths; therefore, not one of us can enjoy this part. We are not qualified, but God is qualified; so this is His part. The hidden and mysterious part of Christ is for God, and this is God’s food. God is satisfied by the inward parts of Christ who is offered by us. Every time we have the Lord’s table, it is also a dining table for God. Some of us have been meeting in the local church and enjoying the Lord’s table for years, but I do not believe that many of us have realized that the Lord’s table is also a dining table for God. It is not only the saints who come and dine but God also who comes and dines. It is here that we present something to God which is so hidden and mysterious that we cannot apprehend it. But God can! This is the inward parts of Christ, the most tender and precious parts of His inner being. All the fat of the inward parts and all the tender, sweet, and precious parts are for God’s appreciation and God’s enjoyment. Leviticus 3 mentions that this is God’s food.
The serving ones enjoy the right thigh, that is, the right front leg. This means that the more I serve in this way, the more I will have the strength to walk as Christ walks. He simply becomes my right thigh for walking. The serving ones also have the right to participate in one of each kind of the cakes. The right thigh and the cakes together constitute the heave offering, which is Christ in ascension. The thigh, as we have pointed out, signifies the walking strength, and the different kinds of cakes signify the rich nourishment and satisfaction. In the next Lord’s table meeting, some will be the serving ones in the meeting, and all of them will have the realization that while they are serving, they are enjoying Christ in His ascension. Christ is their walking strength and their rich nourishment and full satisfaction.
The breast, which is the embracing strength in love, is for the priesthood. All the priests have the right to enjoy the embracing love of Christ in resurrection.
The flesh of the offering is for the presenter and for all the people in the Tent of Meeting who are clean. Hence, if we are serving ones, we not only have a special right to enjoy the right thigh and one of each kind of the cakes, but we also have the right to enjoy the breast, because we are in the priesthood. In addition to this, we have the right to enjoy the flesh, because we are one of the clean ones among God’s people. The serving ones have the right to enjoy everything but God’s portion, which is too deep and too mysterious for them. They have the full right to enjoy all the other parts.
Sometimes when we come to the Tent of Meeting, we are clean, but we do not present anything. We may be a presenter yet not a priest. In position we are all priests, but in the church some will not function as the priests. Only the functioning ones in the meeting are the priesthood. All the rest are just the attendants. Thus, in a sense, we may be clean, yet we are not in the priesthood. We may even be in the priesthood yet not so active as a serving one. We must not only be the clean ones but also the presenters, the priesthood, and the serving ones. Then we will have the full right to enjoy Christ in so many ways as the peace offering.
Besides these five parties, there is still another party, the cut-off ones. “The person who eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which belong to Jehovah, with his uncleanness upon him, that person shall be cut off from his people” (Lev. 7:20). The unclean ones are cut off. The fulfillment of this type is seen in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11: “I wrote to you in my letter not to mingle with fornicators, but not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and rapacious, or idolaters, since then you would have to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to mingle with anyone who is called a brother, if he is a fornicator or a covetous man or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or a rapacious man, with such a one not even to eat.”
The unclean ones must be cut off from the church fellowship, and that is the meaning of the term excommunication. The unclean members of the church must be excommunicated from the church fellowship. So we see that it is a serious thing to come to the fellowship of the Lord’s table. It is a joyful feast on the one hand, but on the other hand, the Lord’s table is a most holy thing. Whenever we come to participate in the fellowship of the Lord’s table, we must realize that this is a holy matter. We are not only fellowshipping with others but also with God. It is not simply man who is enjoying this table but also God. God is feasting together with us; hence, how can a person who is unclean participate in the peace offering? That is a kind of insult to the Lord. Therefore, the unclean persons must be cut off until they become clean again.
We have seen from the peace offering the real meaning of the Lord’s table. It is a feast set before God and before the saints in the church, with Christ as our peace offering for the enjoyment of all the parties involved. But there is one matter that we must stress. The peace offering that we bring to the church meetings to present to God depends upon our daily experiences of Christ as our burnt offering and meal offering. For the Lord’s table meeting, we need more and more proper and adequate experiences of Christ in these two aspects, especially in the humanity of Jesus. This is why we spent so much time to consider the meal offering. The humanity of Jesus is very basic in our experience in order for us to bring the peace offering to the Lord’s table.
