The peace offering, or thankfulness offering of Leviticus 3 is a beautiful type portraying the truth of how our peace with God is secured and our resulting thankfulness from right standing with God.
The unblemished substitute offered could be either male or female. This speaks to the fact that there is neither Greek, Jew, bond nor free, male nor female, but all are one in Christ Jesus; Gal.3:28. As the offerer lay his hand upon the head of the unblemished substitute and then took its life, he identified himself with his offering. The death of the substitute is what he deserved, and the perfections of his substitute is what he could not provide. His peace with God was secured on the basis of God’s acceptance of the substitute. The animal was butchered and its inner parts were laid out on the altar to be consumed by the fire. The perfections of Jesus Christ, both inward and outward, were in type represented in the aroma of satisfaction rising unto God on behalf of the worshipper to demonstrate a standing of peace with God.
Along with the animal sacrifice, the worshipper would offer unleavened cakes and wafers made from fine flour, mixed and anointed with oil and then fried. The absence of leaven speaks of the absence of evil or corruption. The oil speaks of the Holy Spirit in and upon Christ. The fine flour speaks of the grinding and sifting necessary to reveal his perfections and the frying shows the fire of judgment that not only provided peace with God, but also a right standing for communion and fellowship; Leviticus 7:12.
Following this, there is an amazing and beautiful revelation. Lev.7:13 reveals that the worshipper was to offer bread “with” leaven along with his sacrifice of thanksgiving and peace offering. Since leaven always represents evil influence or corruption, this command demonstrates the fact that your standing of peace with God is based solely upon His acceptance of the merits of the substitute and the worshipper was never without the corruptions of sin in himself.
The next thing is that the blemishes identified as unacceptable are associated with the sin principle resulting from the fall. Blind, broken, maimed, scabbed, scurvy, cut, bruised or crushed. These are all resulting from disease, sickness, or acts of violence or aggression. Lev. 22:20-24.
The best for last. Leviticus 22:23 The thankfulness offering animal sacrifice could have a leg too short or too long resulting from a birth defect. This would result in an imperfect walk.
This speaks to the fact that our peace with God is never secured or maintained by our life walk with Him but solely on the fact of the sentence executed and the judgment served upon Christ our substitute that produced the aroma of satisfaction unto God. Praise God for His matchless grace.
Tony Register is pastor of Cornerstone of Faith P.O. Box 155 Cordele, Ga. 31010