Leviticus 3 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

6. FELLOWSHIP Offerings: Lev 3:1-17

1 ‘“If your offering is a fellowship offering, and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect. 2 You are to lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash the blood against the sides of the altar. 3 From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is lying on the burning wood; it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

6 ‘“If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect. 7 If you offer a lamb, you are to present it before the Lord, 8 lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 9 From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 10 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 11 The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord.

12 ‘“If your offering is a goat, you are to present it before the Lord, 13 lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 14 From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 15 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 16 The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s.

17 ‘“This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: you must not eat any fat or any blood.”’

A. Find Out

1. From where might this offering come? v.1,6,12
2. What is the Offeror to do? v.2,8,13
3. What were the priests to do? v.2b,5,8b.11,13b,16
4. Where was it to be burnt? v.5

B. Comment:

  If you have read the verses through carefully, you might be forgiven if, at first sight, you have wondered if there is any difference between this offering and the Burnt Offering and the answer is, very little. The animals here may be male or female, whereas with the Burnt Offering it was to be a male. In both offerings the Offeror is to present it as one without defect and he is to kill it and the priest is to sprinkle its blood. With the Burnt Offering all the animal was to be burnt but here only the entrails are burnt, part of it belongs to the priest and part of it (see chapter 7) is to be eaten by the Offeror.

  It is this last point that really distinguishes it, as the only offering where the Offeror eats part of it. (see also Deut 27:7). With all the rest except the Burnt Offering, the priest only has part. Traditionally the name of this offering has been the Peace Offering. It is a time when the Offeror and the Lord, represented by His priest, sit down and eat together, fellowshipping in each other’s presence. It is thus an offering that indicates a desire for unity with the Lord, a coming together of the Lord and His people.

You may also have noted that it is offered at the same time as the burnt offering and laid on top of that offering (3:5). The two offerings are distinguished from one another. The first is a free will offering that conveys desire to come near and bless the Lord. The second indicates a desire to enter into fellowship with the Lord, spending time in His presence. Both acknowledge the humanity of the Offeror and both the holiness of the Lord, the desire for fellowship is what makes the Fellowship Offering that much more special.

C. Application:

  Do we have a desire to draw near to the Lord? Great, but do we have a desire to draw near and stay in the Lord’s presence, communing or fellowshipping with Him? This is an indication of maturity, a growing desire to know Him more and more.