Psalm 116:17-18

Psalm 116:17-18

Thank Offerings

Thank Offerings and the fulfilment of vows were the subjects of verses 13-14. The rules and requirements of these ceremonial rituals are found in Leviticus 3. Any animal without defect could be offered, along with various breads. The offering was voluntary, an act of thanksgiving and fellowship and it included a communal meal. As we saw, part of the offering was to God, part to the priests, the rest was for the offeror. See Leviticus 7:11-21, 28-34.

So, the question is, how do we partake in peace offerings? One way is to be reconciled to Jews but also to our enemies. Ephesians 2:13-18,  “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought nearby the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”

Did you know that the only meat which an Israelite ate from their herds was that which was offered as a Peace or Thank Offering? All their flocks and herds were kept simply for offerings. The word “shalom” is used in Israel a lot today, we think it just means peace, but it means a lot more in Hebrew. A better definition would be “total wholeness.” Our equivalent is to say the “peace” – May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 1 Cor 13:14. And part of our “peace” is to pray God’s blessing for:- The Jews, Our enemies, Our family, Our friends and neighbours. Another part is to share our table with God’s people and to bless what He gives us before we eat. It becomes our Peace or Thank Offering. Hallelujah!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 106:13

Psalm 106:13 Do not forget We need to remember that Israel’s relationship with the Lord God was based on His laws and their obedience. It was possible for them to live lives that were highly blessed, that incorporated the provision of God in every tiny detail of their national and individual existence. God was prepared to give them everything they needed, He would provide food and water for them and their flocks. He would guide them on their journey. He would protect them from their enemies. He would inspire and direct their leaders. He would keep them from the heat of the sun and the terrors of the desert night. He would take them to the land that He had promised, in double quick time. There was no reason why they could not be in situ in just a few months. Everything they could possibly need was His to provide and He was willing to sacrifice anything to see them gratefully settled in Canaan.  There was just one snag, it all depended upon their obedience and faithfulness. God insis...
Read more

Psalm 51:4

Psalm 51:4 Deliberate sin In Genesis 20 we read the story of Abimelek and Abraham. The latter had passed off his wife Sarah as his sister and Abimelek had taken her with a view to her becoming his wife. The relationship was not consummated, and the Lord used a dream to reveal to Abimelek just what was going on. The insulted king pleaded innocence,  “I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands ” he said, to the Lord. And God agreed,  “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me.”  This is a big subject but there is clearly a difference between sinful intentions and deeds where the participant knows that he/she is doing wrong, and those occasions where an action is carried out in innocence.  David knew all along that every detail of his relationship with Bathsheba was sinful, as were his actions in the cover-up. Therefore, he sinned against the Lord God and broke the commandments which said that  “Y...
Read more

Psalm 84:3

Psalm 84:3 All about sparrows Any visitor to Jerusalem will know that the city is a haven for sparrows. Houses and other buildings in Middle Eastern cities are not built to keep out the cold with double-glazing and UPVC everywhere. There are literally millions of little holes and crevasses and places where birds can hide and build their nests. As a result, the air is filled with the sound of the sparrows at all times, and in the summer months, swallows, swifts and martins swoop across the rooftops. (Along with many other birds that I would love to mention but that would be totally irrelevant). Evidently nothing has changed for centuries, because these sights and sounds greeted visitors to the Temple back in the day when Psalm 84 was composed. And the author is envious. These winged avian residents and visitors can enter where he cannot! They nest and congregate around the Temple Courts, high up and out of the reach of man’s interference and so they occupy a place closer to God than any...
Read more