Ownership - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 3:2a,

"You are to lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting."

For the fellowship offering, the Lord told Moses that animals from the herd, the flock or a goat would be acceptable. The worshipper was to place his hand on the head of the animal being offered as it was slaughtered.

This speaks to me of recognition of our responsibility for our estrangement from God. Although this is not specifically a sin offering, it is an offering of thanksgiving, an offering seeking peace with God and fellowship with him. God knew the Israelites needed some venue to seek him, to express the felt need for peace and fellowship with him and he provided this for them through this offering.

The worshipper having to place his hand on the animal being sacrificed as it was being slaughtered provided the opportunity for ownership for the cause of the estrangement resulting in that felt need to seek peace and fellowship with God. Mankind fell from God's favor in the garden of Eden and with the resulting estrangement a way back to God was provided by him.However, God required ownership, recognition for the responsibility for that estrangement.

Of course, this offering is just like the others as they all prefigure the offering Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would make of himself. Through the sacrifice of himself, those of us who have embraced him in faith now have peace and fellowship with God.

There are many who feel no need for peace and fellowship with God. As regrettable as that is, they will enter into eternity apart from God. Only those desiring peace and fellowship with God are chosen by him for eternal joy and happiness in his family. All others are facing that fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 21:8. 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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