IV. THE FLESH OF THE THANKSGIVING SACRIFICE OF THE PEACE OFFERING BEING EATEN ON THE OFFERING DAY AND NO PART OF IT BEING LAID ASIDE UNTIL MORNING
“The flesh of the thanksgiving sacrifice of his peace offering shall be eaten on the day it is offered; he shall not lay aside any of it until morning” (v. 15). This signifies that the maintaining power of this kind of offering is rather small, that it has to be fully enjoyed on the offering day, and that our experience and enjoyment of Christ in this aspect should be fresh daily.
We may be thankful to God and offer Him a peace offering. This is an offering in which we enjoy Christ in God’s presence. However, the peace offering for thanksgiving is a weaker offering, and its enjoyment cannot be carried from one day to the next. The lasting power of this offering is not great.
V. THE SACRIFICE OF THE OFFERING, AS A VOW OR A FREEWILL OFFERING, BEING EATEN ON THE OFFERING DAY AND THE REMAINDER ON THE NEXT DAY
“But if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day he offers his sacrifice, and on the next day the remainder of it may be eaten” (v. 16). This signifies that the maintaining power of the peace offering for a vow or a freewill offering is stronger than that for thanksgiving, that it should be eaten on the offering day, and that our stronger enjoyment of Christ could last longer. If our offering is stronger, our enjoyment of this offering will last longer.
VI. THE FLESH OF THIS OFFERING EATEN ON THE THIRD DAY NOT BEING ACCEPTED BUT BEING AN ABHORRENT THING, AND THE EATER BEING CONDEMNED
“If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering is eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted; it shall not be accounted to him who offered it. It shall be an abhorrent thing, and the person who eats of it shall bear his iniquity” (v. 18). This signifies that our enjoyment of Christ in its oldness shall not be pleasant to God and not right with Him. The lawless enjoyment of Christ is abhorrent to God. Therefore, in 1 Corinthians 11 Paul warns us that in coming to the Lord’s table, we must be careful.
VII. THE FLESH OF THIS OFFERING TOUCHING ANYTHING UNCLEAN NOT BEING EATEN BUT BURNED WITH FIRE
“The flesh that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten; it shall be burned with fire” (v. 19a). This signifies that the enjoyment of Christ as our peace should be kept from all uncleanness.
VIII. THE FLESH OF THE PEACE OFFERING WHICH HAS NOT TOUCHED ANYTHING UNCLEAN BEING EATEN BY THE PERSON WHO IS CLEAN
“And as for other flesh, anyone who is clean may eat of it” (v. 19b). This signifies that the enjoyment of Christ as our peace should not only be kept from all uncleanness but should also be eaten by a clean person.
IX. AN UNCLEAN PERSON WHO EATS THE FLESH OF THE PEACE OFFERINGS THAT BELONG TO JEHOVAH BEING CUT OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE
“But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings that belong to Jehovah while his uncleanness is upon him, that person shall be cut off from his people. And when a person touches anything unclean, whether the uncleanness of man, or an unclean beast, or any unclean abomination, and then eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings that belong to Jehovah, that person shall be cut off from his people” (vv. 20-21). This signifies that the unclean person who partakes of Christ as his peace, as at the Lord’s table (1 Cor. 10:16-17), shall be put aside from the fellowship of the enjoyment of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 5:13b). An unclean person is a sinful person. Such a person should be removed from the fellowship at the Lord’s table.
(Life-Study of Leviticus, Chapter 27, by Witness Lee)
