What is the meaning of Leviticus 19:5? When you sacrifice • God presumes that His covenant people will come near with tangible acts of worship. “When” points to a regular rhythm, not an optional extra (see Leviticus 1:2; Hebrews 9:22). • Sacrifice reminds the worshiper that “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11), underlining sin’s costly penalty. • Believers today still live sacrificially, presenting bodies “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). a peace offering • Unlike the burnt offering that was wholly consumed or the sin offering that addressed guilt, the peace (or fellowship) offering celebrated restored relationship (Leviticus 3:1-17; 7:11-15). • Three occasions invited it: – Thanksgiving for a specific blessing. – Fulfillment of a vow. – Freewill joy in God’s goodness. • Shared portions created a sacred meal; worshiper, priest, and God enjoyed fellowship—a foretaste of the Lord’s Table and the marriage supper of the Lamb (1 Corinthians 10:16; Revelation 19:9). • Christ Himself “is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14), the ultimate embodiment of this offering. to the LORD • Offerings were brought exclusively to Yahweh, rejecting any rival altar (Leviticus 17:8-9; Deuteronomy 12:5-6). • The direction of worship guards hearts from idolatry and reminds us that gratitude, vows, and freewill praise belong to God alone (Malachi 1:8-9). • Jesus echoed this priority: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only” (Matthew 4:10). you shall offer it • Worship is never passive. Each Israelite laid hands on the animal, personally identifying with it (Leviticus 7:29-30). • Proper procedure mattered—right place, right animal, right heart—mirroring James 2:17: “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” • Today, obedience still accompanies faith: “Whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). for your acceptance • The goal is divine favor: “When you sacrifice a peace offering to the LORD, you shall offer it for your acceptance” (Leviticus 19:5). • Cain learned that an unacceptable offering brings rejection (Genesis 4:4-5). Motive and method must align with God’s revealed will (Isaiah 1:11-17). • Acceptance ultimately rests on a perfect sacrifice—Jesus “offered one sacrifice for sins for all time” and “by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:12, 14). • In Him believers are “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6), enjoying lasting peace with God (Romans 5:1). summary Leviticus 19:5 calls worshipers to bring regular, heartfelt peace offerings exclusively to the LORD, carried out in obedient detail so that the worshiper might be accepted. The verse anticipates the greater peace offering—Christ—through whom every believer finds eternal acceptance and unbroken fellowship with God. |
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