Leviticus 3:1 says, “If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings-if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before Jehovah.” The male signifies the stronger offerer who enjoys Christ as a male of the herd.
It is not Christ who differs in being either strong or weak; it is we who are either strong or weak. If we are strong, we enjoy a stronger Christ. If we are weak, we enjoy a weaker Christ, not a Christ who is weak in Himself but who is weaker in our experience due to our weakness. When we are weak or disappointed, we may have a weaker enjoyment of the strong Christ. Because we are weak, He is weak in our experience.
The female signifies the weaker offerer who enjoys Christ as a female of the herd.
Actually, all animals from the herd are strong. Christ Himself is strong. Whether we enjoy a strong Christ or a weak Christ depends on our condition. If our condition is strong, we will enjoy a strong Christ. If our condition is weak, we will enjoy a weak Christ.
Leviticus 3:6 and 7 say, “If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Jehovah is from the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. If he is offering a sheep for his offering, then he shall offer it before Jehovah.” A sheep signifies that some enjoy Christ in His perfection and beauty as a sheep. I believe that we all have had this kind of experience, enjoying Christ in His perfection and beauty.
Verse 12 says, “If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before Jehovah.” Here a goat signifies that some enjoy Christ as a goat, not much in His perfection and beauty.
According to Matthew 25, the sheep are good and the goats are not good. How, then, can we experience Christ sometimes as a sheep and sometimes as a goat? If our condition is pitiful, we will not enjoy Christ as a sheep in His perfection and beauty. Rather, we will enjoy Him as a goat without perfection and beauty. Suppose a brother tries to enjoy Christ after quarreling with his wife. At such a time his enjoyment of Christ will be poor; he will enjoy Christ not as a sheep but as a goat. This indicates that in our feeling Christ differs according to our condition. Of course, it is not Christ Himself who differs. It is we who differ in our feeling according to our condition.
The peace offering was to be without blemish (3:1, 6). This signifies being without sins and transgressions. As our peace offering, Christ is perfect. He is without blemish.
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