In 22:18-21 we see that an offering for a vow, for a freewill offering, or as a peace offering that was offered to Jehovah for a burnt offering had to be a male without blemish, of the herd, of the sheep, or of the goats, that it might be accepted. This signifies that our offering of the Christ whom we experience that is offered to God as God’s food must be without blemish, that it might be accepted.
An offering for a vow, for a freewill offering, and as a peace offering could all be for a burnt offering. The significance of the burnt offering is to be absolute for God. We should be absolute for God, but often we are not absolute for Him. Thus we may wish to make up our mind to have a vow with God that we would be absolute for God for the rest of our life. This vow offered to God eventually becomes a burnt offering with the significance of being absolute for God for our entire life.
A freewill offering may also become a burnt offering. Of our free will we may choose to be absolute for God. Such a freewill offering may also be offered to God as a burnt offering.
It is difficult to explain how a peace offering may be offered to God as a burnt offering. I believe that many of us have experienced this at the Lord’s table. While we were enjoying the Lord as the peace offering at His table, we said to ourselves, “In the past I was not absolute for the Lord. Now as I am enjoying Him, I decide to be absolute for the Lord from now on.” This is the peace offering becoming a burnt offering.
At times, we may make a strong decision to be absolute for God. This is a vow becoming a burnt offering. At other times, we may spontaneously as an exercise of our free will choose to be absolute for God. This is a freewill offering becoming a burnt offering. Sometimes while we are enjoying Christ at the Lord’s table, we may have the thought that we should be absolute for God. This is a peace offering becoming a burnt offering. From this we see that three different kinds of offerings-an offering for a vow, for a freewill offering, and as a peace offering-may become a burnt offering for us to be absolute for God.
According to 22:18-21, each of these offerings needed to be a male without blemish, of the herd, of the sheep, or of the goats. A male here signifies a strong Christ. In whatever way we offer a burnt offering to God, our offering must be a strong Christ without blemish whom we have experienced.
“Anything blind, or broken, or maimed, or that has sores, or an eczema, or scabs-such you shall not offer to Jehovah or make of them an offering by fire on the altar to Jehovah” (v. 22). This signifies that our offering of the Christ whom we experience, if it is blemished as typified by the six defects mentioned in this verse, should not be offered to God as His food for His satisfaction. Rather, we need to enjoy a Christ who is perfect, who is without defect, and who always bears a pleasant appearance. Then we shall be able to offer this One to God as God’s food. This means that we shall be able to feed God with Christ for God’s satisfaction.
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