The Thank Offering
The first mention of thanksgiving in the Bible comes in Leviticus 7, the concluding chapter of those outlining the Mosaic sacrificial system. The Bible calls the sacrifice described in this section (Lev 7.11-36) the “peace offering.” The distinctive feature of the peace offering is that it is a fellowship offering, where the believer consumes a part of the offering as if at a banquet with God himself. It beautifully pictures a healthy relationship between believer and God.
A brief outline of the passage:
- The Peace Offering heading (Lev 7.11)
- Details concerning the thanksgiving offering (Lev 7.12-15)
- Details concerning an offering for a vow (Lev 7.16-18)
- Instructions concerning cleanness and uncleanness and the fellowship meal (Lev 7.19-21)
- Instructions concerning the portion reserved for God (Lev 7.22-27)
- Instructions concerning procedure and the priests portion (Lev 7.28-36)
The “Details concerning the thanksgiving offering” are our particular interest for this post, but we should note that the thanksgiving meal of Israel involved fellowship between the individual, the Lord, and the priest. All parties had a part in the meal. All “sat at table together,” a significant statement concerning their relationship.
The thanksgiving offering was the offering reflecting the normal worship of the Israelite. It celebrated God’s deliverance. The burnt offering, sin offering, guilt offerings outlined earlier in Leviticus acknowledged man’s indebtedness to God and displayed the sinner’s acquiescence to guilt and brought about the deliverance the sinning man needed in order to have a relationship with God. The thanksgiving offering celebrated the relationship itself.
Thanksgiving involved lavish tokens on the part of the worshipper. He must offer an animal of significant value, and included grain offerings as well. There is still a reliance on God, as illustrated by the portion offered up by fire before the Lord and to the Lord. The offering acknowledges the continuing necessity of a mediator (the priest). Yet uniquely, here we find the joy that a clean relationship with God implies. It is not that God is our stern overseer, peering down at us and requiring constant abnegation and confession (though God always calls us to confess sin). No, here we sit down and banquet with God. We give the best to him, but he gives the right hand of fellowship to us.
Another interesting aspect of the thanksgiving offering comes to us from another passage. In summing up the coming worship in the promised land, the Lord instructs Israel in Dt 12.10-19. In particular, two verses refer to the sacrificial fellowship meal, Dt 12.12 and Dt. 12.18. The fellowship meal, the thank offering, apparently included not only the worshipper, the priest, and God, but also those unable to provide their own fellowship meal. The “Levite within your gates” and the poor were likewise included.
Our Thanksgiving Day celebrations are no substitute for Old Testament practices, but surely as we reflect on the relationship we have with God through the redemption in Christ Jesus, we can see rich truths about our own worship and fellowship with the saints in the New Testament age.
By the grace of God, we have access to the very presence of the Father through Jesus Christ. We sit down, eat with him, and sup with him in our communion services. We include the “brother of high degree” and the “brother of low degree” in our churches. We are co-labourers together in the service of the King.
Perhaps our rejoicing in the provisions of our gracious God ought to incorporate a bit more formality and worship when we sit down to our feasts! In any case, our gratitude to God and fellowship with the saints ought to be full and our hearts over-flowing as we thank God for his daily grace to us.
Don Johnson is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.