The peace offering: how wonderful! The one who brought it identified with his offering in that he rested his hand on the ritually clean animal. This sacrifice “supported” the offerer, as was the case with the burnt offering—though not with the dove because it was too small. Through the laying on of the hands, the excellent qualities of the blameless sacrifice were transferred to the offerer. As the offerer killed his sacrifice, he entered with mind and heart, at least to some degree, into what it meant to be slaughtered as a sacrifice. Abraham had this experience when he put his son Isaac on the altar.

All this took place in God’s presence at the entrance of the tent of meeting, the place appointed by God. We too have such an appointed place today (Mt. 18:20). The priests were occupied with the service of the altar, and so they sprinkled the blood “round about the altar” as a powerful testimony of its value.

Today, all believers are priestly sons, and God desires us to be actively involved in His priestly service. This is not meant to repeat Christ’s sacrifice—though many in Christendom act as if this is needed—but to present spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. God wants us to be aware of the support we find, through faith, in the perfect Sacrifice and to enter somewhat into what it was for the Lord to go into death. God desires us to do so when gathered in Christ’s presence, contemplating the value of the blood of the Lamb of God, appreciating more and more what it meant for His precious blood to be shed on the cross. Without the shedding of the blood of Christ there is no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22; 1 Pet. 1:19).