[Pastor Ralph]

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?

[RonS]

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?

When the priests eat from the sacrifice they become part of the atonement process. When Christ died on the cross He became the sacrifice for all people for all time. But we need to become part of His sacrifice by saying Lord I understand you did this for me. When we say that we are also saying I also go to the cross. Watchman Nee says we have to reckon it done.
Paul says Gal 6:14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Gal 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

[Helenmm]

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?

Eating together is a major identification process. In our homes we eat together with those of similar disposition, and we invite friends to meals with whom we will enjoy company. Sharing a meal represents something much greater than just the physical act of supplying the body with nourishment. It's about intimacy, and it develops intimacy. Much business is done over the sharing of meals, which brings people into a happy relationship together and promotes unity of purpose in the business at hand. Hospitality is an age old custom of giving honour to those invited to participate in the meal. Itis not offered to those of opposing disposition, those with whom one will disagree. Celebrations (of birthdays, victories, graduations, etc are all done almost invariably over meals, and never with dissenters from the occasion. So sharing a meal is very much more than just the physical act of eating together. It creates units or entities almost between people. Even in the simplest of examples, eating together is a supernatural phenomenon.

Thus the process of priests eating of sacrifices is actually the creation of an entity or unity in a supernatural manner. This is why God's direction to Moses about the priestly role were so very explicit. This is why our participation in Holy Communion is so very important supernaturally.

The priests at the altar, by eating the sacrifices, were actually taking the role of Jesus in being a sacrificial offering, as we do now in communion by eating the bread and the wine. Supernatural unions are forged this way. In communion we are actually forging a supernatural identity as a sacrifice for sin with Jesus. We are participating with Him on the cross.

Paul is saying that if we identify with Christ's sacrificial offering in communion, then it is totally vexatious to God if we then go identify with some other idolatrous activity, because in effect we are joining Him into that idolatry, which is an intolerable thing with Him and creates righteous jealousy in God Himself.

The clear physical parallel is in sexual behaviour. If a person has multiple partners, then he is sharing sexual disease, demonic attachments, comparisons and fearfully unhelathy attitudes with each partner. You get not only that person but all the previous partners as well. This is why marriages cannot cope with adulteries, and also why God will not tolerate idolatries. The principles involved are very similar. Adultery severs the marriage bond and gives the one sound reason for breaking up a marriage. Participation in Holy Communion is equally holy and not to be violated by participation in the eating of the food related to other gods (demons)

[charisbarak]

The priests had to follow the law when it came to the sacrifices. Not only did they have to offer the right sacrifices, prepare & burn them in a special way & to complete the process they had to share the meat with their families.

In the same way, our participation in the remembrance in communion is to actually take part in eating/drinking the elements served. I could watch communion being taken, but I would not be a participant. Sharing of these elements completes the remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice for us.

[Jezemeg]

In OT times, only those who'd been consecrated as priests were able to go beyond the veil and enter into God's presence, and then only after elaborate purification rites were performed. Their needing to eat part of the sacrifice completed the atonement, there were strict limitations as to who could partake of this meal, to contravene the laws regarding priestly duties meant death, as happened when Nadab and Abihu decided that they could perform rituals as they saw fit instead of as God ordered.

When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, as a permanent act of atonement, all believers were given direct access to God, without the need for the intervention of priests, and without the need for the elaborate rituals that were needed before hand. However, one requirement (for want of a better word) remains, that of our participation in the Lord's Supper. Participants in communion renew their recognition of the depth of Christ's sacrifice for us, and by doing so reinforce the intimacy shared by believers, strengthening the bonds that support and encourage them to continue in their Great Commission, that of sharing the Gospel.

[pickledilly]

As the O.T. priests ate part of the sacrificed animal, they were consuming it for physical nourishment. But most important, they were personally taking in all that the sacrifice represented to make an intimate association with it. This made them each a participant in the altar. It pictured for them the mission and work of their coming Messiah. It identified them with sin that had to be atoned, sacrifice of an innocent for the guilty, shedding of blood to cleanse and purify, and the burning, consuming holiness of Yahweh. It reminded them of their roles as representatives of Yahweh to Israel and intercessors between the two. And the smoke of that sacrificed animal was an expression of their obedience that was a pleasing aroma to the LORD. The entire experience created an intimate unity of man to God.

Well, isn't that just exactly what the Lord's Supper calls us to do? All that was promised in Christ and represented in those sacrifices and the priesthood has been fulfilled through the cross. So our memorial remembrance of the cross through the communion of this Supper is our participation with all that was represented by the altar sacrifices - only now that's all been completed and attained by Christ's own death! And when you participate so intimately with something, it becomes part of who you are. Participation with Christ's sacrifice should change who I am, what is important to me, and how I represent the LORD. It's a serious thing to be a participant in something so holy.

[heavenlymann]

Pastor Ralph, on Apr 24 2006, 12:27 PM, said:

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?

The priests shared in the sin offering by eating a portion of it. A picture of Christ taking our sin upon Himself.
Christ shares Himself with us intimately my taking our sin upon Himself. In doing this we become one with Him(indwelling of Holy Spirit). our participation with His sacrifice through Communion represents us in Him. He in us--us in Him. He participates in our sin that we may participate in His Holiness.

[MannyVelarde]

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?

This was God's way to provide for the priests since they were not aportioned land. They also had to perform these sacrifices in a strict manner to be presented holy before God. Not sure if the eating represented a reminder of the covenant as a "shared meal" was a characteristic of covenant such as when Moses received the commandments and he and the elders sat down at covenant meal and at wedding ceremonies we have a covenant meal. They were connecting witht he sacrifice and the meaning and reason of the sacrifice. To do so in a manner that was not proper meant sure death.

As Paul was observing - to take of the Lord's Supper in an improper manner was death - - when we partake we are sharing in His sacrifice and becoming a part of the sacrfice.

[Saved55s]

In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices?
When people bought their sacrifices to the altar, the offering of the goat or whatever animal it may have been they were sacrificing, it was sacrificed not only by fire but also part of the atonement ritual was that the priests ate a portion of it as well. Meat from sacrifices along with tithes of their harvests provided the priests & their families with food to live on.
How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?
In the same way that the priests were sharers in the sacrifices made on the altar of the burnt offering, Paul is saying that we too are sharers with other believers as we take communion & share in the offering of Jesus on the cross who’s body was broken & blood was shed for our sins.

[Stan]

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?


They participated when they followed God's commands in offering the sacrifice but in also eating of the portion that God instructed them to eat. By consuming a portion they were becoming a means of taking away the sins of the people for another year. Jesus became our means of doing away with our sin once and for all if we when we partake in the Lords Supper do so with a pure heart and with the desire that Jesus have first place in our lives. To be a partaker in the Lord's Supper makes us partakers in His death on the cross and a partaker in His resurrection. We are use as the priest were in helping God to complete His plan for us to become pure and Holy Sons of the Living God.

[linda sue]

Pastor Ralph, on Apr 24 2006, 06:27 PM, said:

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?

I think we have to remember that the Old Testament is a picture of what is to come in the New Testament. It makes sense when you think about it. The sacrifices speek of Jesus Christ. When the Priest ate the sacrifice, he was taking Jesus into himself. It was a picture of the filling of the believer with the Holy Spirit. Becoming one with God. In Colossians 1:27 it speeks of the mystery "Christ in you, the hope of Glory".

How do believers participate with Christ's sacrifice? What used to be looked forward to by the nation of Isreal in the Old Testament, we now looked back onto in the Lord's Supper. That sacrifice that gives us the meaning and assurance "Christ in you, the hope of Glory". John 14:20 "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." We are right in the middle of the Father and Jesus. Isn't that something! Tucked in safe and sound. There is now complete unity. That is what the cross brought about. That is what we now share. Complete peace with God. We must always remember the price that was paid for this wonderful gift.

[Lion of Grace]

In Old Testament times, a sacrifice was offered for the sin of the people. These sacrifices were considered Holy. Only the priests were allowed to offer the sacrifice and a part of that ceremony was for the priest to eat a portion of the sacrifice to take part in the atonement for the sins of the people.
Today under the New Covenant, Christ is our portion. When we eat of the bread and the wine, we remember Christ Jesus. We remember the Holy sacrifice offered up for the atonement of our sins. We are all a royal priesthood because we have believed in Jesus. As a priesthood we can partake in this sacrifice and in doing so, we share in the sacrifice. We share with Christ and we share with each other.
One of the most beautiful prayers in the Bible to me, is the prayer in John 17. In verses 20-26, Jesus prays for all believers. He prays for all to be one. He prays about giving us the glory that our Father had given Him. He prays for complete unity and He speaks of love. He prays of the love the Father has for Him and for that love to be in us also through Him.
He gave us all that to share in with Him...at no cost to ourselves. We were the guilty ones and yet, we can come, just as we are and still share in that with Him and be considered family just because He loved us that much. No merit of our own. No earning it yesterday, today or tomorrow. Just because He loves us.
We are so casual in taking communion and even in telling this old, old story. We have lost the depth of all He really did for us. This is a Holy sacrifice we share in. We are Holy through His sacrifice. We need to live like a Holy priesthood. We need to love as He loved. We need to abide and be obedient as He was. We have a high calling and we need to live it the very best we know how to.

[ilenel]

In 1 Peter 2:5 Paul tells us that we are God's holy priests offering spiritual sacrifices. And as being priests in Christ, it is legal for us to eat the sacrifice. The spiritual sacrifice is Jesus and to partake of His flesh in the form of bread (unleavened or leavened) and wine (fruit of the vine). Not only are we legal partakers, but we are not to allow our emotions to interfer with the act of communion. Sometimes we feel saved, and sometimes we don't. So feelings, that change minute to minute, hour to hour, should never come between us and obedience to the Lord.

[JustJeff]

From the Complete Jewish Bible:"The cohen (priest) who offers it for sin is to eat it-it is to be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. Whatever touches it's flesh will become holy;" Vayikra (Leviticus) 6:26-27a. By eating of the sacrifice, the priests were made holy, as the sacrifice itself.
Again, from the CJB, B'rit Hadashah (New Testament) "Look at physical Isra'el: don't those who eat the sacrifices partcipate in the altar?" 1 Cor 10:26. By taking of the communion we become part of the Lord's sacrifice. We should feel His passion, His love, His death and resurrection. We become one with Him and with each other. This is a deeply spiritual and emotional time, for us as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

[masika]

God had originally intended that His chosen people be a " Kingdom of Priests " with both the nation as a whole and each individual dealing with Him directly with God . But the people's sin prevented this from happenig because a sinful person is not worthy to approach a perfect God . God then appointed priests from the tribe of Levi and set up the system of sacrifices to help people approach Him. He promised to forgive the people's sin if they would offer certain sacrifices administered by the priests on behalf of people .Through these priests and their work , God wished to prepare all people for the coming of Jesus Christ , who would once again offer a direct relationship with God for anyone who would come to him.But until Christ came the preasts were the people's representatives before God .
In Old Testament days , when a Jew offered a sacrifice , he ate a part of that sacrifice as a way of restoring his unity with God , agaist whom he had sinned . Similarly , Christians participate in Christ's once-for-all sacrifice at the Lord's Table when they eat the bread and drink from the cup, symbolizing His Body and Blood

[steve.c]

Pastor Ralph, on Apr 24 2006, 12:27 PM, said:

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices? How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?

The priests eating a portion of the sacrifice was part of the atonement process. This is how they participated in the scarifice. We do the same when we comsume the bread and wine at the Lord's Supper. We participate in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. It was His sacrifice for us and we must participate in it. This is why the Lord's Supper is such a powerful event each time we participate in it.

[haar]

The priest take a peace of meat from the sacrfice and eat it. By eating a peace of the meat from the sacrifice on the alter is a 'participation' because the priest by that act, becomes one with the sacrifice, the person whose sin is to be atoned and God who forgives the sin. He is inolved so to speake in the atoning process.

Paul states that as the priests participate in the alter of sacrifice by eating a peace of meat from the roasted sacrfice, so we too, do participate in the blood when we take the cup and in his body when we break the bread. We thus identify with Christ in his suuffering and death. We share in his blood, body and are united and joined together as one.

[Julie]

The Priests participated by sharing in a portion of the sacrifice.
Just as the Priests participated in eating of the sacrifice we participate and share in the sacrifice the Lord made for us.

[ONALEE]

For atonement of our sins before God. We become sharers;particioants in the atonement process. We become one with Jesus. Whose ultimate, undeining love and compassion for mankind. Gave the ultimate sacrifice for all. PTL Amen

[Eudora]

Q3. In what way did the priests participate in the altar by eating of the Old Testament sacrifices?

I Corinthians 10:18-19 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

Christians are the spiritual Israel of God. When an Israelite offered a sacrifice, he ate part of what his offering was, as a way of bringing himself or herself back into unity with God. This was a way to commune with God after having sinned. This communion brought one back into restoration with God.

Priests were from the tribe of Levi, through the line of Aaron, who was God’s first High Priest in Israel. There were specific ordinances for Levite’s to observe. They were to partake of all offerings made in a portion because that was part of the institution of the offering.

God is the one who created the law and it was to be observed because He created it as a way for us to commune with His Holiness. God is Holy and He has shown us, how to be holy unto Him. This was a practice of what was to come, in His Son Jesus Christ, who is also Holy. The line of priests was ordained by God, and therefore chosen to be holy as well. Jesus Christ, once died and rose again, became our High Priest. We owe all allegiance to Him. All our offerings are now given to God, through His Son, Jesus Christ. We are to live our lives as a holy sacrifice, given unto Him.

The place the alter was built, was chosen only by Our Father. Just as we are chosen by Him. Any offering made was very holy to Yahweh. He has expectations that we become a holy sacrifice unto Him. Any offering was offered to Him, because they belonged to Him, just as we belong to Him. The place a food offering was to be eaten was chosen by Him, this showed His sovereign control. This was so that the glory didn’t go to the place chosen, but to the One who chose the place of where the alter was. The food that was sacrificed was only to be eaten in the place that He chose, in His presence. He was in their presence, only because He chose to be among them just as when He chooses to dwell in our presence.

What I think Paul was pointing to was that when one partakes of the food that is sacrificed to idols, in that communion it was as if they were worshiping and having fellowship with the idol. Paul clearly did not want that for them. That was idol worship which provoked the jealously of His Sovereign Holiness. Paul wanted them to understand that they were to eat the Lord's supper, and be accounted to partake in a holy sacrifice made only unto God.

How does Paul connect this observation with our participation with Christ's sacrifice?

That when we partake of The Lord’s Supper, it is extremely sacred and holy unto God because it was His Son that He gave to the world as a living sacrifice. To do so with any other thought in our heart would not be edifying to our spiritual life.

Everything in the earth, belongs to God. We are to partake of this earth as He created it, how He commands and this is obedience. We do this because we love Him and adore Him. Because we love Him and because He commands that we do as He commands. The earth and everything in it, belongs to Him, including us. It is by His will that we exist and were created. In all things we must come to God’s presence and seek His will concerning them. The self examination that we observe before we commune with our Holy God, is beneficial to our spiritual growth and only brings us closer to His Spirit, which abides in us, as we abide in Him.