The Lord's Service: The Grace of Covenant Renewal Worship

by Jeffrey J. Meyers

Finally, even the NIV Study Bible gets this just right: When more than one kind of offering was presented (as in Num. 6:16-17), the procedure was usually as follows: (1) sin offering or guilt offering, (2) burnt offering, (3) fellowship offering and grain offering (along with a drink offering). This sequence furnishes part of the spiritual significance of the sacrificial system. First, sin had to be dealt with (sin of-fering or guilt offering). Second, the worshiper committed himself completely to God (burnt offering and grain offering). Third, fellowship or communion between the Lord, the priest and the worshiper (fellowship offering) was established. To state it another way, there were sacrifices of expiation (sin offerings and guilt offerings), consecration (burnt offerings and grain offerings) and communion (fellowship offerings— these included vow offerings, thank offerings and freewill offerings).