The Model of the Peace Offering

Leviticus 3

The Context of Leviticus

Chronology of Leviticus

‌God’s people have been freed from harsh slavery in Egypt. Baptized in the Red Sea, made a nation by God, they came to Sinai in the 3rd month of the 1st year after they left Egypt. (Ex. 19:1)

In the 1st day of the 1st month of the 2nd year after they left Egypt, they built the tabernacle. This is the end of the book of Exodus. (Ex. 40:17)

The book of Numbers begins in the 1st day of the 2nd month of the same year. (Num 1:1)

This leaves a gap of a month. This month is when Leviticus takes place. Lev 8:33-36

Narratives of Leviticus

Only two historical sections.

Nadab and Abihu (9-10)

The Blasphemer (24:10-23)

The rest are laws God gives to Moses to give to Israel.

What the Peace Offering Required

‌Purpose Lev. 3; 7:11-36; 22:17-30; Lev. 27

A voluntary offering that symbolized fellowship with God.

It could signify thankfulness for a specific blessing;

It could offer a ritual expression of a vow;

It could symbolize general thankfulness (meant to be brought to one of three required feasts).

Lev. 3; 7:11-36; 22:17-30; 27

The Peace Offering is sometimes called the “fellowship offering”. It includes:

Vow Offering

Freewill Offering

Thanksgiving Offering

Freewill & Vow offerings

What was offered (3:1,6,7,12)?

b. How offered:

The offerer would lay his hand upon the animal’s head which signified the offering’s representative nature (3:2,8,13).

The offerer would slay the animal himself (3:2,8,13), and the priests would sprinkle the blood upon the _________ (3:2,8,13).

With his own hands (7:30) the offerer would take the fat from within the animal around the organs mentioned (3:3,4,9,10,14,15) as well as the breast and bring them to Jehovah.

The priests then burned the fat on the _________(7:31) and used the breast as a _________ offering before Jehovah (7:30). Leviticus 7

c. After the thigh and breast were given to the priests (for their part to be eaten) the rest of the animal (left-overs) was to be eaten by whom (7:15-18; 19:5-8)?

It was to be eaten on the day it was offered or on the second day, but under no circumstances could it be eaten on the third day.

Thanksgiving offering

What was offered? The same animals were used in all peace offerings (7:11-12,15). In addition to these, thanksgiving offerings involved using what (7:11-14)?

b. How offered: In addition to what was mentioned above for the freewill offerings, the offerer gave to the Lord one cake of bread (7:12,13). Others were given to the priests who sprinkled the blood of the peace offering (7:14). Note: Those who ate the freewill offerings could also eat the thanksgiving offering except for the bread offered. Furthermore, a major difference was that the flesh offered had to be eaten the same it was offered; none could be left to the next day.(7:15; 22:29,30) c. Frequency: These were offered whenever the worshipper chose. But also these offerings were required during the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost, Lev. 23:19) as well as on the other required feast days and new moons (Num. 10:10). d. Purpose: As earlier mentioned, these “peace offerings” signified things were right between God and man. Furthermore, by their nature it seems they could be offered as a petition that things become right that were wrong, as well as thanksgiving because things were right.

Earlier we noted there were three classes of peace-offerings: Thanksgiving, Vow, and Free will (see pages 6-7 of notes). In verses 11-36 more instructions are given relative to: 1. Bloodless accompaniment to these sacrifices (vss. 12-14) 2. The eating of the flesh of the sacrifices (vss. 15-21) 3. Prohibition against eating fat & blood (vss. 22-27) 4. Jehovah’s share of these sacrifices (vss. 28-36) b. Question: In all sacrifices offered of which priests and the offerer could eat, what was prohibited (note vss. 26,27)?

________________________ Note: Again Keil makes this apt comment: “This prohibition Israel was to observe in all its dwelling places (Ex. 12:20; 10:23), not only so long as all the slaughterings had the character of sacrifices, but for all ages, because the blood was regarded as the soul of the animal, which God had sanctified as the medium of atonement for the soul of man (cpt. 17:11).” c. Verses 28-36 describe what the priests received among the peace-offerings. The following quote I believe is helpful: “The breast or brisket of the sacrifice was given to the Lord and became the portion of the priests. This portion was called the wave-breast because the portion was placed on the hands of the offerer who extended the offering toward the altar and back to signify that the portion was given to God who then gave it back for his servants the priests (Lev. 7:30-34). The word translated ‘wave’ signifies a moving back and forth. Though some disagree, the most likely and fitting idea is that of extending the wave-breast, as to the Lord, and then drawing it back in, as if receiving it back from the Lord. “In addition, the officiating priest was given the heave-thigh, or the ham of the right leg (Lev. 7:32-34). The term heave-thigh signified that this portion was heaved or lifted from the sacrifice and given to the priest. The wave-breast and the heave-thigh were appointed the portions of the priest by law (Lev. 7:34-36). The primary difference between the two kinds of offerings – wave and heave – was that the wave carried the idea of what was offered to the Lord and given back by Jehovah to the priests, while the heave offering was an offering from the offerer for the priests as commanded by the Lord” (You Shall Be My People, p. 197).

Portion and Purpose and Process

Fat portions

Shared in fellowship meal by priest & offerer.

“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. peace (or fellowship) offering and grain offering (along with a drink offering). This arrangement furnishes part of the spiritual significance of the sacrificial system. First, sin had to be dealt with (sin offering 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)” (The Bible Visual Resource Book, p. 29).

Note: “Peace offerings” were the only offerings of which both priests and offerers ate themselves. Note 2: These offerings signified all was right between God and man; there was reconciliation. A fellowship between God and man would be considered. Note 3: The law gave three classes of peace offerings: l) Thanksgiving (7:12); Vow offerings (7:16); & 3) Free will (American Standard) or Voluntary (King James offerings (7:16). These differed somewhat in how they were made.

Any animal without blemish.

Any animal without blemish. (Species of animal varied according to individual’s economic status.) Could be a grain offering.

Place your hand on the head, and slit the animal in the throat before the LORD.

We usually think the priests handled all this, but the reality was that YOU were expected to do the killing of this animal.

This produces a LOT of blood. Makes us squeamish.

Most of us would rather not have to butcher our meat for dinner. (cutting up a deer haunch)

But there was no avoiding your need to follow God’s command and do this.

What the Peace Offering Provided

The burnt offering was the most ancient.

Genesis 4:4 NKJV

Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,

Genesis 8:20 NKJV

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Death was the penalty for sin (Gen. 2, 3).

There was and is no escaping this basic truism.

The sacrifices provided forgiveness. The burnt sacrifice specifically points to complete devotion to God.

The word translated “burnt offering” means a “going up.” Therefore, while the purpose is not expressly stated, it would seem that from the definition of the word along with the nature of the sacrifice (being completely burned up), one purpose would signify the complete dedication of the worshipper to God.

The Failures in Leviticus Display the Need for Close Fellowship with God and His People.

Nadab and Abihu (Lev 9-10)

Everything in ch.9 goes perfectly; everything is faithfully done.

Then in ch.10, everything goes wrong!

Strange fire separated them from God. Their hearts were not inclined to obey Him.

The Blasphemer (Lev 24:10-23; Ex 20:7; Ecc 8:11)

God had already given the principle, yet they needed to consult Him again. Ex. 20:7

Exodus 20:7 NKJV

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

The attitude and what we say matters immensely before God.

There was a need to do something about this serious problem.

Note Ecc 8:11 in this context.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 NKJV

Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

If the heart of their son had been completely dedicated to God, there would be no cause for him to blaspheme.

Peace Offering and the New Testament

Jesus was a “without blemish”.

From one standpoint, neither could an imperfect offerer (vss. 1-16) nor an imperfect offering (vss. 17-33) be admitted for God’s service. Read Hebrews 10:4-10, and I Pet. 1:18,19; 2:21,22. How was Christ both a perfect offerer and a perfect offering?

We are meant to be “without blemish”

From the animals Israelites possessed, only the best were to be offered: “…it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein” (vs. 21). Today, we are “to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service” (Rom. 12:1). Name at least two ways we may demonstrate this today.

Jesus gave Himself entirely to the will of the Father.

Just as the burnt offering seems to be symbolic of complete devotion to God, Jesus gave Himself entirely to what the Father desired - the salvation of humanity from sin.

While animal deaths could not remove the penalty for sin (Heb. 10:4), they were typical of the One whose death could remove sin, and therefore “shadowed” Christ’s sacrifice.

The basic difference in the Mosaic dispensation, and that of the gospel under Christ is found in the last element above. Both systems imposed “law” upon its subjects (Jas 1:25; 1 Cor 9:21); both systems imposed penalties for disobedience (2 Th 1:7-9); but the remedy provided under the “first” covenant could not in itself completely remove the guilt of sin (Heb 10:1-4)–whereas the blood of Christ was entirely sufficient, so that God would “remember their sins no more.” (Heb 8:12).

Under the law of Moses, once a man had sinned, he was doomed to eternal punishment.

Facing the inevitable nature of human imperfection, the basic future of all was that of eternal death.

By offering man another chance, through the forgiveness obtained through Christ’s blood. God lifted the burden of sin, and divine support through the life of faith.

In anticipation of that sacrifice, God forgave the sins committed under Moses’ law, which that law alone could not remove.

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