More Offering Instructions (Leviticus 7)

Are there more instructions expanding the various offerings? Is a fuller understanding often found in various passages scattered throughout the Bible? Let’s look at Leviticus 7.

Guilt Offering

What are further priestly instructions about the trespass, reparation or guilt offering?

Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most holy. In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar. And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away: And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a trespass offering. (Leviticus 7:1-5 KJV)

How were various offerings similar in regard to the priest’s portion?

Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy. The guilt offering is like the sin offering, there is one law for them; the priest who makes atonement with it shall have it. Also the priest who brings near any man’s burnt offering, that priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has brought near. Likewise, every grain offering that is baked in the oven and everything prepared in a pan or on a griddle shall belong to the priest who brings it near. And every grain offering, mixed with oil or dry, shall belong to all the sons of Aaron, to all alike. (Leviticus 7:6-10 LSB)

Peace Offerings

How was the sacrifice known as a peace or fellowship offering to be handled, if it was a thanksgiving offering?

Now this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which shall be presented to the Lord. If he offers it by way of thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of well stirred fine flour mixed with oil. With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving, he shall present his offering with cakes of leavened bread. Of this he shall present one of every offering as a contribution to the Lord; it shall belong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings. Now as for the flesh of the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace offerings, it shall be eaten on the day of his offering; he shall not leave any of it over until morning. (Leviticus 7:11-15 NASB)

How was the sacrifice known as a peace or fellowship offering to be handled, if it was either a vow or a freewill offering?

If, however, their offering is the result of a vow or is a freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day they offer it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day. Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up. If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, the one who offered it will not be accepted. It will not be reckoned to their credit, for it has become impure; the person who eats any of it will be held responsible. (Leviticus 7:15-18 NIV)

Unclean Things

Was uncleanness completely ceremonial, or also quarantine practices?

The flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten. It shall be burned with fire. And as for the clean flesh, all who are clean may eat of it. But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering that belongs to the Lord, while he is unclean, that person shall be cut off from his people. Moreover the person who touches any unclean thing, such as human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any abominable unclean thing, and who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering that belongs to the Lord, that person shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 7:19-21 NKJV)

Blood & Fat

What about blood and fat, could they be eaten?

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. You must never eat fat, whether from cattle, sheep, or goats. The fat of an animal found dead or torn to pieces by wild animals must never be eaten, though it may be used for any other purpose. Anyone who eats fat from an animal presented as a special gift to the Lord will be cut off from the community. No matter where you live, you must never consume the blood of any bird or animal. Anyone who consumes blood will be cut off from the community.” (Leviticus 7:22-27 NLT)