Leviticus 3: 1 – 17
Peace
3 ‘When his offering is a sacrifice of a peace offering, if he offers it of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. 2 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood all around on the altar. 3 Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 4 the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; 5 and Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is on the wood that is on the fire, as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD. 6 ‘If his offering as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the LORD is of the flock, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. 7 If he offers a lamb as his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD. 8 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar. 9 ‘Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as an offering made by fire to the LORD, its fat and the whole fat tail which he shall remove close to the backbone. And the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 10 the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; 11 and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire to the LORD. 12 ‘And if his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD. 13 He shall lay his hand on its head and kill it before the tabernacle of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar. 14 Then he shall offer from it his offering, as an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 15 the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; 16 and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma; all the fat is the LORD’s. 17 ‘This shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”
Today we are going to look at the ‘Peace’ offering. So of course I started thinking about peace. Most of us would come up with some really nice definitions of what ‘peace’ means. The definition is freedom from disturbance and conflict. Researching the statistics of exactly how many times have we experience actually peace is quite disturbing. I just lost my peace. You see in the last 3,500 years there has been 230 years of peace.
I love a story which portrays the correct interpretation of what ‘Peace’ is.
Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges’ uncovered one peaceful scene after another while the viewers clapped and cheered.
The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled.
As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd.
A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.
The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace?
A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel it’s cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power.
A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil.
The apostle Paul in the book of 2 Thessalonians 3:16 makes this request, " 16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all."
I want to just take a moment and give to you what our Holy Bibles teach about peace.
I. The Features of Peace
1. A quiet conscience - Romans 8:33-35, 33 who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”
2. A restful mind - Philippians. 4: 6 – 7, 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
3. A hopeful heart - Isaiah 50:7, “For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.”
II. The Source of Peace
1. Peace with God - Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
2. The God of peace - Romans 15:33, “the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
3. The peace of God - Phil. 4:7, 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
4. The Lord of peace - 2 Thessalonians 3:16, “16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.”
The ‘Peace Offering’ can also be called ‘a well-being offering’ or ‘a fellowship offering’ for the Hebrew word ‘shelem’ indicates ‘peace and general well-being’. ‘Shelem’ indicates ‘peace, health and prosperity’, ‘well-being’. It was a joyous sacrifice, and mainly voluntary, an act of unrestrained free-will. It was regularly a thanksgiving offering (7.12) and often offered in connection with a vow (7.16). While atonement is not mentioned in this particular place, related to this particular offering, it would probably be a mistake to doubt that it contains an atoning element, for it is connected with atonement elsewhere (Exodus 29.33), of which are very much connected with getting right with God. They are offered along with whole burnt offerings. One of its purposes is to seal man’s peace with God, and that always requires atonement, while fellowship would not be possible without atonement. And that is confirmed by the application of the blood, for the blood makes atonement for a person (17.11).
Of it, in its commonest form, only the fat, and the innards are fire-offerings, with the blood applied to the altar. Here were the specific atoning and worship elements. A portion of the meat was given to the priest and the remainder was eaten by the person who brought the offering. The general idea then is of the eating of that which has been accepted by God, of being at peace with Him and with each other, of enjoying His presence, and of rejoicing in, and expressing gratitude for, peace with God, health and prosperity, and fellowship with Him. It is an act of dedication, worship and love, and of cementing fellowship with God.
These peace sacrifices were a regular part of the feasts for which the nation assembled, as they gathered round the tabernacle. Through them they ate in the presence of Yahweh, and enjoyed His Company. Peace offerings and sacrifices were commonly connected with other offerings and sacrifices, bringing the people into direct participation and full involvement after the more serious business of the prime offerings had been completed.
3 ‘When his offering is a sacrifice of a peace offering, if he offers it of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.
A sacrifice of peace offerings could be either male or female, but it was to be without blemish.
2 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood all around on the altar.
The same general procedures follow as for the whole burnt offering. Here we have identification with the sacrifice, the shedding of the blood, and its application for atonement. In this lay the atoning aspect. It will be noted throughout that it is apparent that certain things are assumed in each differing offering and sacrifice, the details being carried over from other offerings and not stated in all cases. To get the whole picture we have to combine the differing descriptions, while noting the explicit differences and positively stated exceptions. Note how the detail here concentrates on only one aspect of the peace sacrifice, its God ward element. The partaking of the sacrifice by the laity will be dealt with later under ‘the law of the sacrifice of the peace offering’ (7.11-21)
3 Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 4 the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove;
Please take note the details of what is to be burned on the altar. Instead of all the sacrifice being cut up and placed on the altar it is the fat that covers the vital parts, together with those vital parts; the fat surrounding the innards, the fat that covers the innards, the two kidneys with the fat that surrounds them, and the covering of the liver.
The kidneys and the liver represented the seat of the emotions and the will. They represented how it lived, and moved and thought. They were thus not to partake of the beasts essential living being, nor of its protecting fat. The life in the blood, the fat and the vital sources of being were all therefore forbidden. There must be no thought of man drawing on the beast’s essential life and strength. The meat of the animal was not a part of the offering, for it was not seen as part of the animal’s essential life. It could therefore be eaten by participants.
5 and Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is on the wood that is on the fire, as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.
What has been selected out is now to be burned on the altar ‘on the whole burnt offering’. The assumption is made in this example that the sacrifice is made after a whole burnt offering. In that case the whole burnt offering is offered first and the peace sacrifice placed on top.
Again the offering is a fire-offering and a pleasing odor to Yahweh, as with the whole burnt offering and the grain offering, (but not so much with the sin and guilt offering). They deal with sin generally but not specifically, for their central purpose is dedication, tribute, gratitude and the demonstration of love, and in the case of this sacrifice the making of peace with God and men. The only point being that even with this atonement is necessary for their acceptance. In this case the meat is man’s (shared with the priests and their families) but the vital life of the animal is God’s.
While this was the least of the offerings, to those who are in Christ it speaks of the most glorious of experiences, a side which no other offering speaks of. For Ephesians tells us that He Is our peace (Ephesians 2.14). He has made His people one with each other by reconciling us to Himself in one body on the cross having slain both the enmity between God and man, and the enmity between all men when they come to Him, whether Jew or Gentile. All are made one in Christ.
And as men came to the tabernacle with joyous hearts to offer their peace offerings, together with their other offerings, (all of which point us to Christ), and to rejoice together in fellowship both with God and with one another, partaking of the meat of their peace sacrifices with joy, so can we find peace through Him and through His death on the cross for us, rejoicing together with all who come to partake of Him and feasting on Christ, looking to Him as the bread of life (John 6.35), feasting on Him by coming to Him daily in faith and eating and drinking of Him through His word, and receiving of His life and His fullness as we allow Him to live His life through us (John 4.10, 13-14,).
6 ‘If his offering as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the LORD is of the flock, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.
The same instructions are given concerning the offering of the sheep, and then of the goat. This distinction between sheep and goat may be because in the case of the sheep its fat tail had to be dealt with separately to indicate the completeness of the sacrifice. The idea may be that however different people are, (farmers, shepherds, and goat herders) the ultimate way to God is the same for them all, through sacrifice and making peace with God. For us, and ultimately for them, it is through the unblemished lamb (John 1.29). There is no other way (John 14.6).
7 If he offers a lamb as his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD. 8 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar. 9 ‘Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as an offering made by fire to the LORD, its fat and the whole fat tail which he shall remove close to the backbone. And the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 10 the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; 11 and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
The same principles apply here as for the sacrifice of the ox, except that special attention is drawn to the fat tail of the Near Eastern sheep. This luxury along with all the fat was to be burned on the altar along with all that constituted the life force of the lamb. For the life and the fat was God’s. He gave it, and He has taken it away (Genesis 7.17).
‘It is the food of the offering made by fire to Yahweh.’ Note the change from ‘a pleasing odor to Yahweh’. The sacrifice offered in loving obedience is all that He needs to satisfy Him as He joins in fellowship with His own. His obtains spiritual satisfaction in the offering. He partakes of their obedience, love, and gratitude.
12 ‘And if his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD. 13 He shall lay his hand on its head and kill it before the tabernacle of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar. 14 Then he shall offer from it his offering, as an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 15 the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove;
As described with the ox and sheep, so with the goats. Peace is made between God and men, and once that is done men and women can commune with God. This was the assurance that the peace offering constantly gave to those who were true to Him.
16 and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma; all the fat is the LORD’s.17 ‘this shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”
This leads on to the final instruction which is to be observed ‘throughout your generations’. It is not just temporary, it is to last while sacrifices are being offered. His people must eat neither the fat nor the blood of offerings and sacrifices.
