When Praise Becomes A Sacrifice

When should a sacrifice of Praise be given?

Psalm 107:19-22

19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

20 He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.

22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.

(NIV)

A) When God delivers you from trouble (vs. 19)

B) When God heals you (vs. 20)

C) When God rescues you from death (vs. 20)

The Thanksgiving sacrifice is classified as a fellowship offering. This was the type of offering you gave because you were in fellowship with the Lord.

Lev 7:11-15

11 "’These are the regulations for the fellowship offering a person may present to the LORD:

12 "’If he offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil.

13 Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast.

14 He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offerings.

15 The meat of his fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; he must leave none of it till morning.

(NIV)

Thank offerings had to include meal offerings and meat offerings:

1) cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil

2) wafers made without yeast and spread with oil

3) cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil

4) cakes of bread made with yeast

Thank offerings were offered as wave and heave offerings.

The heave offering:

Lev 7:13-15

13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.

14 And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for a heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest’s that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.

15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.

(KJV)

The wave offering:

Lev 7:30

30 With his own hands he is to bring the offering made to the LORD by fire; he is to bring the fat, together with the breast, and wave the breast before the LORD as a wave offering.

(NIV)

Thanksgiving became sacrificial to the Isrealite because it would cost him something to praise God. Usually, because you were so grateful, you gave more than what was required.

2 Sam 24:24

“… I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." (NIV)

Offering God a sacrifice of praise, praising Him when you don’t feel like it, will always cost you something! But remember, you cannot outgive God!

Malachi 3:10-12

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.