Leviticus 7 DO IT RIGHT When it comes to anything a believer does, each of us needs to remember that we are to be holy because God is holy. So not only are we separated unto God, but the activities we do must be consistent with that by being holy. The things we do, the things we give are to be holy. It was no casual stroll down to the Tabernacle when a man brought his trespass offering. There was order, carefully designed by God Himself as to how this serious problem that was now faced, had to be dealt with. God's law for anything He directs us to do is holy. It is not up to us to make additions, subtractions or changes to what God's Word says. The blood, all the blood, belonged to the Lord. The life of the flesh is the blood and that is not to be eaten. When an animal sacrifice for the trespass offering was killed, its blood was poured out in prescribed places and sprinkled where God directed. In a practical sense, the blood transmits whatever is in its stream, good or bad, to every part of the body. The offering indicated the life of an innocent, sinless victim was given to God on behalf of the guilty sinner who has sinned before God. Sin offerings were needed to deal with the wages of sin of whatever sort it was.
A burnt offering was all for God: totally, completely except for the skin that could be seen outwardly. The skin was for the officiating priest. What we see outwardly is not what counts with God. The skin can be shiny and clean but what really counts is those things that are unseen. "The things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are unseen are eternal." Our Lord Jesus Christ looked like a man when He was among men. What He was inside was what made Him such a blessing to those who believed on Him, and made those who would not believe on Him so full of hatred. In His person and character, the light that shone in the world from Him exposed the darkness that was in the hearts of unbelievers.
The meat (gift) offering was offered to God as fine flour mixed with oil and frankincense as a type of the perfections of the character of Christ. The part that was made into bread of one kind or another belonged to the priest that presented the offering, and the part he didn't eat went to the other priests. When we offer to the Father the thoughts, praise and worship we have to give God about His Son, we are blessed ourselves. But more than that, others who listen are able to share in that blessing and say, "Amen," when we give our thanks. It is of interest that each observing priest got an equal part.
There were three kinds of peace offerings that were shared. Each person bringing a peace offering was to bring his own. There was nothing done by proxy here. One would bring a peace offering for thanksgiving. There may have been recovery from illness or deliverance from danger. It was the right thing to do whenever there was deliverance from some kind of calamity, to bring an offering of thanksgiving to God, and in this way acknowledge Him as the One who blessed the giver of the offering. Another would bring a peace offering for a vow he made when a promise made in prayer or a pledge given for some reason is fulfilled. To make a pledge of alliance is a form of a vow that must be kept. The person who brought the freewill peace offering wasn't identifying any specific reason for bringing offering. This was a voluntary offering - a spontaneous expression of appreciation to God for who He is and what He means to the one offering. It is the fruit of appreciation giving praise to God for His glory and honor alone.
Accompanying the animal of the peace offering was a variety of cakes. There was one of each kind brought and given to the priest to offer along with the sacrificial animal. It the offering was for thanksgiving, the priest’s part was to be eaten the same day the offering was made. If it was for the completion of a vow or a voluntary offering of appreciation (freewill), it could be eaten on the day it was offered and the day after as well, but anything after that had to be burned. Our times of fellowship with God and the communion we have, isn't to be a stale dry review of things that we have experienced before. True communion with God needs to be fresh and our fellowship needs to be constantly nourished through the Word of God and our communication in prayer, thought and meditation on divine things.
In every offering all the fat belonged to God and was burned as an odor of a sweet smell to Him. Fat was not ever to be a part of the diet of the children of Israel, and neither was blood. Those pollute mankind by their very nature. At the same time, they speak to us of the great blessings of God, the energy and enthusiasm of eternal life enjoyed by God that was seen in Christ. The life of the flesh is in the blood. This has no part in the eternal life God gives to us. When Christ was offered for us, the perfections of His Person made possible the freedom from the consequences of our sin, because He gave it to make atonement for our souls. That was for God's satisfaction, and we are not to return to that life again.
When the officiating priest picked up the breast of the animal being offered and waved it toward the altar symbolizing the offering was a sacrifice to God, and then waved it back, it symbolized the blessings we received from God. The priest could keep that for himself. The same was true with the right thigh that was lifted and presented to God. The priest was able to keep that for himself and his family. The waving of the breast and the thigh as a heave offering, symbolizes appreciation for God's affection toward us and the power He gives us.
The Father loved us and gave His Son for us to turn away the righteous justice (propitiation) of God from us and put it on His Son. "The Son of God loved me, and gave Himself for me," and the love of the Spirit is constantly being manifested to us. God has showered us with His affection. The power of God has been demonstrated to us in the Gospel and, now by that divine strength He has given to us, we can live for Him. Types of Christ can be seen by us as we read about these offerings. From our place in the history of God's dealings with men, we have some very special privileges because we look back in faith to the facts of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we appreciate and worship Him for what He has done. Those who lived before His first coming looked ahead by faith to see Him who was promised, and they could see much of the One in whom they trusted by the descriptions of Him in type, in the offerings they brought.
To look back and see what others saw, is one of the ways I learn. To look ahead to promises, helps me from temptation to turn. Offerings were visible lessons telling people of faith, what is yet to come. Now we look back and see typical teaching about God's Son.
By standing as in an allegory and watching those who came To bring their offerings to the Lord, I know their faith's the same As what mine is when I look back, and turn to look ahead And see as old saints saw by faith, the reason blood was shed.
Our tendency is to lightly look on that which a holy God does hate. Sin to us seems almost common place, instead of a great weight That will sink a soul down into hell unless they are forgiven. Holiness escapes our definition until we hear from God in heaven.
Death for sin was right at the start and that truth has not changed. It makes no difference what has been done, or one's pedigree or name. Righteousness and holiness, both truths go hand in hand. God only has the both of them, but He is willing to give them to men.
By faith the offeror brought his sacrifice to the place God did choose. When offered as required by law the consequences of guilt then he did lose. He looked ahead as we do now and learned forgiveness is complete When a holy God and sinful man at the sacrifice of Christ do meet.
"Father, for every foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus Christ, and every evidence of the importance of faith in Him alone for salvation and acceptance by Thee, I give Thee thanks and praise. Amen."