I. The Involvement of the Israelites in the Divine Service
...A. The Manual of Offerings (1:1 – 7:35)
......1. The Voluntary God-Pleasing Offerings (1:1-3:17)
.........a. Divine Legislation for the Private Offerings (1:1-2)
.........b. Regulations for the Burnt Offering (1:3-17)
.........c. Regulations for the Grain Offering (2:1-16)
.........d. Regulations for the Peace Offering (3:1-17)
......2. The Mandatory Offerings for Atonement (4:1-5:26)
.........a. Regulations for the Sin Offering (4:1-5:13)
.........b. Regulations for the Reparation Offering (5:14-6:7)
......3. The Consumption of the Holy Food (6:8-7:38)
.........a. The Daily Public Offering (6:8-18)
.........b. The Daily Grain Offering of the High Priest (6:19-23)
.........c. The Occasional Offerings of the Israelites (6:24-7:21)
.........d. Prohibited Food: Fat and Blood (7:22-27)
.........e. The Priest’s Portion of the Peace Offering (7:28-36)
.........f. The Conclusion of the Manual of Offerings (7:37-38)
...B. The Inauguration of the Divine Service (8:1 – 10:20)
...C. The Manual for Purity (11:1 – 15:33)

General introduction (1:1-2)
1. The God-pleasing burnt offering, grain offering, and peace offering (1:3-3:17).
2. The sin offering for atonement and forgiveness (4:1-5:13).
3. The reparation offering for the desecration of holy things (5:14-19).
4. The reparation offering for desecration from the violation of an oath (5:20-26).
5. Instructions for the public burnt offering and for the private grain offering (6:1-11).
6. The grain offering of the priests (6:12-16).
7. Instructions for the sin offering, the reparation offering, and the peace offering (6:17-7:21).
8. The prohibition of eating fat and blood (7:22-27).
9. The due of the priests from the peace offering (7:28-36).
Summary conclusion (7:37-38).

Lev. 1-7 can be divided into two parts.

Part 1
1. Private Burnt Offering (1:3-17)
2. Private Grain Offering (2:1-16)
3. Peace Offering (3:1-17)
4. Sin Offering (4:1-5:13)
5. Reparation Offering (5:14-5:26)

Part 2
1. Public Burnt Offering (6:1-6)
2. Public Grain Offering (6:7-16)
3. Sin Offering (6:17-23)
4. Reparation Offering (7:1-10)
5. Peace Offering (7:11-36)

The first part instructs the Israelites on which offerings could be presented to God as well as how and why they were presented to him.

The second part prescribes how the holy things from the offerings were to be disposed of, where, when, and by whom.

Most commentators view this from a human point of view, that is, what the offerer hopes to get when making these offerings. But the Lord himself is giving these directions. He is explaining how he will respond to these ritual transactions. By his Word he decides what gifts are acceptable and what their purpose is. And his Word announces what he himself promises to accomplish through it.

Because God has said that this is a gift that produces a pleasing aroma, the people are assured whenever these offerings are presented as he ordains, that the Lord accepts them and is pleased with those who brought them. This is the explanation from God’s point of view.

Outline
1. Yahweh begins to speak to Moses about offerings (1:1-2)
2. Private burnt offering from the herd (1:3-9)
3. Private burnt offering from the flock (1:10-13)
4. Private burnt offering of a bird (1:14-17)

Study
1. Where did Yahweh speak to Moses at (1:1)? What is another name for it (Ex. 40:34)?

• Yahweh spoke to Moses from the “Tent of Meeting,” the tabernacle.

Moses and the Israelites had built the tabernacle according to the specifications Yahweh had given them. And when they had finished setting it up God’s holy presence filled the tabernacle. This was Yahweh’s royal residence. He now lives among his people in a special way at this place. In this first divine speech Yahweh spoke to Moses, but who was his message for and what was the topic Yahweh was going to address (1:2)?

• The message Yahweh was about to tell Moses was to be relayed by Moses to the Israelite people. The topic he was going to address was the offerings that people could bring to Yahweh.

This topic is covered in chapters 1 – 7. In 1:2 and in the chapters that follow Yahweh was authorizing the Israelites to bring offerings to him. Not only did he authorize the type of offerings that will be discussed, but he also authorized the animals that will be used as offerings. The animals for the offerings were to come from their herds and flocks (1:2b). Since the animals came from their own personal flocks and herds, the offering would represent the offerer and his household.
.
.

2. What is the first type of offering that is covered (1:3)?

• The first offering Yahweh spoke of is “a burnt offering.”

The word “offering” means “brought to.” So the animal is “brought to” Yahweh at his royal residence, the tabernacle (1:2). It is given to him as a gift. Yahweh is giving his okay for them to do this. The word translated as “burnt” means “going up,” meaning that the whole offering is going up in flames and smoke. Therefore the offering is many times called a whole burnt offering since the entire animal was burned on the altar. This offering is brought by an individual or family and is not the daily burnt offering that is offered twice each day (see Ex. 29:38-42), therefore we will distinguish between the two by calling this one the “private burnt offering” and the daily offering as the “public burnt offering.”
.
.

3. What 3 private burnt offerings were acceptable to Yahweh (1:3, 10, 14)?

• Acceptable to Yahweh was a burnt offering from the herd, from the flock, or of birds.

Why do you suppose Yahweh allowed 3 different private burnt offerings?

• It was probably a matter of economics. The offerings went from the most expensive to the least expensive. A very poor person could only afford a small bird, while a rich person could afford the more expensive offering from the herd. Therefore no one was excluded from this offering because of their economic status.
.
.

4. No matter which animal was chosen for the offering, what characteristics was it required to have (1:3a, 10b)?

• “He shall offer a male without blemish.”

The fact that it had to be male may be because it was viewed as the head of the flock. In that sense then this offering was costly, costing the life of the head of the flock. It could also be looked at in the complete opposite way. The female animals from the herds and flocks were the most important in the sense that it was through them that the flock grew and expanded. In that sense the males were of less value and were expendable.

The animal also had to be without defect. Symbolically a perfect life was being given in the place of sinful life. The perfect animal was giving his life in the place of the sinful person. An exchange was made when the offerer laid his hand upon the animal’s head. The sin of the offerer was transferred to the animal and the animal’s “perfection” was transferred to the offerer.

Fulfillment in Christ: In actuality the animal chosen for the offering could not take away the sin of the offerer by taking his place. This perfect, male animal was a type of Christ. Christ, the Son of God, was without sin and took the place of mankind, dying the death that man deserved. Christ could rightfully exchange places with sinful mankind because he was a man who could take the place of people and because he could carry the weight of the sins of the world himself because he was the Son of God. Therefore he exchanged his perfection for the sin of mankind. He is the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
.
.

5. The most complete description of the whole burnt offering is given for the offering from the herd (1:3-9). The layperson selected a male animal without defect from the herd and brought it before Yahweh at the sanctuary. He then laid his hand upon the head of the animal and killed the animal before Yahweh. For what purpose did the layperson make this offering (1:4b)?

• The purpose of the offering was to make atonement for the offerer.

The person bringing the offering had sins that needed “covering” (atonement) from God’s sight. What the priests did next was most significant. What were the priests to do after the animal had been killed (1:5b, 11b, 15b)?

• “Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.”

As the blood of the sacrifice physically covered the sides of the altar when the priests threw it against it, so it also symbolically covered the sins of the offerer from God’s sight. The penalty for sin is death and the animal which was associated with the offerer (by the laying on of hands symbolically transferring sin) gave up its life in place of the offerer. For this reason it is called substitutionary atonement as the animal took the place of and paid the price for sinner. This is also why the animal was to be without defect (1:3, 10). A perfect life was exchanged for an imperfect one.

In teaching my Sunday School children about atonement, I would take the word “atone” and break it into two parts – “at – one.” What atonement did was make the sinner and God at-one with each other. Sin had separates us from God. Therefore the covering of sin, the barrier between God and man, brings God and man back together.

Fulfillment by Christ: The sheep/goats could not actually cover over man’s sin from God. The fact that these sacrifices were made over and over again day after day clues us in to this. What they did was point forward to the one great sacrifice of the Lamb of God who was perfect in every way. He shed his blood on the cross. In doing so, his blood covered over, atoned for, the sins of the world. Like the OT public burnt offering, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross gives people access to God’s grace, favor, and presence. Individuals can now approach God without fear.

The blood of Christ not only covers the sins of the world but it covers the sins of individual sinners. As the blood of the private burnt offering covered the sins of the offerer and qualified him to enter God’s presence to present his offering, so the blood of Christ allows us to do the same. Because of His shed blood and the atonement He won, Christ presents us holy and unblemished to God the Father (Eph 5:27; Col 1:22; cf. Eph 1:4).
.
.

6. There were two altars at the tabernacle. Which altar was the blood thrown against (1:5b)? Where was it located?

• The blood was thrown against the altar for burnt offering. It was located outside in the courtyard. The altar of incense was in the Holy Place inside the tent.

Upon this altar the priests prepared the fire for the offering (1:7). The fire on the altar was to never go out. It was the holy fire of God’s presence. It turned the offering into a cloud of smoke. Since God was present there in the fire, it was a most holy place and therefore only the priests were allowed to access it. They were the mediators or go-betweens between the people and God. The altar was the bridge that linked heaven and earth, God and His people. This was the place where God met with his people.
.
.

7. The text does not specify a specific day or time when this sacrifice was to be made. But most likely this sacrifice, along with others, was presented to Yahweh at the three great pilgrim feasts (Passover, Pentecost, and Booths). These were the times when the Israelites came to sanctuary.
.
.

8. With the offering cut into pieces (1:6, 12a) and the fire prepared (1:7, 12b), what part of the animal was placed on the altar (1:8-9a, 12b-13a, 15a & 17a)?

• “The priest shall burn all of it on the altar.” The priests placed the entire animal on the altar. The entire animal was devoted to Yahweh.

Since the animal represented the offerer who was offering the sacrifice to Yahweh, and since the whole offering was burned on the altar, by offering this sacrifice the offerer was saying that his or her whole life and all that they had were devoted completely to Yahweh.

Fulfillment in Christ: Because Christ made us acceptable to God by covering over our sins with his shed blood, Christians respond by offering their whole selves to God. They offer their “bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Rom 12:1). They offer the sacrifices of their prayers and praises (Heb. 13:15), the gifts for the preachers of the Gospel (Phil 4:18) and the needy (Heb 13:16b), and all good works (Heb 13:16a).

According to these same verses, who did Yahweh authorize to approach the altar and perform the sacrifice?

• The priests laid out the cut up parts of the animal on the altar and burned the entire animal on the altar.

Yahweh had established the priests as mediators between himself and the people. Since the fire was the fire of God’s holy presence lay people could not approach the altar. The priests representing the people came before Yahweh for them and offered the sacrifices for them.
.
.

9. What then is produced by this whole animal burned in fire (1:9b, 13b, 17b)?

• The result of this offering in each of the three cases is “a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

The attention for this sacrifice is on the sweet aroma produced by the smoke. The aroma worked in both a physical and spiritual way (that is, in a sacramental way - physical means bringing spiritual blessings). When Yahweh accepted the offering, He accepted the offerer. And so, the sweet physical smell reminded the offerer of the sweetness of God’s acceptance.

Fulfillment in Christ: Yahweh’s pleasure in the OT sacrifice foreshadowed His pleasure in His Son’s sacrifice. He said He was “well pleased” with Him (Mt. 3:17; 17:5). Because of the blood Jesus shed, we are able to approach God without fear and offer him our offerings. When we offer to God ourselves, our time, our treasures, and our talents God is pleased with them. God accepts them not because we are so good or perfect but because of Christ and what he has done. Even though our offerings are tainted by sin, Jesus takes away that sin and makes our offerings “a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”
.
.

Outline
I. Regulations for raw grain offerings (2:1-3)
II. Regulations for the baked grain offering (2:4-16)
...A. The presentation of bread as a grain offering (2:4-10)
...B. The exclusion of yeast products and the inclusion of salt (2:11-13)
...C. The case of first-ripe barley (2:14-16)

Study
1. Previously we have spoken of the daily divine service which consisted of the daily burnt offering and the daily grain offering. This chapter is about a grain offering. Is this speaking of the daily grain offering or a private grain offering that anyone could bring? The first phrase of chapter 2 gives us a clue (2:1a). Which grain offering is it?

• This is not the daily grain offering. Chapter 2 begins by Yahweh saying, “When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the LORD.” Therefore this is an offering which “anyone” can bring at any time.

This then is a private grain offering, an offering that any Israelite could bring to Yahweh.
.
.

2. What different forms could the grain offering take (2:1a, 4-5, 7)

• 2:1a: Fine flour in an uncooked form.

• 2:4: Grain baked as loaves.

• 2:4: Grain baked as wafers.

• 2:5: Grain baked on a griddle.

• 2:7: Grain cooked in a pan.

It did not matter whether the offering was raw, baked, or cooked. It was considered a grain offering to Yahweh. What other ingredient was always included with the grain (2:1b, 4b, 5b, 6a, 7b)?

• Oil was always included with the fine flour.

This ingredient would serve two purposes. First it was a common ingredient used in cooking. The part of the offering that was not burned on the altar would at some point be cooked and eaten. And second, it would provide flammability for the part that was burned on the altar.

Besides the flour and the oil, what other ingredient was used (2:1b, 2)?

• The third ingredient was frankincense or incense.

For what purpose was it added? Well, if you make popcorn and you burn it, what does it smell like? How could this ingredient help?

• When popcorn or other grains are burned they stink. So incense was added to mask the bad smell and instead give it a good smell, a pleasing aroma.

Finally, what was the last ingredient that was required (2:13a, 13c)?

• The ingredient was salt.

One reason this ingredient was used was to provide taste. But that was not the primary reason. What was the primary reason? (Hint: they didn’t have refrigerators in those days.)

• The primary reason salt was used was that it preserved the food. With no refrigerators food sat out at room temperature. Salt helped prevent mold and decay.

Remember that all of the grain was not used as an offering. Only a portion of it was. Therefore the rest of it would be used later in making bread, cakes, wafers, etc. So the rest of it would be put into storage until it was needed.

In that day and time “salt was shared” at a covenant meal (2:13b). When two parties made an agreement it could be sealed with a shared meal. Sharing salt at this meal was symbolic. As salt provided permanence and stability for food, so the salt here represented permanence and stability in the relationship of the two parties in the agreement they were making with each other. And so in the context of this offering, the salt of this offering was symbolic of the permanence and stability in the relationship between Yahweh and the Israelites.
.
.

3. The first part of the procedure for the private grain offering was performed by the layperson. Yahweh gave the Israelites (men, women, and families) grain to harvest. They took the grain, prepared it (as flour or bread or cakes), put oil, incense, and salt on it, and presented it to the priest at the tabernacle. What then did the priests do with a portion of the offering (2:2, 9)?

• The priest took a small portion of the offering and burned it on the altar as a memorial portion.

This memorial portion represented the whole offering. That small portion pointed back to majority portion that was not burned. The action by the priest dedicated the entire offering to Yahweh. And the entire offering was only a small portion of the entire harvest. Yet by bringing this small portion as a grain offering, the offerer was acknowledging that the entire harvest had been a blessing and gift from Yahweh.

What happened to the portion of the offering that was not burned on the altar (2:3, 10)? Who did it belong to?

• The rest of the offering belonged to the priests. It was given to them as holy food to eat.

Yahweh provided the grain to the Israelites for food. So the grain started out in the common domain. But when grain was brought as a grain offering, the grain brought to the Lord moved from the common to the holy domain. This happened when a portion of it was burned on the altar, coming into contact with God’s holy presence. This represented a transaction in which the grain was transferred from the people to Yahweh. Yahweh then used it to provide holy food for His household, the priests. Once it became holy, it could not be removed from His presence. The priests had to eat the bread in God’s presence (see 6:14-23 for what the priests were required to do with the holy grain from the public grain offering).

Dr. Kleinig used the following metaphor to help explain what was happening. Yahweh was the King. He owned all the land and rented it out to the Israelites. They produced grain on it. When it became ripe, Yahweh summoned His renters to His royal presence. When they came, they brought their rent/grain to the King. He then took the rent/grain and used it to show delight in His people and to provide food for courtiers, the priests. This offering deepened the relationship between the offerer and Yahweh.
.
.

4. What was the physical result of burning the memorial portion on the altar (2:2b, 9b)?

• It resulted in “a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.”

It pleased Yahweh that he could provide Israel with this grain. It pleased Yahweh that they recognized that the grain was given to them by him. It pleased Yahweh to give the remainder of the offering to his priests for food. It pleased the offerer to know that Yahweh had accepted him and his offering. The pleasing aroma then represented a mutual delight of the offerer for Yahweh and his provision and of Yahweh for his thankful people.
.
.

5. Like the private whole burnt offering (see chapter 1), no specific time is given when these sacrifices were made. They were normally brought to one of the three pilgrim feasts. The feasts normally coincided with the harvesting of grain. So these sacrifices tied together the common harvest cycle with the sacred holy day cycle.
.
.

6. There were two ingredients that were not allowed in the private grain offering for practical and symbolic reasons. What were they (2:11)?

• Leaven and honey (or fruit syrup) were not allowed.

Based on your general knowledge of food, how long did food last that had leaven or honey in it versus food that did not?

• Food with leaven or honey would not last as long. It decayed and molded and fermented much quicker.

Leaven then became associated with corruption, sickness, decay, and death all of which are unclean and incompatible to God’s holiness. Symbolically then it pointed out that nothing should be allowed to happen that would corrupt and ruin Yahweh’s relationship with his people.
.
.

7. In 2:14-16 Yahweh gives instructions for a grain offering using the firstfruits of the harvest. What were the ingredients used (2:14-15)?

• 2:14: Firstfruit grain, roasted and crushed.

• 2:15: Oil.

• 2:15: Frankincense.

It included the same basic ingredients as grain offerings that used fine flour. What procedure did the priest follow (2:16)?

• He followed the normal procedure for the private grain offering. He burned a memorial portion of the grain and oil and incense as a grain offering to Yahweh.
.
.

8. In the end, the private grain offering provided holy food for the priests (2:3, 10). The priests were not so much dependent on the generosity of the people, as they were on the generosity of Yahweh. The grain, which Yahweh first provided for the people, was given by the people as a gift (offering) to the Lord. He in turn gave it to the priests who served him.
.
.

Fulfillment in Christ

9. What meaning and value does studying the private grain offering have for the NT church?

(9A) Once settled in the Promised Land, the Israelites would grow their own grain. They would prepare the ground, sow the seed, harvest the grain, and store the grain. Through the work of their hands Yahweh would provide for them. And it would be from the fruit of their labors that they would bring the grain for the grain offering. They could approach Yahweh with this offering and he would accept it because the blood atonement of the public burnt offering covered over their sin. Because of it they could approach Yahweh without fear.

Is not the same thing true for the NT people of God? Doesn’t God provide for us by giving us jobs? Through the work of our hands and minds we earn money. We then, like the Israelites, take from the fruits of our labors and bring them to God as an offering. How is it that we who are sinful people can approach holy God with our offerings? It is because of the “public burnt offering” Jesus made on the cross. There he shed his blood making atonement for our sin. Because our sin has been covered over by Jesus’ blood we can approach God without fear.

(9B) Not that many years ago the “money” that was used as currency was the goods that people worked for. And so the offerings people brought to church were those goods, the work of their hands. They actually brought goods such as flour and sugar, baked goods such as bread, the fruit of the vineyard (wine), etc. as offerings to the Lord. From the goods that people brought, some of the bread and wine was set aside for use in the Lord’s Supper.

The grain from the grain offering was consecrated and made holy by the burning of a memorial portion on the altar. Likewise our offerings are consecrated to the Lord. But how are the things that we receive from the hand of God which we bring as offerings consecrated and made holy (1 Tim. 4:5)?

• They are “made holy by the word of God and prayer.”

When does this happen in the Divine Service?

• This happens generally through the Service of the Word where God’s word is read and proclaimed. It happens more specifically in the prayers of the church, the pre-communion prayer (usually the Lord’s Prayer), and in the words of institution where mysteriously the body and blood of Christ become present in, with, and under the bread and wine.

Through these means all of our offerings are made holy and consecrated for God’s use.

(9C) All of the grain was made holy by the burning of the memorial portion. When this transaction occurred ownership of the grain changed from the offerer to Yahweh. It was now his grain and he could do with it whatever he wanted. Yahweh chose to give this grain to his priests as holy food.

It is the same with our offerings. They were “made holy by the word of God and prayer.” At that time they become the Lord’s possession. In the days when people brought food stuffs as an offering, a portion of the bread and wine was set aside for Holy Communion. Because of the presence of Christ in the bread and wine, it became holy food. Who is it that eats this holy food in the Divine Service?

• The baptized people of God eat this holy meal.

In the OT only the priests could eat the holy grain from the private grain offering. How is it that in the NT regular laypeople can eat the holy food of the Lord’s Supper (1 Pet. 2:9)?

• All of God’s people are priests. We call them the priesthood of all believers.

Therefore the holy food that God offers in the Lord’s Supper, he gives to all his people, for all are his priests. Jesus is the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35), the holy food that God provides for his priests. Through this meal then God shares his holiness with us. And by partaking of His holy body God’s people become holy (Heb 10:10). He has made them a holy nation and for this holy nation he provides holy food.

What else do we use the offerings for? To answer this we look to the apostle Paul. What did Paul receive from the Philippians? What did he compare it to (Phil. 4:18)?

• Paul received supplies as a gift from the Philippian congregation. Paul likened it to “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.”

Paul then represents all pastors. Pastors do God’s work and therefore should receive a living from it. The Lord provides for His pastors through the offerings of His people in the same way that he provided for the priests in the OT. The Philippians did this for Paul and we do the same for our pastors.

(9D) Through the private grain offering Yahweh provided most holy food for the priests. Most holy food had to eaten in a holy place (see 6:16), that is, in God’s holy presence. Therefore it is most appropriate that when the people of God, the priesthood of all believers, eat the most holy food of the Lord’s Supper, that they come forward and eat the holy food in God’s holy presence as we do in the Divine Service.

Outline
I. The first case: sacrifice of cattle as peace offerings (3:1-5)
...A. Choice of cattle (3:1a)
...B. The ritual procedure (3:1b-5)
II. The second case: sacrifice of sheep and goats as peace offerings (3:6-16a)
...A. Choice of sheep and goats (3:6)
...B. The procedure for them (3:7-16a)
III. Conclusion (13:16b-17)
...A. Reservation of fat for the Lord (3:16b)
...B. Prohibition of the consumption of the fat and blood (3:17)

Study
1. In 1:1 Yahweh began speaking to Moses about voluntary, private offerings. First Yahweh spoke about the private burnt offering (ch. 1). Then he spoke about the private grain offering (ch. 2). What type of offering does Yahweh speak about next (3:1)?

• Next Yahweh speaks of the private peace offering.

Where could the animal used in this offering come from (3:1, 6)?

• The peace offering could be an animal from the herd or from the flock.

If it was from the flock, what two kinds of animals could be used (3:7, 12)?

• A lamb or a goat could be chosen from the flock.

This chapter then is divided into 3 major parts that coincide with the 3 different animals that could be used for the peace offering (3:1-5, 6-11, 12-15).
.
.

2. The ritual procedure for the peace offering laid out for each of the 3 different animals is nearly identical. What was the procedure for the peace offering?

..1. Whether from the herd or flock, the animal chosen could be (3:1a, 6a):
male or female.

..2. In purity, the animal chosen was to be (3:1b, 6b):
“without blemish.”

..3. The location the animal was to be taken to was (3:1c, 7b, 12b):
“before the LORD,” that is, to the tabernacle, Yahweh’s royal residence.

..4. Next the layperson did the following two things to the animal in front of the tent of meeting (3:2a, 8a, 13a):
“he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the entrance of the tent of meeting.”

..5. The sons of Aaron (the priests) would then (3:2b, 8b, 13b):
“throw the blood against the sides of the altar.”

..6. From the dead animal the layperson then removed and offered to Yahweh its (3:3-4, 9-10, 14-15):
fat, kidneys, and liver.

..7. The priests then would take the fat, kidneys, and liver and (3:5a, 11a, 16a):
Burn them on altar on the wood and fire.

..8. The burning of the fat, kidneys, and liver produced (3:5b, 16b):
“a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

..9. Yahweh then provided the holy meat of the peace offering as food for the offerer and his family (This is not described here).
.
.

3. “The basic meaning of peace is the opposite of every kind of brokenness and incompleteness. Peace supplies what is lacking for wholesomeness of body and soul; it puts together the disjointed pieces of a shattered relationship into a harmonious whole… A sacrifice of peace offering was the ritual demonstration that the broken relationship between holy God and unholy Israel had been healed.” (3:1 note, p91, CSSC)

Through the peace (or fellowship) offering Yahweh provided a way to bring peace to the Israelites, to repair the broken relationship brought about by sin. Therefore the first thing dealt with in this offering was sin, which was the cause of the disruption in peace and fellowship. This was done in steps 4 and 5 of the offering as described above. In what ways was sin dealt with?

• (Step 4a): First, sin was symbolically removed from the offerer and transferred to the animal being sacrificed by the offerer placing his hand on the head of the sacrifice.

• (Steps 4b-5): Second, the unblemished animal was killed and the blood was thrown on the sides of the altar atoning for or covering sin.

Doing these things made it possible for the offerer to approach the altar with his/her gift (offering). It made them and their offering acceptable to Yahweh. It made fellowship and peace possible.
.
.

4. With peace possible because sin has been dealt with by atonement, the offering could now be made. In this offering Yahweh would provide a fellowship meal for his people in which they could celebrate their reconciliation with Yahweh. Not all the details concerning this holy meal are given here. In it Yahweh would provide holy meat for Israelite families (we will study this in 7:11-36). Because of the atonement made by blood, the Israelites could eat this holy meal without worry of desecrating God’s holiness.

Yahweh would also participate in this meal. Considering that Yahweh met with his people at the altar in the holy fire, what was Yahweh’s portion of this meal (see step 8 in the procedure above in point #2)?

• The fire of Yahweh’s presence consumed the fat, kidneys, and liver.

The importance of the fat is seen by the fact that over one-half of the legislation in this text is devoted to the fat, to the removal of fat, the presentation of fat, and the burning of fat. What were the Israelites forbidden to do with the fat (3:16b-17)? Why?

• They were forbidden to eat the fat because it belonged to Yahweh.

Fat was associated with the best of the sacrifice. Therefore the best was reserved for the Best (Yahweh), the Host of the banquet, Yahweh. When Yahweh consumed the fat in the fire, what resulted? What was it turned into (3:5b, 16b)?

• The burning of the fat turned into “a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

In this legislation Yahweh promised that when this offering was made in the manner that he prescribed he would be pleased with it. With that knowledge, the offerer could be assured that Yahweh had accepted the offering and by extension the offerer himself.
.
.

5. Two of the primary materials that were provided in this offering and stressed by this text are blood and fat. What was Israel forbidden to do with both the blood and the fat (3:17b)?

• They were forbidden from eating both of them.

Why might this be? Dr. Kleinig explains that in giving these procedures and rules concerning the blood and fat, Yahweh counteracted two pagan practices: eating of blood with the meat and consumption of fat by humans. Pagans ate blood because they believed they would receive the life force from the sacrifice. Pagans associated the fat with power. Therefore they ate the fat to gain spiritual power. So by giving these laws, Yahweh was stressing to the Israelites where the source of life and power did and did not come from. Where did life and power not come from? And where did he imply that it did come from?

• Not from: Life and power did not come from: the blood and fat of animals.

• Came from: Life and power did come from: Yahweh, the Creator and Redeemer.
.
.

6. If the blood and fat are reserved for Yahweh, the question might arise as to why the kidneys and liver were burned on the altar with the fat? Dr. Kleinig again explains that these were associated with pagan practices. Kidneys were associated with the essence of the animal. Pagans used the liver lobe in the practice of divination, that is, to foretell the future. By burning these things along with the fat, Yahweh prevented the Israelites from following these pagan practices.
.
.

7. When looking at the peace offering in chapters 3 and 7 we note the following concerning the flow of the location and materials:

A. At the Israelite home a clean animal was chosen from the herd or flock.

---B. At the sanctuary the clean animal was presented to Yahweh and clean meat was removed.

------C. On the altar the blood was splashed and the fat was burned, providing atonement and assurance of acceptance.

---B’ At the sanctuary the meat had now become holy and was given by Yahweh back to his people.

A’ The holy meat was taken back to the Israelite home for a family meal.

The center of structure (C) is what happens at the altar, the place where Yahweh meets with his people in grace. The procedure prescribed by Yahweh with the blood and the fat assured the offerer acceptance by Yahweh and fellowship and peace with him.
.
.

8. Like the previous two offerings in chapters 1 and 2, no time is given when these offerings are made. Apparently this offering could be made at any time. But the most likely time was during the three great pilgrim feasts, Passover, Pentecost, and Booths when the people came to the tabernacle.
.
.

9. You may have noticed that the private peace offering (ch. 3) started out the same way as the private burnt offering (ch. 1). But after the application of blood for atonement, it deviated from it. Here is a brief comparison.

..................................Burnt..................Peace
Action......................Offering.............Offering
Presentation................Y........................Y
Laying on of hands.....Y.........................Y
Slaughter.....................Y.........................Y
Dashing of blood........Y.........................Y
Present fat...................N........................Y
Burnt on altar..............Whole animal....Fat, kidneys, lobe of liver

The first part of each sacrifice is the same. In both sacrifices a perfect animal is chosen, sins are transferred by the laying on of hands, the animal is slaughtered in place of the offerer, and the blood of the sacrifice is splashed against the altar for atonement, for the covering of sin. The second part of the two sacrifices is different by the fact of what is burned on the altar. In the private burnt offering the whole animal was burned on the altar symbolizing that the whole life of the offerer was devoted to Yahweh. In the private peace offering only the fat, kidneys, and liver were burned on the altar. This was Yahweh’s part of a fellowship meal between him and the Israelites. So in spite of the similarities of the first part, the offerings have two very different purposes.
.
.

10. Dr. Kleinig offers a summary of the private peace offering which takes into account this text and later texts which deal with the holy food that is the result of this sacrifice.

Let’s step back and take a wide view of what is happening here. Yahweh was the King who owned the land of Israel. The Israelites were the “renters” of His land. He allowed them to live there and to use His land. Three times a year Yahweh, the King, would summons the heads of households to appear before Him at His temple palace for audience with Him. The offerings they brought were like rent for the use of the land. Yahweh in turn received the offerings, showed His pleasure in them, and then gave the meat from the offerings back to the renters for a banquet meal. They ate the banquet in His presence as His royal guests along with His courtiers, His priests. In the meal Yahweh acknowledged their status as His people and their privileged position before Him. The meal confirmed the people’s right to live in the land. The God of Israel, the land of Israel, and the people of Israel were all integrated harmoniously in this pivotal sacrifice. The meal was a joyous meal in which they celebrated God’s generosity towards them. They enjoyed divine hospitality. Admission to His meal meant admission to His peace and protection.
.
.

Fulfillment in Christ

11. When sin entered the world it brought with it brokenness and shattered relationships, which removed the peace and wholeness that God created and desired for the world. The private peace offering pointed to the fact that this peace and fellowship between God and people could be restored. But this is not something that people can do. Rather, it must be initiated and carried out by God himself. The way that God would restore peace would be through his son’s death on the cross. Jesus would be the ultimate peace offering.

But Jesus is never specifically called a peace offering. Yet what did Jesus promise his disciples (Jn. 4:27a)?

• “ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”

After his resurrection, what did Jesus offer to his disciples (Jn. 20:19, 21, 26)?

• Jesus offered them peace.

If Jesus is able to offer and give peace, then he must be the true peace offering. How do many of the NT letters begin (for instance see1 Cor. 1:3 and Rom. 1:7)?

• They begin with: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What does Paul urge in Col. 3:15?

• Paul says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

If Jesus can give peace and peace comes from him then he must be the peace offering that fixes, heals, and provides the wholeness that the world is missing because of sin. Only because he offered himself up on the cross can true peace exist in the world.
.
.

12. Before peace could be made between God and humankind, sin had to be dealt with. As sin was transferred to the animal and it was then killed in place of the offerer and its blood was used to make atonement, so Jesus took our sin upon himself, was killed in our place, paying the punishment that we deserved, and made atonement for us through his shed blood. The sin that separated us from God has been removed by Jesus, our “peace offering.”
.
.

13. The result of the OT peace offering was a holy meal that celebrated peace between God and the Israelites. In that meal the fat was reserved for Yahweh. The best food was reserved for the Host of the celebration banquet. A holy meal also results from Jesus’ NT peace offering. But in this meal Jesus reserves the best for his invited guests. They receive his holy body and blood.
.
.

14. The participants in Christ’s holy meal drink his holy blood. In the OT drinking the blood from the sacrifice was not allowed; it was strictly forbidden. This was done to show the people that life does not come from the blood of an animal but from God. So why is it ok to drink the blood of Jesus, the NT peace offering (see John 6:52-59?

• Drinking the blood of Jesus is okay because Jesus is God and God is the source of life. If you want life, that life must come from Jesus. Those that eat his flesh and drink his blood in faith have eternal life.

What did Jesus say about himself (Jn. 14:6; 11:25)?

• Jesus said, “I am … the life.”

Jesus is life and offers life through his blood. Therefore we gladly receive the life he offers in himself. He is the source of life. True and eternal life is only available through him.

The Lord’s Supper is the ultimate peace offering, the meal where God continually gives the once-for-all sacrifice of His Son. Through Jesus we have peace with God and with each other (Eph 2:11-18).
.
.

15. Browse through or think about the Divine Service (worship service) that we participate in each Sunday. Notice the parts of the service where the peace that Jesus won on the cross is explicitly mentioned, offered, and given (see the following link for a Divine Service Sampler from CPH: http://lsb.cph.org/samples/LSB_Sampler.pdf ).

• In the Kyrie or “Lord, Have Mercy”: “In peace let us pray to the Lord,” “For the peace from above,”

• In the Gloria in Exclesis: “peace to his people on earth.”

• In the Pax Domini or “The Peace of the Lord”: “The peace of the Lord be with you always.”

• In the Angus Dei or “The Lamb of God”: “Grant us thy peace.”

• In the dismissal of communicants from the Lord’s Supper: “Depart in peace.”

• In the Nunc Dimmitis or “Song of Simeon”: “now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to thy word.”

• In the post communion canticle: “We thank You that for His sake You have given us pardon and peace in this Sacrament.”

• In the Benediction: “and give you peace.”

In what part of the service is there a cluster of references to peace?

• Most of the references to peace cluster around the Lord’s Supper.

Why does this make sense in light of the holy meal that resulted from the OT peace offering?

• This makes sense because the OT peace offering resulted in a banquet and fellowship meal which was provided by Yahweh. In the Lord’s Supper he provides the same.

Jesus won peace for the world on the cross. He makes that peace available and distributes it through his Word and Sacraments, which is his Divine Service to mankind. By receiving the peace that Jesus offers in faith, we are made whole again. What was broken has been fixed. What was separated was brought back together.

Read Lev. 4

Outline
I. Introduction and commission (4:1-2a)
II. Speech with legislation for the sin offering (4:2b-5:13)
...A. The normal sin offering (4:2b-35)
......1. The general case: unintentional sin against a divine prohibition (4:2b)
......2. The public offerings for the high priest and the congregation (4:3-21)
.........a. The case of a priest’s sin with the threat to the people from his sin (4:3-12)
.........b. The error of the congregation (4:13-21)
......3. The sin offering for a tribal leader (4:22-26)
......4. The sin offering for a lay Israelites (4:27-35)

...B. The graded sin offering (5:1-13)

Study
1. Chapter 4 begins a new speech from Yahweh to Moses (4:1). What was Moses to do when he heard this word of the Lord (4:2a)?

• What Yahweh was about to speak to Moses, Moses was to say to the people of Israel. Moses was to relay God’s word to Israel.

Moses was a mediator between Yahweh and Israel. Yahweh spoke to Moses and then Moses told the people what Yahweh said. What did this word of the Lord have to do with (4:2b, 13, 22, 27)?

• This word of the Lord has to do with anyone in Israel who sins unintentionally by “doing any one of the things that by the LORD's commandments ought not to be done.”

If anyone did this, what was the offering called that they were required to bring (4:3b, 14b, 24b, 29)?

• If anyone unintentionally broke any of the commandments from God, he was required to bring a sin offering.
.
.

2. The word of the Lord on the sin offering is broken into four sections (4:3-12, 13-21, 22-26, 27-35), each addressing someone different who sinned. Who sinned in each section?

• 4:3a: the anointed priest. This probably refers to the high priest who was anointed with oil.

• 4:13a: the whole congregation of Israel.

• 4:22a: a tribal leader.

• 4:27a: a common person.

In each case the person that sinned and the people that they represent (see 4:3a) are threatened because of his/her/their sin. What animal was to be brought as a sin offering in each of the four cases?

• 4:3b: a bull

• 4:14b: a bull

• 4:23b: a male goat

• 4:28b, 32: a female goat or lamb

The animals used for the sin offering differed from the animals used in the burnt offering. In the burnt offering male rams and lambs were used, but they could not be used in the sin offering. This was a clear way of differentiating between the burnt offering and the sin offering.

The animals that were used for the sin offering were apparently symbolic.
• The bull was the head of all domesticated animals. Therefore the bull represented the high priest who represented all of Israel.
• The male goat led the flock to water and pasture. Therefore the male goat represented the leaders who were over the tribes and clans.
• The female goats/lambs made up the bulk of the flock. Therefore the female goat/lamb represented the congregation of Israel.
.
.

3. No matter who sinned and what animal was used for the sin offering, the same basic procedure was to be followed. What was to be done with the animal in all four cases (4:4, 14b-15, 23b-24, 28b-29, 32b-33)? What three things were they to do with the chosen animal that was without blemish?

• “He shall bring the bull [or goat or sheep] to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD”

• “and lay his hand on the head”

• “and kill [it] before the LORD.”

In each case the person who sinned was the person who laid their hand upon the animal being used for the sin offering and killed it. In doing so he transferred his sin to the animal and the animal died in his place for that sin. In the case where the congregation sinned, not every person in Israel could lay their hands upon the bull. Who represented the people in the laying on of hands and killing of the animal (4:15)?

• The elders of Israel represented all the Israelites.
.
.

4. In the sin offering the main focus is on the manipulation and disposal of blood. For what purpose was the blood used (4:20b, 26b, 31b, 35b)?

• Blood in all 4 cases was used to make atonement for the forgiveness of sin. Atonement was made for the person(s) that sinned and his/her/their unintentional sins.

The procedure for the use of blood differed between the first two cases and the last two cases. In the first case the high priest (the anointed priest), who represented all of Israel, sinned and brought guilt on all the people (4:3a). And in the second case all of Israel sinned (4:13a) and therefore all of Israel stood guilty before Yahweh. So in the first two cases all of Israel is implicated by the sin that was committed. In the third and fourth cases an individual sinned, a leader or a common person was guilty.

First let’s look at the first two cases. What did a priest do each day inside the tent of meeting for the people (Ex. 30:6-8; Lk. 1:9-11)?

• Each day a priest went into tent of meeting before Yahweh to offer incense on the incense altar. The incense symbolized the prayers of the saints rising up before God.

When the priest burned incense, he represented all of Israel standing before Yahweh offering up their prayers to him. So the priest represented Israel and the priest stood before Yahweh each day at the altar of incense. Because the high priest sinned or Israel sinned (in cases 1 and 2), the priest representing them was defiled. And therefore when the priest entered into God’s presence before the curtain to burn incense, he defiled the incense altar and the Holy Place. How then was the Holy Place and altar of incense cleansed of sin and its defilement (Lev. 4:5-7a, 16-18a)?

• 4:5, 16: “And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting.”

• 4:6, 17: “and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the Lord in front of the veil of the sanctuary.”

• 4:7a, 18a: “And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before the Lord that is in the tent of meeting.”

The sprinkling of blood before the curtain and the smearing of blood on the horns of the altar made atonement for sin thereby cleansing the Holy Place and the altar of incense. Blood atonement from the sin offering made it possible for the priest to come before Yahweh each day without incurring His wrath.

How many times was blood sprinkled before the curtain (4:6,17)? What does this number represent in the Bible? What then does it mean?

• The blood was sprinkled 7 times before the curtain, that is, Yahweh’s presence. 7 is the number of completeness. Therefore the sprinkling of blood 7 times represents the complete covering or atonement of sin.

Dr. Kleinig proposes that on the seventh time the blood was sprinkled 7 times. Therefore 7 x 7 = 49, which represents complete cleansing to the second degree. This sprinkling then in this ritual covered over unintentional sins and looked forward to the great Day of Atonement (where blood was manipulated 49 times) when complete cleansing would be made for all sins, even intentional sins.
.
.

5. Now we will look at the manipulation of blood for the last two cases, which involved the unintentional sin of individuals (4:22-26, 27-31). The priests had access to Yahweh in the Holy Place. Individual Israelites did not. They were restricted to the outer court. Where did the common Israelites meet with Yahweh (Ex. 29:38-46, esp. 29:42-43)? Therefore what became polluted by their sin and needed to be cleansed?

• Yahweh met with the individual Israelites at the altar for burnt offering. Therefore when an individual sinned the altar where the Israelite sacrifices were offered became polluted. It needed to be cleansed from the taint of sin.

Where then was the blood applied to provide atonement for individual sinners (4:25, 30, 34)?

• Obviously because the altar for burnt offering had become contaminated by the sin of individuals and needed to be cleansed, the blood was applied to the altar. The priest smeared blood from the sin offering on the horns of the altar for burnt offering.

In summary then, the incense altar and the altar of burnt offering became polluted by sin. If the pollution was not removed (through the blood on the horns), God would have to withdraw His holy presence and destroy His people because God is holy and can have nothing to do with sin. So through the sin offering all obstacles were removed for their beneficial interaction with God.
.
.

6. After the animal for the sin offering had been killed and blood atonement had been made, what came next in the ritual (4:8-10, 19-20, 26a, 31a, 35a)?

• The fat, kidneys, and lobe of liver were removed from the slaughtered animal just like they were in the peace offering and burned on the altar for burnt offering.

As you might remember from the peace offering, the fat belonged exclusively to Yahweh and was consumed by him in the flames of fire. And Yahweh prevented Israel from using the kidneys and liver as the pagans did in their religious practices. These restrictions caused Israel to look to Yahweh for power and life rather than to the fat and internal organs of animals.

You may also remember that the burning of the fat created a sweet smelling aroma that rose up to Yahweh, signifying Yahweh’s pleasure in the sacrifice and the offerer of the sacrifice. It also signified the pleasure of the offerer that Yahweh had accepted him.
.
.

7. The blood had been used for atonement and the fat had been burned on the altar. What happened to the rest of the animal used for the sin offering in cases 1 and 2 for the high priest and the whole congregation (4:11-12, 21)?

• “But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, with its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung— all the rest of the bull—he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, to the ash heap, and shall burn it up on a fire of wood. On the ash heap it shall be burned up.” Everything else (skin, meat, head, legs, inner parts, and dung) was taken outside the camp and burned on the ash heap.

So the rest of the animal that was sacrificed was not used for the offering. This shows that the primary material supplied by the sacrifice was the blood. And the primary purpose for the blood was to make atonement for sin. The purpose of the sin offering then was to deal with the sin that had come between the people and Yahweh. The perfect animal had become a substitute for the sinner. It paid the price that the sinner deserved. Its shed blood covered over the sins of the sinner.

Nothing is said in this text about the rest of the animal sacrificed for cases 3 and 4, the sin of a tribal leader and the sin of an individual common person. According to 6:24-30, what was to happen to the meat from the individual sin offering?

• The presiding priest who performed the offering received the meat. He had to eat it in a holy place, that is, in the court of the tent of meeting because the meat was holy. He could share it with other priests in his family.
.
.

8. In summary then, the sin offering was performed to make atonement for sin. Atonement means to wipe off, cover, or ransom. Those who became unclean were in need of atonement. By their unclean presence they polluted the sanctuary. The sin offering ransomed and released the sinner(s) from his sin and its impurity. Also the damaged relationship to God was repaired and privileged access to God was restored. He was made fit to share in God’s holiness again. The opposite of this is shown at the end of Num 15:17-31. The opposite is to be cut off from Israel and to be deprived of life with God.
.
.

9. To learn how Christ fulfilled and became the ultimate the sin offering, see the next lesson, which is part 2 of the sin offering.
.
.

Read Lev. 5:1-13

Outline
II. Speech with legislation for the sin offering (4:2b-5:13)
...A. The normal sin offering (4:2b-35)
...B. The graded sin offering (5:1-13)
......1. The four cases for this offering (5:1-4)
.........a. Failure to obey adjuration to testify in a court case (5:1)
.........b. Guilt from unwitting contact with an unclean animal (5:2)
.........c. Guilt from unwitting contact with an unclean person (5:3)
.........d. Guilt for forgetfulness in fulfilling a rash oath (5:4)
......2. The prescribed procedure (5:5-13)
.........a. Experience of guilt (5:5a)
.........b. Confession of sin to the priest (5:5b)
.........c. Presentation of one of the following graded sin offerings (5:6-13)
............i. Normal sin offering (5:6)
............ii. Sin offering of birds for poor person (5:7-10)
............iii. Sin offering of flour for very poor person (5:11-13)

Study
1. In the previous lesson we studied the normal sin offering (Lev. 4). The first few verses of chapter 5 deal with 4 special cases of sin that required a sin offering. What kinds of sins was the normal sin offering offered for (4:2b)?

• The normal sin offering was for unintentional sins for doing anything that Yahweh commanded not be done. So it generally covers all unintentional sin.

Chapter 5 begins by listing 4 specific sins that a common person could commit. What are they?

• (1) 5:1- The first is the failure to testify in court when they had seen or knew what had happened.

• (2) 5:2- The second was to touch or eat an unclean animal, making them unclean.

• (3) 5:3- The third was having contact with an unclean person, making them unclean.

• (4) 5:4- The fourth was a rash oath.
.
.

2. Now the question is, why are these 4 sins singled out? Believe it or not, they actually have something in common with each other. Each of these 4 sins of negligence in 5:1-4 affects God’s holiness. These sins made them ritually impure. And Holy God cannot come into contact with anything that is impure. The first and fourth sins are similar in how they affect God’s holiness, as are the second and third.

It may not be immediately apparent as to how the first and fourth sins affect God’s holiness. How does not testifying and uttering careless oaths affect Yahweh’s holiness?

Typically in many cultures and societies, when a person testifies in court, he swears to tell the truth. In order to guarantee that he tells the truth, he will swear by the most high name or person that is known. In the American court system a witness will typically place his right hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth. If one does not tell the truth after swearing in God’s name to tell the truth, he defames and defiles God’s holy name. The same was true for Israel’s courts. They testified while under oath in Yahweh’s name. If a witness in Israel’s court fails to speak up about something he knows about while under oath in God’s name, he defiles God’s holy name. This then is how sin #1 affects Yahweh’s holiness.

Similarly in case 4, when one took an oath, one would swear in God’s name to the truth of the matter or action. Taking an oath in a rash or careless manner then was using God’s name in a careless way. This was treating his name in a disrespectful manner. Therefore this too defiled God’s holy name.

Let us now consider sins number 2 and 3, touching or eating an unclean animal and having contact with an unclean person. Obviously both of these sins have to do with uncleanness. Later on in Leviticus laws concerning uncleanness will be given. In general people had to be in a state of cleanness in order to come before God at his sanctuary. To be unclean meant one could transmit impurity. And as we said above, Holy God can have nothing to do with impurity. Impurity pollutes God’s holiness. Therefore having contact with unclean things spreads impurity. And spreading that impurity into God’s holy domain pollutes God’s holiness.
.
.

3. After the 4 sins that affect God’s holiness are listed comes the procedure to be followed for these types of sin. The procedure was similar to a normal sin offering. But the procedure is not spelled out again in detail as it was earlier. Rather, it is assumed to be the same but with two differences. The first difference is recorded in 5:5. What was the sinner required to do in 5:5 that was not required in the normal sin offering?

• When the sinner found out that he was guilty of sinning against God’s holiness, he was required to confess his sin.

What happens when sin is not confessed (Ps. 32:3-4)?

• When a person knows that they have sinned, he feels the guilt of his sin, “for day and night your [Yahweh’s] hand was heavy upon me.”

How is the guilt of sin alleviated (Ps. 32:5)?

• When sin is acknowledged and confessed to Yahweh, Yahweh forgives “the iniquity of my sin.”

Therefore confession tackled the guilt the sinner felt for his sin. It did this by bringing the sin out in the open where it could be dealt with through atonement. The Hebrew word used indicates that this confession had to be out loud. Whether the confession was made out loud to God or to the priest is not stated.
.
.

4. Sin wedges its way in between the person that sins and God. That sin can be removed but it is costly to do so. What had to be to be brought to Yahweh as “compensation for the sin” (5:6a)?

• The sinner had to bring to Yahweh “a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering.”

This animal either came from the family’s flock or had to be purchased from another family’s flock. Either way it was costly.

But not only was it costly to the sinner. It was obviously costly to the female animal. What did it cost the animal?

• The animal paid for the sin with its life. It gave up its life in place of the sinner.

What was the primary purpose for killing the lamb or goat (5:6b)?

• The purpose of the sacrifice was to provide blood for atonement. The sacrificial blood covered over sin and the pollution caused by sin.
.
.

5. The second major difference between the normal sin offering (Lev. 4) and the sin offering described in 5:1-13 is related to cost. What if the sinner was poor and could not afford a lamb or goat? What could he bring to Yahweh as compensation for his sin (5:7)?

• If the sinner could not afford a female lamb or goat from the flock, he could bring two turtledoves or two pigeons.

And if he could not afford two birds, what could he bring as his sin offering (5:11)?

• He could bring “a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering.”

This was one day’s ration of food, about two or three quarts of flour. So no matter how poor a person was, he could afford a sin offering. Whether rich or poor sin had to be dealt with and it could be dealt with.

In the case of two birds being used as a sin offering (5:7-10), one bird was used for blood atonement of the sin offering and the meat from it was eaten by the priest. The other bird was burned on the altar as a burnt offering.

In the case of fine flour being used as a sin offering, what was not to be put on the flour (5:11b)?

• “He shall put no oil on it and shall put no frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.”

In what offering was it required to add oil and incense (see Lev. 2:1b-2)?

• Oil and incense were required to be added to the grain brought as a grain offering.

For what purpose was oil and incense added (see Lesson 3, point #2)?

• Oil was added to provide flammability for offering and incense was added to mask the bad odor from burning grain on the altar.

The mood surrounding the grain offering was one of joy and thanksgiving. The offerer recognized Yahweh’s provision of crops for food and Yahweh was pleased that his people recognized him as the one who was providing for them.

When compared to the grain offering what would the mood for the sin offering be?

• While the mood for the grain offering was joyful, the mood surrounding the sin offering would be sorrow for sin.

Since the offering of a sin offering was not a joyful event, oil and incense were not allowed. Without incense to mask the bad smell of burning grain, the sin offering would stink. Actually though, this rancid smell would seem appropriate to go with the rancid effects of sin and the penitent mood that went with the offering.

If flour was used for a sin offering, the procedure followed was like that of the grain offering (5:12-13). A memorial portion was burned on the altar and the rest went to the priest. The flour burned on the altar was placed “on the LORD's food offerings” (5:12). No blood was manipulated when flour was used as a grain offering. But the food offerings referred to include the burnt offering (1:9) and peace offering (3:3). Blood was shed in these offerings as well as in the public burnt offering. And thus through the flour brought for and burned as a sin offering the priest made “atonement for him for the sin which he has committed in any one of these things, and he shall be forgiven” (5:13).
.
.

6. No matter what the sinner brought for a sin offering, in all cases there were several results from it.

• The sacrifice provided atonement. Atonement freed the sinner from his sin. Through it his sins were forgiven and he was reinstated into a favorable relationship with Yahweh.
• It also took care of the guilt that the sinner felt. This was done through the confession of the sin. Through confession the guilt was alleviated and the sinner was freed from it.
• The sacrifice also provided compensation/reparation for their failure, a penalty for it. There was a price to pay for sinning against God.
.
.

Fulfillment in Christ

7. In the OT a female lamb or goat was the normal sin offering (Lev. 4). But if a person could not afford it, he could offer 2 birds or even a day’s ration of fine flour as his sin offering (5:1-13). The sin offering propitiated (turned aside and satisfied) God’s righteous wrath. Since God is just, he must punish sin. As the animal was sacrificed in the place of the sinner (substitution), God’s wrath was turned from (propitiated) the sinner to the sacrifice.

The sin offering of the OT points forward to The sin offering of NT. What was the sin offering in the NT (Rom. 8:3, see ESV footnote for “sin”; 2 Cor 5:21, see NIV footnote for “sin”)?

• God made his Son, Jesus, to be sin for us. That is, God transferred all of our sin to his Son, making him a sin offering for mankind.

Why did the Father send his Son to this world (1 Jn. 4:10)?

• The Father “sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” The primary purpose the Father sent the Son was to be a sin offering for our sins. He did this because he loved us.

What does the apostle John say Jesus is (1 Jn. 2:2)?

• John says: “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Jesus came to be a propitiation for our sins and he is a propitiation for our sins. He is our sin offering.

What further evidence is given in Heb. 13:11-12 that Jesus is a sin offering?

• After the blood of the sacrifice had been taken into the holy places in the OT sin offering, the rest of the sacrificial animal was taken and burned outside the camp. Jesus was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem. His blood was shed to sanctify people and then as the OT sin offering was destroyed outside the camp, so Jesus’ body was destroyed outside the city through his crucifixion and stabbing with a sword.

In offering himself on the cross Jesus became the sin offering for the world. In his sin offering he redirected God’s righteous wrath away from sinners and towards himself. He took the punishment that we deserved. In doing so God’s justice was carried out; sin was punished.
.
.

8. The heart of the sin offering was blood atonement. God used blood for two things: First he used it to cleanse the sanctuary and altars from impurity. The priests went into the Holy Place daily and the high priest entered the Most Holy Place once a year. Because they and the people they represented were sinful, these holy places that they came into contact with became polluted by sin. The sanctuary and both altars were sanctified by the use of blood from the sin offering.

The cleansing of the holy places in the OT points forward to the once and for all perfect cleansing of the NT sin offering. Jesus entered “the greater and more perfect tent” (Heb. 9:11), that is, the heavenly sanctuary, not with “the blood of goats and calves” (Heb. 9:12), but with what (Heb. 9:12)?

• Jesus entered with his own holy, precious blood.

The OT sin offering had to be offered again and again in order to redeem sin. But the sin offering of Christ was made just once. He only needed to cleanse the heavenly holy places just one time. Why (Heb. 9:12b)?

• He needed to do it only once because his sin offering secured eternal redemption. He took upon himself the sin of the whole world and paid the price for it. No other sacrifice is necessary. His blood purifies all the pollution caused by sin.
.
.

9. The second purpose for blood in the sin offering was to provide atonement for the forgiveness of sin. As the tabernacle and altars were cleansed by the blood of the sin offering, so also was the sinner. Blood atonement was made on the sinner’s behalf. In the NT what is it that cleanses us from sin (1 Jn. 1:7)?

• “The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Jesus not only sprinkles the heavenly holy places to purify them. What else is his blood sprinkled on (Heb. 9:13-14; 10:21-22)? Why?

• Jesus sprinkles our consciences and hearts to purify and cleanse them “from dead works to serve the living God.”
.
.

10. The sin offering of the OT was for God’s people only. Who was Jesus’ sin offering for (1 Jn. 2:2)?

• Jesus’ sin offering was for the sins of the whole world.

The sin offering of the OT was for the forgiveness of unintentional sins. What sins does Jesus’ sin offering provide forgiveness for? What does the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector (Lk. 18:9-14) show us concerning the kind of sins that are forgiven by Jesus’ sacrifice? (Hint: the tax collector chose his profession.) (Also see 1 Jn. 1:9b.)

• Since the tax collector chose his profession and since the tax collectors were known for charging more taxes than the Roman government required and for keeping the extra money for themselves, they were deliberately sinning. They were stealing people’s money. Since the tax collector went home justified, his sin was forgiven. Jesus’ sacrifice provides forgiveness for intentional as well unintentional sins. He cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
.
.

11. Jesus came to be a sin offering and to turn aside God’s wrath from sinners to himself by shedding his blood. In this way he provides redemption for the world. How is it that sinners can receive the benefits of Jesus’ sin offering (Rom. 3:23-25a)?

• Sinners receive the redemption paid for by Jesus’ shed blood through faith as a free gift of grace.

For those who trust in the shed blood of Jesus, what knowledge and satisfaction do they have that affects their life now and into eternity (Rom. 8:1)?

• They have the knowledge and satisfaction of knowing there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” They have nothing to fear concerning God’s justice. They will not be condemned because their sins have been paid for and forgiven. They are righteous, guiltless, and free from condemnation

Jesus’ sin offering was for all people and all sins. Yet there is one sin that negates the effectiveness of Jesus’ sacrifice. What is it (Heb 3:12; 6:6; 10:29)?

• The sin that prevents people from receiving the forgiveness and redemption Jesus won on the cross is the sin of unbelief. By not believing in Jesus, one shows contempt for his sacrifice. In showing contempt, one tramples “underfoot the Son of God” and profanes his blood shed for the forgiveness his sins.

Therefore it is rather simple. Those who trust in and believe in Jesus and the sin offering he made on the cross receive forgiveness of their sins. They hold in highest reverence the holy and precious blood of Christ shed for them. Those who do not believe in Jesus show contempt for his holy and precious blood shed for them and do not receive forgiveness of their sin.
.
.

12. In the examples of sinning against God’s holy name or his holy presence a confession of sin was required (5:5). The apostle John also speaks of confessing our sin (1 Jn. 1:9). In this same passage John writes, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” Therefore when we confess our sins we bring them into the light. We openly admit them to God. What has God promised to do when we confess our sins (1 Jn. 1:9)?

• He promises “to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The word “confess” means “to say the same thing.” So when we confess we say the same thing as God. In the creed we confess who God is and what he has done for us. We simply say back to God and to each other what God has revealed in his Holy Scriptures.

In confessing our sins we “say the same thing” that God says to us: “I am a sinner and I have committed these sins.” We speak the truth of our sinful condition and the sins we commit because of it. We are able to do this without fear because a sin offering has been performed for us. Jesus’ shed blood has taken care of impurity of our sin. We are unafraid to confess because God the Father has promised “to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” for the sake of Jesus.
.
.

13. The sin offering was part of the OT divine service held at the tabernacle and later at the temple. Having been forgiven of their sins, the people could bring voluntary offerings to Yahweh without worry. They could participate in the divine service with a clear conscience because they knew their sins were forgiven and God’s wrath had been appeased by the sin offering.

The same is true in the NT Divine Service (Christian worship). No sin offering is needed in the Divine Service because Jesus’ one-time sin offering was made, which took away the sins of the world. But the NT Divine Service depends upon and makes available the benefits of Jesus sin offering on the cross. The NT Divine Service begins with the confession of sins. The confession is made out loud to God and to each other. We do not try and hide our sins. Instead we bring them into the light and as God has assured us that he “forgive[s] us our sins” and “cleanse[s] us from all unrighteousness.” God announces this forgiveness through his ambassador, the pastor. Having received that assurance, the congregation can participate in the Divine Service with a clear conscience. In the Divine Service Jesus sprinkles our hearts and consciences with his precious blood taking away sin and all impurity. Therefore we do not need to worry about desecrating God’s holiness in the Divine Service and as God is present among us to speak and teach his holy word and to feed us a holy meal.

Outline
I. The reparation offering for the desecration of holy things (5:14-19)
...A. Introduction: the Lord’s address to Moses (5:14)
...B. The divine speech (5:15-19)
......1. The reparation offering for unintentional sacrilege (5:15-16)
......2. The reparation offering for suspected sacrilege (5:17-19)
II. The reparation offering for the violation of an oath (6:1-7)

Study
1. Note that many people call this offering a guilt offering and traditionally it was called the trespass offering. But Dr. Kleinig prefers to call it a reparation offering. He says that one of the purposes of the sin offering was to take care of guilt and that the main focus of this offering is compensating the one who was wronged. In this case the one who was wronged was God. Therefore this offering dealt with sins against God. The connection between the reparation offering and sacrilege (desecration of holy things) can be seen by the cases where the reparation offering was offered:
• Lev. 5:15-16: Offered for a misappropriation of a holy thing.
• Lev. 5:17-19: Offered for suspected violation of prohibitions against holy things.
• Lev. 6:1-7: Offered for perjury using God’s holy name.
• Lev. 14:12, 21: Offered for skin diseases that jeopardized the holy status of the Israelite.
• Lev. 19:20-22: Offered for sex with a betrothed slave desecrating God’s holy name.
• Num. 6:7-12: Offered for contact with a corpse desecrating the holy status of a Nazarite.
• Ezra 10:10: Offered for marriage to pagan women desecrating God’s holy seed.

What one thing do each these cases have in common?

• In each case something “holy” has been desecrated.

Only God is holy and therefore all holy things belong to him. When someone damaged or took something that was holy, they took or damaged that which belonged to God. This is called sacrilege and the reparation offering dealt with it. Because of this, Dr. Kleinig’s translation of 5:15 begins like this: “When a person commits an act of sacrilege unintentionally sinning against any of the Lord’s holy things…”
.
.

2. This section consists of two divine speeches (5:14, 6:1). The first speech (5:14-19) gives two cases (5:15-16; 5:17-19) in which the reparation offering was required. We begin here by looking at the first case. The first case involved sin against what (5:15a)?

• The first case involves unintentional sin against “the holy things of Yahweh.”

Part of the priestly function was to distinguish between what was holy from what was most holy. The reparation offering was for unintentional sin against something that was holy. Sin against something that was most holy is not covered here.

The difference between the most holy and holy things was that the most holy things communicated God’s holiness by physical contact. The most holy things included:
• The tent of meeting and all of its furnishings: the ark of the covenant, the incense altar, the lampstand, the table, the altar for burnt offering.
• Most holy food: The showbread and the bread from the grain offering and the meat from the sin offering and the reparation offering.

The only people who were to have contact with these most holy things were God’s appointed representatives, the priests.

What things then were considered holy?

• Num. 5:9-10: “every contribution, all the holy donations of the people of Israel, which they bring to the priest…” All the offerings brought to the sanctuary were holy.

• Lev. 19:5-8: The meat from the peace offering was holy.

• Num. 18:15-18: Firstborn animals were holy to the Lord.

• Num. 18:12-13: The first-ripe and first-processed produce from the land was holy and belonged to Yahweh.

• Lev. 27:30-33: All tithes were “holy to the LORD.”

• Lev. 27:9-27: Anything vowed to Yahweh (animal, house, or land) was holy.
.
.

3. What was the penalty for desecrating anything holy (Lev. 19:8; Num. 18:32)?

• The penalty for the desecration of anything holy was either to be cutoff from Yahweh and his people or death.

How could a person avoid divine retribution for the desecration of anything holy? What was required of the sinner (5:15b, 16a)?

• Generally: The sinner had to compensate Yahweh and make restitution.

• The specific offering required was (5:15b): a ram without blemish was required as a reparation offering. At the sanctuary a value was placed on the ram.

Restitution had to be paid for sacrilege. How much did it cost the offender (5:16a)?

• It cost him the value of the ram used as a reparation offering plus a fifth (20%).

Most likely the ram was bought at the sanctuary. And since the sin was against the holy things of God, the restitution was paid to Yahweh’s representative, the priest. The priest played the role of a mediator between God and the offender. Apart from the priest, no restitution could be made.

Most likely a ram was chosen because it was the head of flock, the largest and the most valuable. This type of sin was costly, which showed the gravity of sinning against anything holy.
.
.

4. Besides providing compensation and restitution, what else was the ram used for (5:16b)?

• The ram was used by the priest to make atonement for the sinner for the forgiveness of his sin.

The legislation here concentrates on the occasions that caused the need for the reparation offering rather than on the procedure. The procedure for this offering is given in 7:1-10. The procedure was like that of a peace offering, except the priest alone ate the meat. The act of atonement freed the person from God’s punishment.
.
.

5. The second case given (5:17-19) is somewhat similar to the first case (5:15-16). In the first case the person knew that they had unintentionally sinned against a holy thing of Yahweh. In the second case a person breaks a divine prohibition in the sacred realm, but “he did not know it.” If the person realized his sin because his conscience made him feel guilty, a reparation offering was to be brought to the priest. The offering is the same as the first case, a ram without blemish, which is used as payment for the unintentional infraction and for atonement for forgiveness.
.
.

6. A third case is given (6:1-7) which requires a reparation offering. In this case too something holy is sinned against, but it is more difficult to determine what this holy “thing” is.

How would you summarize the sin committed in 6:2-3a, 4b-5a?

• A person illegally obtains or misappropriates someone else’s property.

This doesn’t seem to be a sin against God at all. The key to understanding how this is a sin against something holy is the phrase “swearing falsely” (6:3). Here is how this situation would play out. He illegally obtains someone else’s property. Later when confronted he denies it. This cannot be taken to court because there is no way to prove it. So he takes an oath in God’s name, which includes a curse upon himself if he is lying. If he lies under oath using God’s holy name he commits sacrilege because he has made God an accessory to the crime. He has tainted God’s holy name. Then God would enact the curse and punish him. If he felt guilty and wanted to escape the curse, he would admit his guilt and make restitution to the victim and God.
.
.

7. What was the sinner required to do before he could bring his reparation offering (6:4a, 5b)?

• “He shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt.”

After he paid the injured person in full plus 20%, he could then bring the normal reparation offering and the priest would perform atonement and his sin would be forgiven (6:6-7).
.
.

8. Was the act of perjury (lying under oath in God’s name) deliberate or unintentional?

• It was clearly deliberate.

But reparation offerings could only be made for unintentional sins against God’s holy domain. So why was it ok for a reparation offering to made in this case and the sin forgiven? Under what circumstances was this allowed (Num. 5:7-8)?

• When a person sinned against another person by taking their possessions and swearing falsely under oath, the sin could be forgiven when it was confessed and full restitution was made.

What happened then was the act of confession changed the status of the offense so that God looked at it as an unintentional sin instead of intentional. That opened the door for atonement and forgiveness.
.
.

9. In summary then, the reparation offering dealt with cases where someone desecrated a part of Yahweh’s holy domain. There were two theological functions for this offering:

1) It provided compensation for the damage that had been done to the holy things or holy name. And it required an additional payment of 20% as restitution to restore what had been disrupted.

2) The atonement of the blood rite brought forgiveness and freed the person from the liability of the offense and the punishment he deserved. He could be sure he had been forgiven; his guilt had been paid for (expiated).

The reparation offering served a clear purpose. It encouraged the Israelites to heed their consciences and repent of their sins. It also soothed troubled consciences by providing forgiveness. In this sacrifice God undid the destructive effect of the sacrilege on the offender. In this offering God’s holiness was safeguarded, justice was done, and God’s favor was restored.

Fulfillment by Christ

10. The reparation offering was meant to compensate God for the loss or abuse of something holy. It dealt with something that belonged to God (a holy thing or His holy name). Those who committed sacrilege stole from God and were in debt to him. The offering fixed what was desecrated and paid the debt.

Read Acts 4:34 – 5:11. How might this be considered an act of sacrilege?

• Ananias and Sapphira gave the impression that they were giving all the money from the sale of property to the Lord. They made the offering but kept part of it back for themselves. So they deliberately misappropriated for themselves money that belonged to God. That which belongs to God is holy.

The penalty (death) shows the danger of sacrilege in the NT. This is why Paul warned against desecrating the holy body and holy blood of our Lord (1 Cor. 11:27-30). If not atoned for, the sin of sacrilege results in God’s wrath and withdrawal of grace (cf. Heb. 10:26-31).
.
.

11. There is no direct reference to the reparation offering in the NT. But how do Jesus’ words in Mt. 20:28; 26:28 lead you to believe Jesus was a reparation offering?

• In a reparation offering payment was made and sin was atoned for. Jesus gave “his life as a ransom for many” (payment made). And his blood was “poured out” “for the forgiveness of sins” (atonement). His death paid the ransom and His blood provided forgiveness of all people’s debt to God.

Also in Mt. 20:28, Jesus said he had come “to serve.” Jesus is alluding to what OT prophecy (Is. 52:13 – 53:12)?

• Jesus is alluding to himself being the suffering servant that Isaiah refers to.

What did Isaiah prophesy that the suffering servant would be (Is. 53:10)?

• Isaiah prophesied that the suffering servant would be an “offering for guilt” or a reparation offering.

So in this way also we see Jesus as a reparation offering for the world. In offering himself, Jesus restores what was once holy to be holy again, that is, making us God’s holy possession. [An example of this is Peter. On the night of Jesus’ betrayal, Peter took an oath saying that he did not know Jesus. This was an act of sacrilege, a desecration of God’s holy name. After His resurrection from the dead Jesus restored Peter. In His reparation offering, which was his death on the cross, Christ paid the price for Peter’s act of sacrilege. And by his blood shed on the cross, Jesus made atonement and Peter’s sin of sacrilege was forgiven. And he not only did it for Peter, but he does the same for us too.]
.
.

12. The reparation offering was required because something holy had been desecrated. We saw things that were considered holy in the OT (see point #2 above). What kinds of things are holy in the NT that we should not desecrate?

• Rom. 1:2; 7:12: The scriptures are holy because they are God’s Word.

• Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 3:16-17: Each Christian’s body is holy because the Holy Spirit dwells within them.

• Eph. 5:27; Col. 3:12-13; Heb. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:9: The church as a whole and each Christian who makes up the church is holy.

• Lk. 1:35; Heb. 7:26; 1 Pet. 1:14-16 (esp. 15a); 1 Pet. 3:15; Rev. 3:7: The Lord Jesus Christ is holy.

• Heb. 9:14; 10:19, 29; 13:12: The blood of Christ is holy.

• As a member of the Holy Trinity and as his name spells out, the Holy Spirit is holy.

Because Jesus is holy and God’s Word is holy and the Holy Spirit is holy, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are holy. Through these means holy God connects his holy Word to simple earthly objects and makes them holy. Through these simple means holy Jesus comes to us to wash us with holy water and to feed us with holy food. Through these means Jesus gives us the holy gifts of life and salvation that he won on the cross. And it is through these means that the Holy Spirit uses God’s holy Word to create and sustain faith in us making us holy.

Therefore since we come into contact with these holy things, we must not desecrate them, for everything that is holy belongs to God. Yet we do desecrate them. We do not read and study God’s Word as we should. The way that Christians sometimes treat other Christians is shameful. Many times Christians do not treat their bodies as holy and as the temple of the Holy Sprit. Who of us who receive the holy body and blood of Christ treat it with the full respect and reverence that it deserves all the time? Sometimes Christians grieve the Holy Spirit by rejecting the Good News he brings through the holy Word and holy Sacraments. Christians also take God’s holy name in vain, often carelessly or willfully misusing it.

What then should we do when we desecrate the holy things of God? Thanks be to God that he has provided a reparation offering in his Son. As our reparation offering Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many, paying the price that we should have paid. And by shedding his blood he made atonement for us, providing us with the forgiveness of sins. His sacrifice on the cross paid the debt that we owed to God.
.
.

13. Christ paid our debt to God the Father, but we are still in debt to each other. What did Jesus teach about these debts (Mt. 6:12)?

• As God has forgiven our debts, so we are to “forgive our debtors.”

How many times should we be willing to do this (Mt. 18:21-22)? What does he mean?

• Jesus said to forgive others 77 times. This was his way of saying our forgiveness to others should be as unlimited as his forgiveness for us is.

What happens when we do not forgive others (Mt. 6:14-15; 18:35)?

• To not forgive others is to forfeit one’s own forgiveness and holiness. He will forgive you as you have forgiven others.

If Christians have sinned against others, they were to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. They were to do this before they approached God with their gift in the Divine Service (Mt. 5:23-26). As Christ has forgiven all of our debts, so we are to forgive all debts to each other. What is the one debt that Christians owe (Rom. 13:8-10)?

• As Christians, we have but one debt to pay: we must continue to love one another.

This is presented not as ritual case law (like chs. 1-5), but as ritual “instruction” (Torah – Law and Gospel). The instruction teaches the priest how to perform a ritual so that the sacred is distinguished from the common and the clean for the unclean. Some translate Torah as law, but this fails to convey the rich Gospel content. It is God’s intent to provide a remedy for the sin of His people and to convey to them His purity and holiness.

In this section five instructions are given. They are given in two groups, the regular sacrifices (the burnt and grain offerings) and the occasional sacrifices (the sin, reparation, and peace offerings).

I. The instructions for the daily sacrifice (6:8 – 6:23)
...A. The burnt offering (6:8-13)
...B. The grain offering (6:14-23)
II. The instructions for the occasional sacrifices (6:24 – 7:36)
...A. The sin offering (6:24-30)
...B. The reparation offering (7:1-10)
...C. The peace offering (7:11-36)

On top of these five instructions are five divine speeches to Moses. But the five speeches do not coincide directly with the five instructions.

I. Divine speech to priests on the daily public sacrifice (6:8-18)
...A. The burnt offering (6:8-13)
...B. The grain offering (6:14-18)
II. Divine speech to Moses on the daily grain offering of the high priest (6:19-23)
III. Divine speech to the priests on the occasional offerings of the Israelites (6:24-7:21)
...A. The sin offering (6:24-30)
...B. The reparation offering (7:1-6)
...C. The priestly dues (7:7-10)
...D. The grain offering (7:11-21)
IV. Divine speech to the Israelites on prohibited food (7:22-27)
V. Divine speech to the Israelites on the priest’s portion of the peace offering (7:28-36)
VI. Conclusion (7:37-38)

7:7-10 succinctly summarizes what belongs to the priests from each of the five most holy offerings and 7:28-34 summarizes the portions of the priests from the peace offering.

Read Lev. Lev. 6:8-13

Outline
I. Introduction and commission (6:8-9a)
II. Divine speech (6:9b-18)
...A. Instruction about the disposal of the ashes from the daily burnt offering (6:9b-13)
......1. Heading about the leftover burnt offering (6:9b)
......2. Daily procedure (6:10-12)
......3. Summary instruction (6:13)
.........a. Commandment to keep the perpetual fire burning (6:13a)
.........b. Prohibition against its extinction (6:13b)
...B. Instruction on the disposal of the daily grain offering (6:14-18)

Study
1. As Yahweh spoke instructions to Moses (6:8), who were the instructions for (6:9a)?

• These instructions from Yahweh were for “Aaron and his sons” who are the priests.

Each day a public burnt offering was placed on the altar and burned each morning and each evening. The evening burnt offering stayed “on the altar all night until the morning” (6:9c). Concerning the fire on the altar, what were the priests required to do (6:9d, 12a, 13)?

• The priests were required to keep the fire burning, to not let it go out.

The priests acted as the stewards of God’s house. The center of any house and of God’s house was the hearth. The priests were responsible for tending to the fire in God’s house at the altar for burnt offering. They were to never let it go out.
.
.

2. This section concentrates on the sacred fire that was on the altar for burnt offering. Fire was necessary for the sacrificial system to burn up the sacrifices. Where did the fire on the altar come from (Lev. 9:24; see also 1 Chr. 21:26 for the origin of the fire for temple)?

• The fire on the altar was fire that came from God’s holy presence.

Therefore the fire represents Yahweh’s presence among His people. What did the fire do to the offerings that were placed upon the altar? In other words, what was the purpose of the fire?

• The fire burned up the offerings. The purpose of the fire was to burn the offerings.

When the fire burned the offerings, what did it produce (1:9b, 2:2d; 3:5b: 4:31b)?

• The burning of the offerings produced a sweet aroma that rose up to Yahweh.

While it’s not explicitly stated in the text, it can be safely assumed that along with the aroma that rose up to Yahweh, a cloud of smoke would have also arose with the aroma. If a one saw smoke from a distance but was not close enough to see a fire, one would rightly assume that there was a fire that was causing the smoke. In this way the smoke reveals that there is a fire. On the other hand, sometimes smoke from a fire is so thick that one cannot see the fire. In this case the smoke conceals the fire.

In a similar way what does the smoke from the burning of the sacrifices on the altar reveal and conceal? (Hint: Look at the very beginning of this point.)

• The smoke both revealed and concealed God’s holy presence with Israel.

This was very similar to the cloud of presence that led Israel and filled the tabernacle. It both revealed and concealed God’s presence with them.

Previously, in what way had God appeared to Israel on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:16-19; 24:17)?

• He had appeared to them in the form of fire and smoke.

And so he does the same thing at the tabernacle. He is present with his people in the fire and smoke in the burning of the sacrifices on the altar for burnt offering.

What then would happen if the fire went out (cf. 2 Chr 13:10-12; 29:6-9)?

• Since God was present with Israel in the fire on the altar of burnt offering, if the fire went out, God would no longer be present with his people.
.
.

3. What was the procedure for taking care of the fire each morning (6:10-12)?

• 6:10a: The priest dressed in his holy vestments.

• 6:10b: The priest then removed the ashes from the altar for burnt offering and placed them next to the altar on the east side.

• 6:11a: The priest then removed his priestly vestments and put on other clothes.

• 6:11b-12a: Then the priest carried the ashes to the dump outside the camp without putting out the fire on the altar.

• 6:12b: The priest then stoked the fire on the altar by adding firewood.

• 6:12c: He then used the fire to burn up the leftovers from the previous day’s offerings.

The removal of ashes was done after they smoldered overnight. They were not considered holy. Each morning they were taken and dumped in a clean place outside the camp. Each morning they were cleaned out in preparation for the new burnt offering.

Each morning as the first ritual enactment in the daily sacrificial ritual at the sanctuary, the ashes were cleaned out and the fire was stoked as a preparation by the officiating priest for the daily morning burnt offering.
.
.

4. Before the priest could remove the ashes, what was he required to put on (6:10a)?

• He was required to put on his priestly vestments.

Why was this required? (Hint: What did they approach to do this?)

• Vesting up was required because they had to approach the altar for burnt offering which was considered most holy.

The priests and their vestments where considered to be holy. What made them holy (Ex. 29:21; Lev. 8:30)?

• They and their vestments were holy because they and their garments were sprinkled with the blood used for atonement and the holy anointing oil.

The priests had to wear their holy vestments each time they worked at the altar. The holy vestments were a mark of the priest’s sacred office and status.
.
.

5. In summary then, the priests kept the fire burning because it was no ordinary fire; it was kindled by Yahweh as a sign of His presence. The holy fire bridged heaven and earth by bringing the offerings of the people to God, as well as bringing God to His people. Just as God revealed His name to Moses in the fire of the burning bush (Ex. 3:2-15) and His glory to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai through fire on the mountain (Ex. 24:17; 40:34), so He revealed Himself through the fire on the altar to His people. Fire was a good means to communicate His holy presence. His presence, like fire, could be both life enhancing and life threatening, beneficial and destructive. The fire was to never go out. If it went out Yahweh would not be present to meet with and give His grace to His people.
.
.

Fulfillment by Christ

6. What did Jesus tell his disciples he had come to do (Lk. 12:49)?

• Jesus told his disciples that he came to bring fire from heaven to earth (Luke 12:49).

But this fire could not be kindled until after His atoning death and resurrection. When was this fire kindled (Acts 2:1-3)?

• This fire was kindled on Pentecost when the tongues of fire came to rest on the heads of each of the disciples.

What was the fire that rested on the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:32-33)?

• This fire was the Holy Spirit. Jesus kindles the fire of the Holy Spirit in each person that believes in him.

Just as the fire of God’s holy presence was kindled on the altar in the OT divine service (Lev. 9 and 2Chr 7:1-3), so tongues of fire came from heaven at Pentecost and rested on the disciples. Therefore the NT Divine Service was inaugurated with this fire of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
.
.

7. Based on Acts 2:32-33, who is it that kindles the fire of the NT Divine Service?

• It is Jesus who pours out his Spirit into each person that believes. Jesus kindles the fire of the Holy Spirit in the NT Divine Service.

What happened when Jesus opened the Scriptures to two of his disciples on the way to Emmaus (Lk. 24:32)?

• The hearts of the disciples burned within them. Jesus had kindled the fire of the Holy Spirit within them.

On the first Easter Sunday the NT Divine Service was inaugurated. In it Jesus spoke and explained God’s Word and he shared a sacred meal with his disciples. And when he did, the hearts of his disciples burned. So now He does the same in the NT Divine Service that is celebrated each Sunday around the world. In it the hearts of Christians burn with the holy fire of the Holy Spirit when the Holy Scriptures are read and preached and the Bread of the Lord’s Supper is served.

Christ offered Himself to the Father as an atoning sacrifice for the world. Now in the Divine Service through the fire of the Holy Spirit he offers us along with himself as His sacrifice to the Father. We become living sacrifices living a life of worship through the Holy Spirit (Jn. 4:23, 24; Phil 3:3).
.
.

8. The fire of the OT divine service burned on the altar at the tabernacle and later at the temple. In the NT Divine Service Christians are the altar on which the fire of the Holy Spirit burns in the new temple of the Triune God, the church. As Yahweh revealed His hidden glory and gave access to this gracious presence at the altar in the tabernacle/temple, so in the NT the Christian and the church become the place of God’s gracious presence where his hidden glory is revealed.

Each Christian then is a living altar on which the sacrifices of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise are offered up by Christ by the fire of the Holy Spirit to God the Father. This fire that burns within us is the very presence of God. God’s glory then shines through us. The apostle Paul urges his readers to be “aglow with the Spirit” (Rom. 12:11) and he warns them not to quench the Spirit’s fire (1 Thess. 5:19).
.
.

9. In the NT church each person is a priest. Each believer has been sprinkled with the atoning blood of Christ. And it is the responsibility of the priest to not let the fire of God’s presence to go out. The fire of the Holy Spirit must be kept alight in the church. Wherever Jesus is present and his Word is read and proclaimed and his Supper served, there the fire of the Holy Spirit will be burning intensely. For through these means Jesus stokes the fire on the altar of each believer.

Read Lev. Lev. 6:14-18

Outline
I. Introduction and commission (6:8-9a)
II. Divine speech (6:9b-18)
...A. Instruction about the disposal of the ashes from the daily burnt offering (6:9b-13)
...B. Instruction on the disposal of the daily grain offering (6:14-18)
......1. Heading (6:14a)
......2. Procedure (6:14b-16)
......3. Divine declaration of its nature and use (6:17)
......4. Summary instruction (6:18)

Study
1. In the previous lesson we learned about the preparation for the daily public burnt offering. In this lesson we learn about instructions concerning the consumption of the daily public grain offering. Together these two offerings made up the daily divine service which was held twice a day everyday. Note that before this chapter neither of these offerings have been previously discussed in Leviticus.

The daily public grain offering, as described here (6:14), was like the private grain offering (2:1-16), with two differences.
• The daily public grain offering was always connected to the daily public burnt offering. The two were always offered together. The daily grain offering was always placed on top of the daily burnt offering.
• It was presented by the priests to Yahweh and not the layperson.
.
.

2. What was the procedure that was to be followed for the daily public grain offering (6:14-16)?

• 6:14b: The priests shall come before Yahweh at the altar and offer the grain offering to Yahweh.
• 6:15: The presiding priest will take “a handful of the fine flour of the grain offering and its oil and all the frankincense that is on the grain offering and burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.”
• 6:16: The rest of flour was baked into unleavened cakes which were eaten by the priests in the courtyard of the tabernacle in Yahweh’s presence.
.
.

3. When the priests presented the grain offering to Yahweh at the altar, a transaction occurred. Possession of the grain changed hands. It was given to Yahweh as a gift. At that time Yahweh took ownership of the entire grain offering; it belonged to him. Yahweh could do with it whatever he wished. Yahweh determined that only a small portion of the offering was to be burned on the altar. What did Yahweh do with the rest of the offering that was not burned?

• He gave the majority of the offering to his priests to eat.

With this offering God made provision for His priests and fed them from His table. The presentation of the public grain offering occurred twice a day along with the public burnt offering and culminated in a holy meal eaten by the priests in God’s presence as His guests
.
.

4. When Israel conquered the Canaanites in the promised land, Yahweh divided up the land and gave it to the tribes of Israel as its inheritance. Within in each tribe, each family received land on which they could raise crops and have livestock. All the tribes but one received land. That one tribe was the tribe of Levi. What did the tribe of Levi inherit (Jos. 21)?

• The tribe of Levi was given cities throughout Israel. The cities were given to the Levites from the inheritance of the other tribes.

The other tribes inherited land through which Yahweh provided food for them by allowing them to grow crops. How did Yahweh provide food for the Levites (the priests) (6:16a, 17b)?

• One way that Yahweh provided food for the Levites was through the daily public grain offering. He took the grain offering given to him by the Israelites and assigned the unburned portion to His priests for their livelihood.
.
.

5. What prohibition did Yahweh place on the priests concerning the baking of the bread (6:17a)?

• “It shall not be baked with leaven.”

Why was this restriction given? (See Lesson 3, point #6.)

• Leaven was associated with corruption and decay. Yahweh’s priests had contact with him. They served in his holy presence. He can have nothing to do with that which has been corrupted.
.
.

6. Note the status change of the grain used for the grain offering. The grain started out in an Israelite field. It started out as common grain. When it was brought to the sanctuary to be used as a grain offering it became holy as did all the offerings brought as a gift to Yahweh. What did its status become when the token portion was burned on the altar (6:17c)?

• When the token portion was burned on the altar the grain offering became most holy just like the sin offering and reparation offering that we have studied.

The token portion taken from the grain offering represented the whole offering. Since it came into contact with the holy fire which came from Yahweh’s presence, the whole offering became most holy.

Because of its status as most holy, only authorized personnel could come into contact with it. Who did Yahweh authorize to come into contact with and eat this most holy offering (6:18a)?

• Only the priests (the male children of Aaron and future generations) were allowed to come into contact with the flour from the grain offering and eat the bread made from it.
.
.

7. What happened to anything that touched the most holy flour from the grain offering or the most holy meat from the sin and reparation offerings (6:18c)?

• Whatever touched them became holy.

This is sometimes called contagious sanctification. (Sanctification means “to make holy”.) This idea is an important one. Authorized contact with these most holy things made and kept a person or thing holy. Unauthorized contact with them brought punishment.

Because this food was most holy, it could not leave Yahweh’s holy presence. It had to be eaten in a holy place. That is, it had to be eaten at the sanctuary, the place where God lived among his people, near the altar on which the fire of his presence burned.

So from this holy meal the Israelite priests no only received nourishment from Yahweh in this most holy meal but they also received holiness from him as well. In this meal Yahweh shared his holiness with his servants the priests.
.
.

Fulfillment by Christ

8. Through the OT public grain offering Yahweh provided food for his priests. The priests served at the altar and so the Lord provided food for them from the altar in the grain offering (1 Cor. 9:13). The most holy flour from the grain offering was baked into cakes and was eaten by the priests in Yahweh’s presence, a holy place. This holy meal provided two things. First it provided physical nourishment for the priests. Secondly, through this holy meal Yahweh shared his holiness with the priests.

Who are the priests of the NT (1 Pet. 2:5, 9)?

• All Christians are part of the holy priesthood.
.
.

9. As Yahweh provided most holy food in the grain offering from his table (the altar) for his priests, so he does in the NT. The grain offering, like all OT offerings, pointed forward to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The public grain offering occurred twice a day everyday. How many times was the NT public grain offering offered up (Heb. 7:27)?

• Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice, but he needed to do it only “once for all.”

Through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Father provides most holy bread for his priests (Christians). What is the most holy bread that the Father provides (Jn. 6:31-34, 51-58)? What do Christians receive when they eat this most holy bread?

• Jesus is “the true bread from heaven.” He came down from heaven and gives life to the world. The “true bread from heaven” is the flesh of the Son of Man. Unless you eat his flesh you have no life in you. The one who eats his flesh has eternal life.

When and where does God offer this most holy bread to Christians?

• God offers the Bread of Heaven in the Divine Service. Specifically he offers it in Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. In Holy Communion God invites us to come into his holy presence to receive most holy Bread from his table.

Each person that eats the most holy Bread in Holy Communion receives the body of the crucified and risen Christ. Each person that receives this most holy Bread in faith receives life and eternal life.
.
.

10. In the OT divine service (the sacrifices at the tabernacle/temple) most holy food had to be eaten in a holy place, which was at the tabernacle/temple near the altar of burnt offering. It had to eaten in Yahweh’s holy presence.

In Christian churches where is the holy place that Christians eat the most holy Bread from Heaven?

• In Christian churches the members of the congregation come forward to the chancel (the area in front of the church near the altar) and typically kneel before God. And then the holy Bread (which is the body of Christ in/with/ and under the bread) is taken from the altar (God’s table) and is given to each person by the pastor.

And yet when Christians enter into God’s holy presence in the chancel area, they enter into something greater than the eye can see. They enter the holy places of the heavenly temple (Heb. 10:19-22; 12:22). They enter heaven itself through the way that Christ opened up for them. For wherever God is present, there is heaven.
.
.

11. The purpose for the OT public grain offering was twofold. First, it provided nourishment for Yahweh’s priests. Second, Yahweh shared his holiness with his priests. Through contact with most holy things, Yahweh’s holiness was communicated. In this way the priests received Yahweh’s holiness.

The purpose for the NT public grain offering (Holy Communion/the Lord’s Supper) is the same as in the OT. Believers are invited to eat at God’s table as His privileged guests. In this most holy food that God offers (Christ’s body and blood) He nourishes His people and shares His holiness and gives access to the Father’s holy and gracious presence.

Outline
I. Introduction: the Lord’s address to Moses (6:19)
II. Divine speech (6:20-23)
...A. Description of the high priest’s grain offering (6:20)
...B. Procedure (6:21-22)
...C. General Summary (6:23)

Study
1. Lev 6:19 begins a new divine speech. Therefore this offering is distinguished from the regular grain offering (6:14-18).

We know that “Aaron and his sons” (6:20a) were chosen by God to be priests. So this offering is concerned with the priests. Yet the offering was not for all priests. This offering was offered “to the LORD on the day when he is anointed” (6:20b). “He” is singular. Who is “he” who “is anointed”? (See Ex. 29: 5-7; Lev. 8:12; 21:10; Num. 35:25.)

• Aaron was anointed as High Priest.

Notice also that the offering was to be made by “the priest from among Aaron's sons, who is anointed to succeed him” (6:22a). The priest who would become the high priest after the current high priest made the offering for the high priest. So even though all priests were anointed, this offering was specifically for the high priest.
.
.

2. The high priest offered this offering to Yahweh (6:20a). On what day did the high priest begin to offer it to Yahweh (6:20b)?

• He began offering it “on the day when he is anointed.” Starting on the day that the high priest was anointed as high priest the offering was made.

What did the offering consist of (6:20c)?

• The offering consisted of “a tenth of an ephah of fine flour.” This amount of flour was about a day’s ration for a person.

When and how often was this grain offering to be made (6:20d)?

• The grain offering was to be made “as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.” It was to be offered everyday, twice a day. It was a regular part of the daily divine service.

This offering then was offered every day that the high priest held the office and performed the vocation of high priest. It was therefore always associated with the office and vocation of high priest. Also, since it was offered each morning and each evening, this offering became associated with the beginning and ending time of his daily service.
.
.

3. The ESV translates the phrase in 6:21 as: “You shall bring it well mixed, in baked pieces.” Dr. Kleing translates this phrase as: “You shall bring it well soaked and present the pieces of the grain offering of crumbled bits.” Given these translations, what was the three step procedure for this offering (6:21)?

• 6:21a: Flour was mixed with oil and baked as flat cakes on a griddle.

• 6:21b: It was broken in pieces, soaked in oil, and presented by the high priest.

• 6:21c: The bread made from the flour and oil was burned on the altar, creating a pleasing aroma to Yahweh. Half was burned at the morning sacrifice and half was burned at the evening sacrifice.

What was the end result of this offering (6:21c)?

• The end result was that the offering produced “a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

What does this mean in terms of Yahweh’s disposition toward the high priest?

• By receiving the offering, Yahweh demonstrated His pleasure in the high priest and His approval of his service.
.
.

4. As we said above, since this offering was for the high priest, it was offered for him by the priest who had been anointed to succeed him (6:22a). This was a unique feature of this offering.

In the other grain offerings that we studied (daily public and private), a memorial portion was burned on the altar and the rest of the grain was provided by Yahweh as food for his priests. What was another unique feature of this grain offering (6:22c-23)?

• Every time this offering was made all of it was to be burned on the altar. None of it was to be eaten.

The phrase in 6:22b translated by the ESV as “to the LORD as decreed forever” is translated as “the LORD’s perpetual share” in the NIV and as “the perpetual due of the Lord” by Dr. Kleinig. When the term “perpetual due” is used in other places in Leviticus, it is talking about a food ration for the priests for their service to Yahweh. So here it is talking about a food ration for Yahweh.

This may seem rather strange. In many pagan religions the people brought food as their offering to feed their gods. This then might seem to be a daily meal presented to Yahweh by his priests just like the pagans did for their gods. But that is not the case. Yahweh had taken a normal sacrifice of the pagans and reconfigured it, giving it a completely different purpose. This offering was not for Yahweh’s benefit, but for the benefit of his high priest. This offering that was completely consumed by Yahweh in the fire, resulted in a pleasing aroma. This pleasing aroma assured the high priest that Yahweh approved of and was pleased with his service to him. Through this offering Yahweh confirmed the status of the high priest as his chief courtier and head of the priesthood.
.
.

Fulfillment by Christ

5. Jesus is our High Priest. But Jesus did not offer daily offerings for himself as the OT high priest did. Instead, what did Jesus “offer” to the Father (Heb. 5:7)?

• Instead Jesus offered up prayers and supplications.

What did Jesus do on a regular daily basis (Mt 14:23; Mk 1:35; Lk 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1)?

• Jesus communicated on a regular daily basis with his Father through prayer.

On one occasion when Jesus prayed, what did he do (Lk. 11:1-4)?

• Jesus taught his disciples to pray by teaching them the Lord’s Prayer.

What did Jesus teach his disciples about prayer in the parable of the persistent widow (Lk.18:1-8, esp. 18:1)?

• Jesus taught them to always pray or to pray “regularly.”
.
.

6. The OT high priest was the chief steward over the house of God. Who is the NT High Priest that is “over the house of God” (Heb. 10:19-21)?

• In the NT Jesus is “a great priest over the house of God.”

In the OT the high priest appeared before Yahweh on behalf of God’s chosen people Israel. Who does Jesus appear before God on behalf of (Heb. 9:24)?

• He appears in the presence of God on “our” behalf. Since Hebrews was written to Christians, Jesus appears before God on behalf of all Christians.

The OT high priest offered sacrifices for himself and the people. Does Jesus, our High Priest do the same (Heb. 7:27)?

• Our High Priest does not offer daily sacrifices for himself and the people.

Why or why not?

• He does not offer daily sacrifices because “He has no need … since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” He offered a perfect that applies to all times and need not be repeated.

What does he do instead (Heb. 7:25)?

• He intercedes for those who draw near to God through him.

Because of his once and for all perfect saving sacrifice on the cross and his intercession of their behalf, what do the people of God do in response (Heb. 13:15-16)?

• They respond by offering up sacrifices of praise to God (prayer), acknowledging his holy name. They also offer the sacrifices of doing good and sharing what they have.

What does God think of these sacrifices (Heb. 13:16b)?

• These sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Our High Priest makes it possible for Christians to come before the throne of grace without any worries, knowing that God accepts us and our prayers. How often did Paul and can all Christians come before God in prayer (1 Thess. 3:10; 2 Tim. 1:3)?

• Christians can pray to God “night and day.” They can talk to God at any time.

Who do Christians include in their prayers? How often do they include them in their prayers? And what is their attitude towards them? (See Rom 1:9; 1 Cor 1:4; Eph 5:20; Phil 1:4; Col 1:3; 1 Thess 1:2; 2 Thess 1:3; 2:13; Philemon 4)

• Christians pray for other Christians. They pray for them continually, every day. They pray for them with an attitude of thanksgiving and joy.

Read Lev. Lev. 6:24-6:30

Outline
I. Introduction (6:24-25a)
II. Divine speech (6:25b-7:21)
...A. Instruction about the sin offering (6:25b-30)
......1. Heading (6:25b)
......2. Place of slaughter and the reason of slaughter there (6:25c)
......3. Place for consumption of meat from the sin offering (6:26)
......4. Its holiness (6:27-28)
......5. The disposal of its meat (6:29-30)
...B. Instruction about the reparation offering (7:1-10)
...C. Instruction about the peace offering (7:11-21)

Study
1. Next Yahweh speaks to Moses about the occasional offerings that the Israelites brought, the sin offering, the reparation offering, and the peace offering. As we said earlier the contents of this section may seem to be the same as in chapters 1-5, but they are not. While Yahweh speaks of the same offerings, the difference here is the focus. The focus is on the disposal of what is not burnt on the altar.
.
.

2. The first part of Yahweh’s speech on the occasional offerings is about the sin offering (6:24-30). We first studied about the sin offering in lessons 5 and 6, which covered the regular sin offering (Lev. 4) and the graded sin offering (Lev. 5:1-13).

The primary material supplied by the animal sacrificed for the sin offering was the blood. And the primary purpose for the blood was to make atonement for sin. The purpose of the sin offering then was to deal with the sin that had come between the people and Yahweh. The perfect animal had become a substitute for the sinner. It paid the price that the sinner deserved. Its shed blood covered over the sins of the sinner.

The procedure for the sin offering as described in chapters 4 and 5 was as follows:

...(1.) An appropriate animal was chosen.
...(2.) Sin was transferred to the animal when the offender placed his hand on the animal’s head. For a sin by an individual, confession was made for the sin.
...(3.) Blood atonement was made. For the priest/congregation, blood was sprinkled in the Holy Place and smeared on the horns of the Altar of Incense. For the individual, blood was smeared on the horns of the Altar for Burnt Offering.
...(4.) The fat from the animal was burned on the altar.
...(5.) The rest of the offering was disposed of. For the priest/congregation, the rest was burned outside of camp. For the individual, the meat belonged to the presiding priest. He could share with the other officiating priests.
.
.

3. Who is this divine speech (6:24) directed towards (6:25a)?

• Here Yahweh speaks to “Aaron and his sons,” the priests.

It is directs towards them because they are the ones who handle the holy blood and meat from the sin offering.

Where was the animal for the sin offering to be killed and why (6:25b)?

• The animal for the sin offering was to be killed in the same place where the animal for the burnt was killed. It was to be killed “before the LORD” because it was “most holy.”

Apparently that meant that the sin offering had to be killed on the north side of the altar, like the burnt offering, and not in front of the altar like the peace offering. The burnt offering was most holy and the peace offering was holy.
.
.

4. What happened to the meat from the sin offering (6:26a)?

• The meat from the sin offering belonged to the priest who offered it, the presiding priest. The presiding priest was to eat the most holy meat from the sin offering.

Where was he to eat it (6:26b)?

• He was to eat it in a holy place, that is, somewhere in the vicinity of the tent of meeting, the place of Yahweh’s holy presence among Israel. Since it was most holy food, it could not leave God’s holy presence at the tabernacle. The meat could only be used for holy purposes.

Who could the presiding priest share the meat with (6:29)?

• He could share the meat with any of the priests. All priests were holy to the Lord and therefore could eat the most holy meat.
.
.

5. There was an exception to the rule that the presiding priest and his fellow priests could eat the meat. What was it (6:30)?

• If the blood from the sin offering had been “brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place” it could not be eaten by the priests.

For what kind of sin offerings was the blood taken into the Holy Place to make atonement for it (see Lev. 4:1-12, 13-21)?

• The blood from the sin offering was taken into the Holy Place and atonement was made with it when the sin offering was for the high priest or the whole congregation of Israel.

In these cases the priests were implicated as guilty parties. In general the priests benefited from the sin offering because they received the meat to eat. The exception to this then was that the priest could not benefit from his own sin by receiving the meat from it. What was done with the meat in these cases where the priest was implicated as a sinner (6:30b; 4:12, 21)?

• In these cases the meat was taken outside the camp to the ash heap and burned.

The meat from the sin offering was most holy and was not to be desecrated. Since it was most holy, it was to stay in God’s most holy presence and be used for his holy purposes. Yahweh had determined that whoever he authorized to have contact with the most holy meat would receive his holiness (6:27a). His purpose then in providing most holy meat to his priests was to share his holiness with them.

In the case where the meat could not be eaten by the priests, when the meat was removed from Yahweh’s presence and taken outside the camp, it was no longer holy. And when it was burned, it could no longer be used for common purposes.

The priests were authorized to eat the most holy meat. What happened if someone who was not authorized came into contact with something that was holy (Lev. 10:1-2)?

• If an unauthorized person came into contact with something holy then the holiness of God was desecrated and God’s wrath was on those who desecrated them. An example of this was the incident of Nadab and Abihu using unauthorized fire on the altar for burnt offering.

These instructions therefore protected the most holy things from desecration, as well as the priest from the lethal consequences of desecration.
.
.

6. Both the blood and meat were most holy and therefore must not be desecrated. Contact with holiness made one holy. Therefore a number of steps were taken to prevent something that was holy from being desecrated by normal human use.

We’ve seen a couple of instructions from Yahweh concerning the people authorized to have contact with the most holy meat and the place where they may have contact. In the case where holy blood accidentally splashed on the robes of the priest, what was to be done (6:27b)?

• The priest had to launder the robes in the sanctuary.

We have seen that the priest received the most holy meat from the sin offering and was to eat it in a holy place. In order to eat it, he had to cook it. What types of vessels were commonly used for cooking (6:28)?

• Either earthenware (clay pot) or bronze vessels were used for cooking.

What was required after the most holy meat was cooked in a clay pot (6:28a)?

• The clay pot had to be destroyed. With all of the little nooks and grannies it would be impossible to scrub it clean of all the most holy meat.

What was required if the most holy meat was cooked in a bronze pot (6:28b)?

• The bronze pot had to be scoured and rinsed in water. All traces of the holy had to be removed.

All cooking utensils that came into contact with the most holy meat had to be thoroughly cleansed. When that wasn’t possible they had to be destroyed, for nothing that contained the holy could be used for common purposes. When these utensils lost contact with the holy through washing, they were no longer holy and could then be used normally without the threat of desecrating God’s holiness.
.
.

Fulfillment in Christ

7. For how Jesus fulfilled the sin offering, see Lesson 6, points 7 – 13. For how Jesus fulfilled the occasional offerings as a whole (6:24 – 7:21), see Lesson 15.

Read Lev. Lev. 7:1-6

Outline
I. Introduction (6:24-25a)
II. Divine speech (6:25b-7:21)
...A. Instruction about the sin offering (6:25b-30)
...B. Instruction about the reparation offering (7:1-10)
......1. Heading (7:1a)
......2. Its status as a reparation offering (7:1b)
......3. Place of slaughter (7:2a)
......4. Place for the disposal of blood (7:2b)
......5. Presentation of its fat (7:3-4)
......6. Burning up of its fat on the altar as a food gift to the Lord (7:5)
......7. Consumption by priests in a holy place and the reason for that (7:6)
......8. Appendix on the portion for priests from the most holy sacrifices (7:7-10)
...C. Instruction about the peace offering (7:11-21)

Study
1. As we said earlier the contents of this section may seem to be the same as in chapters 1-5, but they are not. While Yahweh speaks of the same offerings, the difference here is the focus. The focus is on the removal and use of the fat and disposition of the most holy meat.
.
.

2. To refresh your memory, here is a summary of the reparation offering we studied earlier in Lesson 7 (Lev. 5:14 – 6:7). The reparation offering dealt with cases where someone desecrated a part of Yahweh’s holy domain. There were two theological functions for this offering:

1) It provided compensation for the damage that had been done to the holy things or holy name. And it required an additional payment of 20% as restitution to restore what had been disrupted.

2) The atonement of the blood rite brought forgiveness and freed the person from the liability of the offense and the punishment he deserved. He could be sure he had been forgiven; his guilt had been paid for (expiated).

The reparation offering served a clear purpose. It encouraged the Israelites to heed their consciences and repent of their sins. It also soothed troubled consciences by providing forgiveness. In this sacrifice God undid the destructive effect of the sacrilege on the offender. In this offering God’s holiness was safeguarded, justice was done, and God’s favor was restored.
.
.

3. What offering does Yahweh speak about here (7:1a)? What is the name of it that we used in Lesson 7?

• Here Yahweh addresses the guilt offering or it can be called the reparation offering since its main concern was compensation and restitution.

What was its status (7:1b)?

• It was most holy.
.
.

4. This section gives the procedure the priests were to follow when they performed the reparation offering (7:2-6). What was the procedure?

• 7:2a: The offending Israelite slaughtered the animal at the same place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.

• 7:2b: The priest made atonement when he splashed blood on the altar.

• 7:3-4: The Israelite removed and presented all of the fat.

• 7:5: The priest burned the fat on the altar as a food offering to Yahweh.

• 7:6a: The presiding priest received all of the meat to eat. He was free to share it with any of the priests.

What was the status of the meat (7:6c)?

• The meat from the reparation offering was most holy.

Because of its status, where did it have to eaten at (7:6b)?

• Because it was most holy, it had to be “eaten in a holy place.” It had to eaten near God’s holy presence at the sanctuary.
.
.

5. In this section there is a lack of emphasis on the blood ritual. What is the main emphasis on in?

• 7:3-5: The removal and burning of the fat.

• 7:6: The eating of the most holy meat.

Since the fat came into contact with the fire of God’s presence it became holy and it made the meat most holy. Therefore the emphasis in this passage is on the proper treatment of most holy things.

The meat was the “payment,” “compensation,” and a “gift” to Yahweh. Yahweh in turn gave the meat to his priests as food from his table to be eaten in his presence. Through the meat from this reparation offering and the sin offering and the bread from the grain offering, God provided food and holiness for the priests.
.
.

Fulfillment in Christ

6. For how Jesus fulfilled the reparation offering, see Lesson 7, points 10 – 13. For how Jesus fulfilled the occasional offerings as a whole (6:24 – 7:21), see Lesson 15.
.
.

Read Lev. Lev. 7:7-10

Outline
I. Introduction (6:24-25a)
II. Divine speech (6:25b-7:21)
...A. Instruction about the sin offering (6:25b-30)
...B. Instruction about the reparation offering (7:1-10)
......…
......8. Appendix on the portion for priests from the most holy sacrifices (7:7-10)
.........a. Meat from the sin and reparation offerings (7:7)
.........b. Skin from the burnt offering (7:8)
.........c. Bread from the grain offering (7:9)
.........d. Flour from the grain offering (7:10)
...C. Instruction about the peace offering (7:11-21)

Study
1. This small section provides a summary that concerns the occasional offerings. What offerings are mentioned in 7:7-10?

• It mentions the guilt (reparation) offering, the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the grain offering.

Earlier in this section it was established that the meat from the sin offering and the reparation offering was most holy (6:25b, 29b; 7:1b, 6b); that the most holy meat had to be eaten in a holy place (6:26b; 7:6b); and that “every male among the priests may eat of it” (6:29a; 7:6a). Although any priest could eat the most holy meat, who did the meat officially belong to (7:7b)?

• “The priest who makes atonement with it shall have it.” The most holy meat belonged to the presiding priest, the priest who made atonement.

It belonged to him, but he could share it with the rest of the priests who were on duty at the tabernacle/temple.
.
.

2. While the private sin offering and reparation offerings provided most holy meat, the private burnt offering did not because the meat was burned on the altar. The skin from the burnt offering was not burned on the altar. What happened to the skin (7:8)?

• The skin from the private burnt offering belonged to the presiding priest. He could do with it whatever he wanted.
.
.

3. What else belonged to the presiding priest (7:9)?

• “Every grain offering baked in the oven and all that is prepared on a pan or a griddle.”
.
.

4. What general principle has been made in 7:7-9?

• Generally speaking, the meat, skin, and bread from the occasional offerings belonged to the presiding priest. It was like his pay from Yahweh for his service to Yahweh.

What was the exception to this rule (7:10)?

• The exception was the grain offering of flour.

Who shared it (7:10b)?

• It was shared equally by all the “sons of Aaron,” the priests.

Also for practical reasons the most holy meat and bread had to be eaten by the priests at the sanctuary within a day or two because after a couple of days it would start to go bad; it would become rotten. On the other hand, the flour from the grain offering of flour could be stored for a long period of time without worry of spoilage. And it was then available for all the priests at whatever time they needed it. Without it the priests who were on duty at the tabernacle/temple who were not the presiding priest would have had no food (unless the presiding priest shared what belonged to him).
.
.
Fulfillment in Christ

5. For how Jesus fulfilled the occasional offerings as a whole (6:24 – 7:21), see Lesson 15.

Read Lev. Lev. 7:11-21

Outline
I. Introduction (6:24-25a)
II. Divine speech (6:25b-7:21)
...A. Instruction about the sin offering (6:25b-30)
...B. Instruction about the reparation offering (7:1-10)
....C. Instruction about the peace offering (7:11-21)
......1. General heading (7:11)
......2. The material for the thank offering and the disposal of it (7:12-15)
......3. The disposal of meat from the votive and freewill offerings (7:16-18)
......4. The consumption of the meat (7:19-21)

Study
1. This section of Leviticus covers the peace offering that a layperson could offer to Yahweh (7:11). We first saw the peace offering in Lev. 3:1-17. If you want to refresh your memory about the peace offering, see Lesson 4 and the rest of point #1 here.

The purpose of the peace offering was to bring about peace (complete wholeness and well being) between God and man. To do this, a perfect animal was brought from the flock or herd by the layperson before Yahweh. Sins were transferred to the animal by the laying on of hands. The animal died as a substitute for the sinner. Its blood was used to atone for sins. The result of the sacrifice was a banquet meal. Yahweh’s portion of the meal (the fat) was consumed on the altar. The meat from the sacrifice was given by Yahweh back to the offerer to be used for a banquet meal shared with family and community to celebrate the peace and well-being that Yahweh provided.

Dr. Kleinig summarizes the peace offering in the following way. The Israelites were invited by the King/Owner of the land (Yahweh) to His royal residence. They brought their “rent payment” (peace offering) to the King. He received their offerings and then used the offerings to provide a great banquet for them. It was a joyous meal that celebrated the peace and harmony that they and the King enjoyed as well as their privileged status they had before Him. In the meal they enjoyed divine hospitality and recognized that they lived under His peace and protection.
.
.

2. The previous instructions about the peace offering in 3:1-17 emphasized the blood and the fat. But here other materials are focused upon. What material is the focus of 7:12-14?

• The focus in these verses is on the bread of the peace offering for thanksgiving.

What material is the focus on in 7:15-18 and 7:19-21?

• The focus in these verses is on the meat of the peace offering.

Both of these things are holy things. Therefore the purpose of this section about the peace offering is the proper way of handling the holy things of the peace offering.
.
.

3. Who is this divine speech addressed to (7:12a)? Who is the person who will be handling the holy things of this sacrifice?

• Since the meat from the peace offering went to the offerer and he shared it with his friends and family, the instructions here are addressed to the laity. It is addressed to any individual that brings a peace offering. The priest is hardly even mentioned.

They were instructed on what to present, what must be eaten, when to eat it, what to do with the leftovers, what to do with contaminated meat, and the ritual status of the Israelites that participate in the meal.
.
.

4. There are three different type of peace offerings mentioned in the text. What are they (7:12a, 13a, 16a).

• A peace offering given out of thanksgiving (7:12a).

• A peace offering given as a result of a vow (7:16a).

• A peace offering given as a freewill offering (7:16a).

A peace offering given out of thanksgiving offering was offered to fulfill a promise made by a person in a prayer of lament when Yahweh answered the prayer. He presented this sacrifice with music and song to celebrate deliverance.

In the second case, a vow was made in a prayer of lament by a person in trouble. When Yahweh answered his prayer by rescuing him, he fulfilled his vow by offering a peace offering.

In the third case, a peace offering was made completely out of free will. The freewill offering was brought spontaneously in gratitude for Yahweh’s blessings.

What type of peace offering would be made in the following situations: Gen. 28:20-22; 2Sam 15:7-8?

• A peace offering to fulfill a vow.

What type of peace offering would be made in the following situations: Pss. 7:17; 35:18; 52:9; 56:12-13?

• A peace offering of thanksgiving.

So all three kinds of peace offerings were offered in response to the experience of divine blessings.
.
.

5. The peace offering for thanksgiving receives the most attention (7:12-14). What was added to the normal peace offering in this type of offering?

• 7:12b: “unleavened loaves mixed with oil”

• 7:12c: “unleavened wafers smeared with oil”

• 7:12d: “loaves of fine flour well mixed with oil.”

• 7:13b: “loaves of leavened bread.”

So in total there were four different kinds of bread that were offered along with the animal. Three types of bread were unleavened and surprisingly one type was leavened. What other material was required with the unleavened bread (7:12)?

• They were either made with olive oil or olive oil was spread on them.

What was the offerer to do with some of this bread (7:14a)?

• “He shall offer one loaf from each offering, as a gift to the LORD.” One loaf of each of the four types of bread was given to Yahweh as a gift.

After Yahweh received these loaves, what did he do with them (7:14b)?

• He gave them to the presiding priest.

This meant that in the peace offering for thanksgiving none of the bread was burned. When the loaves of each type were given as a gift to Yahweh, they became holy and the rest of the loaves became holy also (see Lev. 19:5-8). The bread was not most holy since none of it was not burned on the altar; it did not come into contact with the fire of Yahweh’s holy presence on the altar. Therefore it was not required that it be eaten by the priest in Yahweh’s presence. Rather, the holy bread received by the priest could also be eaten by him and his family outside the sanctuary. And the rest of the holy bread that was not given as a gift to Yahweh was eaten as part the sacrificial banquet by the offerer and his family and friends. It was eaten by the holy people of God with the confines of the holy camp.
.
.

6. In the previous point we discussed the holy bread from the peace offering for thanksgiving that became a part of the banquet meal in which the peace (complete wholeness and well-being) from Yahweh was celebrated. Now we will look at the holy meat that was eaten at this same banquet celebration. The protection of the meat’s holiness is the main point in this pericope.

Like the bread, the meat from the peace offering was holy not “most holy.” (If it were most holy it would have to be eaten by the priests directly in Yahweh’s presence.) Since it was not most holy, it did not communicate holiness, yet it was not common meat either. It could not be used for common purposes. It had to be used for the holy purposes that Yahweh determined, which in this case was a eucharistic celebration.

Sacred space was determined by one’s proximity to Yahweh. The space closer to him was more holy and the space farther away from him was less holy. Sacred time was determined by Yahweh. Yahweh determined that the holy meat from the peace offerings had to be eaten within certain periods of time. How long did the offerer and his family and friends have to eat the peace offering for thanksgiving (7:15)?

• This offering had to be eaten on the same day that it was offered.

What else was required besides eating it during this time period (17:15b)?

• They had to eat it all. None of it was to remain the next morning.

How long could the peace offering for a vow or out of freewill be eaten (7:16)?

• These offerings had to be eaten the day of the sacrifice or the next day.

If any of the peace offering offered by freewill or for a vow had any meat left on the third day, what were they to do with it (7:17)?

• They were to burn it. It could no longer be used for holy purposes and it could not be used for common purposes either.

What would happen if someone did eat meat from the peace offering on the third day (7:18)?

• If this happened, the offerer would not be accepted by Yahweh. He would not get credit for making the offering. Since the offering was tainted, desecrating Yahweh’s holiness, the offerer would have to “bear his iniquity.”

The time restrictions for eating the peace offering were given to protect the holiness of the meat. The holy meat had to be eaten in a time period that was close to the original sacrifice. It was always to be remembered that the banquet meal celebration was the result of the peace offering. It was to be remembered that the peace they had was a gift from Yahweh their holy God.
.
.

7. Lev. 7:19-21 gives more restrictions concerning the holy meat from the peace offering. What two restrictions are given in 7:19?

• The holy meat could not come into contact with anything unclean. If it did the tainted meat had to be burned. And only people who were clean could eat the holy meat.

What happened if someone who was unclean ate the holy meat from the peace offering (7:20)?

• That person was cutoff from Israel; he was excommunicated from the people of God.

The prohibition against someone who had become unclean, no matter how they became unclean, is reiterated in 7:21. If that occurs “that person shall be cut off from his people.”

The principle of “cleanness” was a basic principle of worship in the OT. (We will study about this when we study Lev. 11-15.) One had to be ritually pure for admission into God’s presence and for reception of God’s blessings (cf. Ps. 24:3-5) else one defiled and desecrated the offering and it had to be burned (7:19a) and he had to be excommunicated from God’s people (7:20, 21). So this instruction was given to forestall such a thing. In many cases a person was unclean for only a short period of time. Therefore one might have to be temporarily excluded from contact with holy things in order to prevent permanent exclusion.

The meat from this offering was meant to be shared with the family or community. Therefore when carried out according to Yahweh’s Word, a sense of community was stressed. The community aspect of it was also emphasized by the penalty for uncleanness – separation from the community.
.
.

8. In summary then, the laity was the primary recipient of these instructions from Yahweh concerning the peace offering. They were instructed on what to present, what must be eaten, when to eat it, what to do with the leftovers, and what to do with contaminated meat. It also says that the people also must be “clean” to eat it. The result of the peace offering was a sacred meal provided by Yahweh for his people. In it, Yahweh treated them as favored guests. He provided holy food for them to eat in His presence. Its holiness was very important, therefore it could not come into contact with anything that was unclean and it had to eaten in the given time period. Desecration of it led to excommunication.
.
.
Fulfillment in Christ

9. For how Jesus fulfilled the peace offering, see Lesson 4, points 11 – 15. For how Jesus fulfilled the occasional offerings as a whole (6:24 – 7:21), see Lesson 15.

Read Lev. Lev. 6:24 – 7:21

Outline
I. Introduction (6:24-25a)
II. Divine speech (6:25b-7:21)
...A. Instruction about the sin offering (6:25b-30)
...B. Instruction about the reparation offering (7:1-10)
...C. Instruction about the peace offering (7:11-21)

Study
1. In this lesson we will learn about how Jesus fulfilled the occasional offerings of the Israelites in a wide sense. How Jesus specifically fulfilled each of the three offerings covered in 6:24 – 7:21 has already been discussed.

• For information on the sin offering (6:24-30) and how Jesus fulfilled it, see Lessons 5 and 6 (Lev. 4:1 – 5:13).
• For information on the reparation (guilt) offering (7:1-10) and how Jesus fulfilled it, see Lesson 7 (Lev. 5:14 – 6:7).
• For information on the peace offering (7:11-21) and how Jesus fulfilled it, see Lesson 4 (Lev. 3).
.
.

2. Like the daily public offerings, the occasional offerings had three main stages or steps. They were as follows.

Step 1) First there was the blood rite of atonement.
Step 2) Second was the incineration of the offerings.
Step 3) And third there was the sacred meal of bread and meat.

Only after the removal of impurity (in step 1) and God’s acceptance of the people (in step 2) could the priests and people eat the sacred food (in step 3). And they had to be ritually clean before they could participate in the meal. Otherwise they would desecrate God’s holiness.

According to Heb. 7:27 and Heb. 10:12, how were all of the OT sacrifices fulfilled?

• Jesus fulfilled all the OT sacrifices by offering up once and for all the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus offered up himself and, having completed his work, he now sits at the right hand of God.

Jesus’ one sacrifice completely fulfills each of the three steps of the OT occasional offerings offered in the divine service.

Step 1) In the sin and reparation offerings, an innocent and perfect animal gave up its life in the place of the sinner. Its shed blood was then used to provide atonement, that is, to cover sin. How did Jesus fulfill this step?

• Jesus, the innocent and perfect One, took our place, paying the price that we deserved. He willingly gave up his life and shed his blood to atone for our sin.

Step 2) In the sin, reparation, and peace offerings the fat, kidneys, and lobe of liver were burned on the altar, which produced a pleasing aroma to Yahweh. This meant that Yahweh accepted the offering and the offerer. They both pleased him. Jesus also fulfilled this step.

o God the Father was well pleased with the offering of his Son, for by offering himself he took away the sins of the world. By believing in his all-availing sacrifice, Christians are now acceptable in God’s sight. In Christ, the Father is well pleased with Christians. God now accepts them and their sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

Step 3) Because the Israelites were cleansed of sin and acceptable to God, Yahweh invited them to a banquet meal. The end result of the occasional offerings was holy food provided by Yahweh for this holy meal. The sin and reparation offerings provided most holy meat for the priests. And the peace offering provided holy bread for the priests and for the community of Israel. The peace offering also provided holy meat for the community. In this meal they celebrated the peace which Yahweh gave them. How did Jesus fulfill this step? What holy meal does God provide for his people?

• In his sacrifice on the cross Jesus cleansed the world of sin and made people acceptable to God. As a result God invites us to a holy meal. The end result of Jesus’ sacrifice is that he gives his body as holy food for a holy meal – the Lord’s Supper. Jesus called himself the Bread from Heaven. In the Supper we receive this Bread from Heaven and celebrate the peace that God gives that surpasses all understanding.

Because Jesus’ one-time sacrifice fulfills all of these sacrifices, we no longer need to offer sin, reparation, and peace offerings. His sacrifice provides all that we need – forgiveness, acceptance, and fellowship with God.
.
.

3. In the OT only the priests could eat the most holy food. The laypeople could eat the holy food, but not the most holy food. But this has changed in the NT. What are the laypeople called in 1 Pet. 2:9? What does this mean that all of God’s are? What does this mean concerning eating most holy food?

• They are called a royal priesthood. This means that all of God’s people are priests, which means that all of God’s people eat the most holy food that God provides.

In the OT the priests could not eat the meat from their own sin and reparation offerings; they could not benefit from their sins. But in the NT this is different. Jesus is our sin and reparation offering and yet we eat his most holy body. It benefits us greatly as it conveys the forgiveness of sins. What else does it convey to those who partake of it in faith (Heb. 10:10)?

• It also conveys Christ’s holiness (we are sanctified). Contact with this most holy food makes and keeps God’s people holy. In this way God shares His holiness with us.
.
.

4. In the peace offering for thanksgiving, four different kinds of bread were brought and offered. This bread became part of the festive banquet that celebrated the peace that Yahweh provides. Sometimes the Lord’s Supper is called the Eucharist. What does Eucharist mean?

• Eucharist means thanksgiving.

The Lord’s Supper fulfills the peace offering. In the Lord’s Supper we receive God’s peace and at the same time we thank him for this great gift (Mt. 26:26, 27, 30; Lk 22:19-20; Heb. 13:15-16), just as the Israelites offered a peace offering for thanksgiving. Such an offering of thanksgiving is well-pleasing to the Father (Heb. 13:16).

So the only sacrifice that we make is the sacrifice of thanksgiving. This sacrifice is eucharistic and not propitiary (made to turn aside God’s wrath – Christ’s one-time sacrifice on Calvary has already done that). In fact the entire Divine Service is a service of thanksgiving. Throughout the service by faith we receive the gracious gifts that God offers and we in turn respond with sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.
.
.

5. A prerequisite for the Israelites was that they had to be in a ritually “clean” state before they could approach the sanctuary with their offerings and eat the sacred meal (more on this in chapters 11 – 15). This was necessary so that they would not profane God’s holiness. As Christians approach God in the Divine Service to receive his gifts and to eat his Supper, they too must be in a ritual state of purity. How is it that Christians enter this state of purity (Acts 22:16)? What is cleansed by this act?

• Through Baptism our sins are washed away. In Baptism we are connected to the death and resurrection of Christ. His shed blood cleanses our conscience and heart.

Each Sunday baptized believers in Jesus come into God’s holy presence to eat a holy meal, which is the holy body and blood of Christ. Because the food received at this meal is most holy, great care must be taken that we do not profane God’s holiness. The first step taken to avoid sacrilege is that only those baptized receive the holy meal. But those who are baptized are still sinful people. So what else is done to avoid sacrilege? What takes place at the beginning of each Divine Service to prevent this?

• The Divine Service begins with confession and absolution. As sinful people we openly confess to God that we are sinful. The pastor then, as God’s representative, announces the forgiveness of the sin of those who confess.

Since our sins have been forgiven, we are pure in God’s sight. All he sees is the righteousness of Christ. Therefore we can receive the holy meal without the worrying about profaning Christ’s holiness. If we were to profane his holiness, what would we expect as a result (1 Cor. 11:27-32)?

• We would expect to be judged and disciplined by God.

For those who eat the holy meal in faith and with a clean conscience, they receive nothing but grace and peace, life and blessing. They have a foretaste of the great heavenly banquet that celebrates the union of the Messiah with His holy people.
.
.

6. When the Israelites became unclean and then came into contact with something that was holy, the penalty was to be cut off from God and the community of God’s people.

What happens to those Christians who reject God’s grace by rejecting Christ (Rom 11:22)?

• Like the OT Israelites, Christians who have fallen away will be cut off from God and his people.

There is another situation in which people are cut off from God and the Church. What is it (Gal 5:4)?

• Those who try and justify themselves by the law are “severed from Christ.” And since Christ is the only Way to the Father (Jesus said, “I AM the way … No one comes to the Father except through me.”), by counting on their own righteousness in keeping the law they lose access to God’s grace; they lose their place among God’s people.

Outline
I. Introduction (7:22-23a)
II. Divine Speech (7:23b-27)
...A. The fat from animals (7:23b-25)
...B. The blood from animals (7:26-27)

Study
1. In the prior lesson, Yahweh gave instructions on the proper use and disposal of holy things of the occasional offerings. These holy things consisted of the meat, the blood, and the fat. The purpose of these instructions was so that Yahweh’s holiness would not be desecrated. These instructions covered the animals that were killed and used for the offerings, but what about animals that died outside the tabernacle that the Israelites came upon during their daily life? Did the same restrictions apply to these animals or could they do what they wanted with them? This short section answers these questions.

What offering was discussed in 7:11-21?

• The peace offering.

What offering will be discussed in 7:28-36?

• The peace offering.

So while these verses answer questions about dead animals encountered by the Israelites outside the tabernacle, this speech was placed here because it also has something to say to the Israelites about fat and blood from the peace offering.
.
.

2. Lev. 7:22 begins a new divine speech, as Yahweh speaks to Moses. What was Moses to do with the words that Yahweh was about to speak to him (7:23a)?

• Moses was to pass on to Israel what Yahweh was going to say.

What is the general rule concerning the fat from cattle, sheep, and goats (7:23b)?

• “You shall eat no fat, of ox or sheep or goat.” They were not allowed to eat fat.

What was the general rule concerning blood from a bird or animal (7:26)?

• “Moreover, you shall eat no blood whatever, whether of fowl or of animal, in any of your dwelling places.” They were not allowed to eat blood.

This same restriction was given in the regulations for the peace offering in 3:16b-17. For what reason did pagans eat blood and fat (see Lesson 4, point #5)?

• Pagans ate blood because they believed they would receive the life force from the sacrifice. Pagans associated the fat with power. Therefore they ate the fat to gain spiritual power.

So by giving these laws, Yahweh was stressing to the Israelites that life and power originated and came from him. This law prevented the Israelites from following these pagan practices. And if these are the laws that apply to the blood and fat of animals outside the tabernacle, how much more does it apply to the sacrifices at the tabernacle! Under no circumstances were they to eat blood or fat.
.
.

3. Outside the tabernacle, if animal died by itself (7:24a) or was killed by other animals (7:24b) the Israelites were forbidden from eating its fat (7:24d). But what were they allowed to do with the fat (7:24c)?

• They were allowed to use the fat in any other way.

Examples of things they might use the fat for were: for fuel for a lamp or as polish or as the base for an ointment.
.
.

4. What would happen to anyone who ate the fat from an offering made to Yahweh (7:25)?

• That person would be cut off from Israel. He would be excommunicated. It would be as if that person did not exist to Israel.

The general prohibition against eating the fat from animals (7:23b) is given to make sure that no Israelite eats the fat from any sacrifice to Yahweh. This includes the peace offering which was discussed just prior to this text and which will be discussed some more after this text.

What was the penalty for eating any blood (7:27)?

• The penalty was the same as eating the fat. That person who eats blood will be “cut off from his people.” He will be excommunicated and cease to exist in Israel.

This may seem to be a harsh penalty for eating fat or blood. But remember those who did such things did them to gain life and power. They looked outside of Yahweh for such blessings. In the end this was a form of idolatry. It is placing one’s trust in something or someone other than Yahweh. No one who trusts other gods or other things instead of Yahweh can be a part of the people of God. As the people of God, Israel lived in Yahweh’s holy presence. Such an idolater could no longer live in Yahweh’s presence. He was expelled from the community.

So the peace offering was all about the community of God’s people. Those who believed and trusted in Yahweh celebrated the peace (well-being, complete and whole life) they had with Yahweh and one another. Therefore it was appropriate that those who did not trust in Yahweh for life and peace were not a part of the community. They placed their faith in other gods and therefore excluded themselves from the assembly.
.
.

Fulfillment in Christ

5. For how Jesus fulfilled this text concerning fat and blood, see Lesson 4, points 13 and 14.
.
.

Outline
I. Introduction (7:28-29a)
II. Divine speech about the priestly dues from the peace offering (7:29b-34)
...A. Personal presentation of the Lord’s offering from the peace offering (7:29b-33)
...B. Divine decree (7:34)
III. Postscript about the priestly portions from the peace offering (7:35-36)
...A. God’s institution of these dues for the priests (7:35-36a)
...B. Their perpetuity (7:36b)

Study
1. A new divine speech begins in 7:28. And again what Yahweh tells Moses he is to pass on to the Israelites (7:29a). In this speech God addresses the Israelites about certain portions of the peace offering that God has reserved for the priests.

This text expands on the peace offering in 3:1-17 and the instructions about the bread and meat in the peace offering in 7:11-21. While the presentation of the fat was mentioned in chapter three, the text here gives the full procedure for the presentation of the fat to Yahweh.
.
.

2. Before the priests could receive what they were due from the peace offering, these gifts had to be given to Yahweh. After Yahweh took possession of them he gave the priests their part.

This text describes the procedure of how the gifts of the peace offering were presented to Yahweh and what Yahweh did with them. The procedure was as follows:

Once the animal for the peace offering had been brought to the tabernacle (7:29b), who was responsible for bringing Yahweh’s gifts to the altar to give to him (7:29c-30a)?

• The layperson offering the peace offering himself brought the gifts of the peace offering to Yahweh “with his own hands.”

What two things did he bring to Yahweh at the altar (7:30b)?

• He brought the fat and breast (rib cage) to Yahweh at the altar.

Once he brought them to the altar, what did he do with them (7:30c)?

• He waved them or elevated them before Yahweh.

When the breast and fat were elevated at the altar, what did the presiding priest do (7:31a)?

• The presiding priest took the fat from the rib cage and burned it on the altar.

The elevation and burning of the fat transferred possession of the peace offering to Yahweh. Once Yahweh possessed it, he could do with it whatever he pleased. What did Yahweh determine should happen to the breast (7:31b)?

• Yahweh determined that the breast should go to Aaron and his sons, the priests.

What did Yahweh determine the layperson should do with the right thigh of the peace offering (7:32-33)?

• “The right thigh you shall give to the priest as a contribution.” The right thigh belonged to the priest who made atonement with the blood and who burned the fat on the altar. It belonged to the presiding priest.
.
.

3. In Lev. 7:34, Yahweh explains what he was doing in the procedure just given. What was Yahweh doing?

• He took the breast that was waved or elevated before him and the thigh that was contributed by the people of Israel from the peace offering and gave them to the priests as their perpetual due.

So the Israelite layperson gave these things to Yahweh as a gift. Yahweh received the gifts and then turned around and gave them to the priests who were serving him. This was another way in which Yahweh provided food for the priests and their families.

The peace offering was the most common sacrifice of all the sacrifices. Therefore it provided a large part of the diet of the priests and their families. The meat given to the priests from the peace offering is called “a perpetual due” (7:34c). When a worker works, he is “due” a pay check for that work. So it was in the manner described in these verses that Yahweh paid the priests that worked for him at the tabernacle. Going forward from the day on which they were anointed as priests (7:35b, 36b), Yahweh provided for them by the peace offerings. This ordinance was to continue from generation to generation (7:36c).
.
.

4. Instructions for the offering that was made when a priest was ordained were given in Ex. 29:22-28. When this offering was made, a portion of it was given to the priests. What portion did the priests receive (Ex. 29:26-28)?

• From the ordination offering the priests received the breast and thigh as they did in the peace offering.

The ordination offering then set the precedent for the peace offering. Therefore from the day that they were anointed and consecrated as priests, Yahweh provided for them. Beginning with the ordination offering and continuing from that point forward in the peace offerings, Yahweh provided food for the priest and his family (7:35-36).
.
.

Fulfillment in Christ

5. The priests were God’s courtiers, the keepers of His house, and administrators of His affairs. God assigned them and their families a portion of the offerings so they could be fully devoted to God’s service without supplemental employment.

When Jesus sent out the Twelve to preach, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” what did they do for food and shelter (Mt. 10:5-11)?

• Food and shelter were provided for them free of charge by those who heard the Gospel.

Who did Paul compare in 1 Cor. 9:13-14?

• He compared those who proclaim the Gospel in the NT with the OT priests.

What was the comparison he made? How were they similar?

• Paul said that just as the OT priests received their food from the sacrifices, so the NT pastors should receive their living from the Gospel. That is, pastors who preach the Gospel should be paid from the offerings brought by the congregation.

Who is it that should share “all good things with the one who teaches” God’s Word (Gal. 6:6)?

• The one who is taught should share with his teacher. The layperson should provide for his pastor.

Who went out of their way to provide for Paul even when he was not with them (Phil. 4:15-18)?

• The Philippian congregation provided for Paul’s needs even as he went and preached the Gospel at other places.

Ministers of the Word are doing holy work and they are to receive their living from the holy offerings given to God at the Divine Service. God takes from the offerings given by the congregation and in turn gives part of it to his servants, his pastors. It is in this way that God provides for them and their families.
.
.

Study
1. These verses not only conclude chapters 6-7, but they also conclude the entire manual of offerings (chs. 1-7). The offerings listed in 7:37 are the offerings that have been discussed in the first 7 chapters of Leviticus, except for one. The offerings are listed in the order of holiness.

The one offering that has not been discussed in the first 7 chapters of Leviticus is the ordination offering. The ordination offerings were instituted in Ex. 29:19-28 and enacted in Lev. 8:22-29. Earlier we established that the ordination offerings set the precedent and provided a pattern for the peace offerings (see Lesson 17, point #4). The priest’s portion of the peace offering in 7:29-35 is the same as it was in the ordination offering, which is found in Ex. 29:22-28. So it may be listed for that reason.

These ritual instructions were given by Yahweh to Moses at Mount Sinai (7:38a). In these instructions Yahweh commanded the Israelites to bring these offerings to Yahweh at the tabernacle (7:38b), the place where he lived among his people.