Leviticus 7:22-38
Q.1. What offering was Israel not to eat? Who was to make the peace offering? What portions belonged to the priests? – (Lev.7:22-34)
The first prohibition given to Israel was to refrain from eating any of the fat from an ox, goat, or sheep. They could use the fat of an animal killed by a beast but not eat any of it. This would protect the people from infection and keep them from obesity (Lev.7:22-25). Added to this – You are not to eat any blood, either of a bird or animal in any of your dwellings. Any person who eats any blood, even that person shall be cut off from his people Lev.7:26-27). God would explain the reason later – For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls … for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life (Lev.17:11 & 14). The Lord’s Supper can become impersonal and routine. Such indifference was not easily possible for the Israelites, who were commanded regarding the peace offerings – His own hands are to bring offerings by fire to the Lord. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be presented as a wave offering before the Lord (Lev.7:30 c.f. Lev.3:2). Then the priest would burn up the fat on the altar – but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons … and the thigh of the contribution from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings I have given to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their due forever from the sons of Israel (Lev.7:31-34).
Q.2. Who decided what portions of the offerings belonged to the priests? Who gave the laws relating to the offerings? – (Lev.7:34-38)
God knew how to sustain the health of the priesthood from the grain, sin, and guilt offerings – these the Lord had commanded to be given them for the sons of Israel in the day that He anointed them. It is their due forever throughout their generations (Lev.7:36). However, it required that Israel faithfully made their sacrifices to the Lord. God had an overall plan that spans the ages. It was He Who instructed Moses at Mount Sinai which offerings were required to atone for the sins of His people (Lev.7:38). The sacrificial system looked forward to the redemption accomplished at Calvary. Today the believer is – … justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom.3:24-26). The details of the sacrificial system were not arbitrary but were pre-planned according to the truth of the gospel.