Reasons and Restrictions for the Peace Offering

The instructions for the peace offering are continued in chapter seven of Leviticus, where we find three reasons why the worshiper might bring a peace offering.

1. Thanksgiving — The primary reason for bringing a peace offering was gratitude. Oh, how we need to relearn the art of thankfulness. A welfare mentality has influenced us for so long that we have lost any sense of gratitude we might have had. God simply desires us to come with thanksgiving. He has done so much for us. Let us learn to praise Him.
2. Vow ~ A second reason to bring a peace offering is to make a vow. We tend to shy away from making vows. Many folks tell me they do not want to trust Christ because they are afraid they will not be able to keep their promises. But you see, salvation and all the blessings that come with it are not dependent on us. God has made every provision for eternal life and how to live it. Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ that liveth in me” (Gal. 2:20). We need to get back to the point where we make promises to God to live right and then trust Him to help us live right.
3. Voluntary ~ A third reason to bring a peace offering was as a voluntary offering. Here, we see that there was no obligation like sin or a vow to “make” us offer the sacrifice. A free will offering is given to keep the lines of peace open. God loves for His children to voluntarily offer their lives, their time, their talents, and their treasure in service to the King of kings.

In chapter seven of Leviticus, we also find several restrictions for the peace offering. Truly, God wants us to serve Him and offer ourselves in service, but there is always a proper way to make the offering and to render the service. We must set aside the casual attitude of modern society that says, “Take what you get” when we speak to our Lord.

1. No Remainders After the Third Day ~ Unlike the burnt offering that was fully consumed, the peace offering was to be eaten. If the offering was an offering of thanksgiving, it was to be eaten the same day. It is important that our thanks are given immediately. If the offering was made to fulfill a vow or as a voluntary offering (7:16ff), it could be eaten on the first day or left until the second day. However, any part of the offering left after the second day was to be burnt. Is there a connection to the Lord Jesus Christ rising from the dead on the third day? For two days, he ministered in the shadows of hell, proclaiming liberty to the captives and victory to the overcomers. Before the resurrection, hell had an upper and a lower compartment. The upper compartment was called Abraham’s bosom and held the souls of departed saints. The lower compartment was called the place of torment and contained the departed souls of the wicked. At the resurrection, Jesus Christ led captivity captive (Eph. 4:8), meaning he took believers from the upper compartment to Paradise with him.In the sixth chapter of the Book of Romans, the believer is instructed to live in resurrection power. Nothing from the world should remain in the life of the consecrated soul. Just as hell was left in hell and the souls of the OT saints were taken to heaven, so the world must be left behind in the world, while the NT saints carry the new man given through salvation. There should be nothing left after spiritual transformation.
2. No Uncleanness — A second requirement for the peace offering was the absence of uncleanness. You will notice that uncleanness can be present in the sacrifice itself or in the worshiper. Likewise, our service can be considered unclean because it is defiled, or the entire act can be invalidated if the worshiper is unclean.
3. No Fat Eaten ~ A third restriction regarding the peace offering is that no fat is to be eaten. This is strictly mentioned at the end of chapter three (v.17). Fat could be classified as that which is unnecessary. There are many things attached to our service for God that are unnecessary. We must cut these away.
4. No Blood Eaten ~ A fourth restriction concerning the peace offering is that no blood is to be consumed. This is repeatedly emphasized, first at the end of chapter three and again here in chapter seven. “The life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev.17:11). Since the beginning of the permission to eat flesh, man has been forbidden to eat blood (Gen.9:4). The blood of the sacrifice points to the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Don’t mess with the blood! The blood of God is his blood. We are not to take any glory from the sacrifice for ourselves. (LEH)