Leviticus 3

Chapter 1-3 The Regular Pleasing Odour Offerings.

The offerings which are mainly intended to rise as a pleasing odour to Yahweh are first described ; the whole burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the peace sacrifices. While containing within them an important element of atonement, they also express dedication, worship, thanksgiving, tribute, a desire for fellowship with God, and the promise of obedience. These fall in line with the ancient offerings and sacrifices before Sinai, although being more extensive and more complicated.

We must not be too dogmatic about the differing significance of these sacrifices, as if we could limit them to one idea, for in all the animal sacrifices there was the presentation in one way or another of the blood to God, and the offering to Him of the fat along with the vital organs. The former sought atonement, the latter offered a pleasing odour to God. But we cannot doubt that each offering had its own special significance, and therefore its unique place within the system. And each presented an aspect of the greater offering, when our Lord Jesus Christ was offered up and sacrificed for us.

Chapter 3 The Peace (or ‘Wellbeing’) Sacrifice (zebach shelem - sacrifice of a ‘peace, health, prosperity and general well-being’ offering).

This might also be called ‘a well-being offering’ or ‘a fellowship offering’ for shelem indicates ‘peace and general well-being’. It is described as a zebach (sacrifice/slaughter) relating it back to such sacrifices (zebach) as are described in the introduction. Shelem indicates ‘peace, health and prosperity’, ‘well-being’. It was a joyous sacrifice, and mainly voluntary, an act of unrestrained free-will. It was regularly a thanksgiving offering (Leviticus 7:12) and often offered in connection with a vow (Leviticus 7:16). While atonement is not mentioned in this particular place, related to this particular offering, it would probably be a mistake to doubt that it contains an atoning element, for it is connected with atonement elsewhere (Exodus 29:33 with 28; see also Judges 20:26; 2 Samuel 24:25, both of which are very much connected with getting right with God. They are offered along with whole burnt offerings). One of its purposes is to seal man’s peace with God, and that always requires atonement, while fellowship would not be possible without atonement. And that is confirmed by the application of the blood, for the blood makes atonement for a person (Leviticus 17:11). The point being emphasised is that it is not a main purpose.

Of it, in its commonest form, only the fat, and the innards are fire-offerings, with the blood applied to the altar. Here were the specific atoning and worship elements. A portion of the meat was given to the priest and the remainder was partaken of by the offerer (or in some few special cases restricted to the priests - Leviticus 23:19). The general idea then is of the eating of that which has been accepted by God, of being at peace with Him and with each other, of enjoying His presence, and of rejoicing in, and expressing gratitude for, peace with God, health and prosperity, and fellowship with Him. It is an act of dedication, worship and love, and of cementing fellowship with God. Thus as with all sacrifices it had to contain within it an element of atonement.

But here the concentration is on it in its Godward aspect. It is important to recognise that God is never depicted as eating an offering in any way. He is the invisible God. This was unlike other religions where a pretence was regularly made, often by deceitful means, giving the impression that the god had eaten the offerings. See for an example the vivid description in the Jewish tale of Bel and the Dragon, where the priests left food in a room that was sealed, with ‘only the god inside’, and stole in at night through a secret door in order to eat the food and give the impression that the god had eaten it. This was clearly a parody on things that did in fact happen. People did believe that their gods required food from them. But they were gods of wood and stone, shaped in terms of created things. Israel’s God, however, was the God of Heaven.

In the Law it is always made clear that the offerings, if eaten, are eaten either by the priests or the people. (Consider also the shewbread and see Exodus 24:9-11). God participates by receiving the ‘pleasing odour’. Thus does He fellowship with His people through the peace offering, fellowshipping with them in their meal but not eating of it, an indication of friendly intentions and love and yet of separateness and non-earthiness. As we have seen this is made clear by the inclusion of the inedible frankincense in the grain offering. It was the pleasing odour not the actual food that came up to Yahweh. The food was consumed by the fire and turned into a pleasing odour. (In other words God accepted it spiritually).

These peace sacrifices were a regular part of the feasts for which the nation assembled, as they gathered round the tabernacle. Through them they ate in the presence of Yahweh, and enjoyed His company. Peace offerings and sacrifices were commonly connected with other offerings and sacrifices, bringing the people into direct participation and full involvement after the more serious business of the prime offerings had been completed. They were of larger animals, oxen sheep and goats, indicating a sharing, and females were seen as equally satisfactory in such sacrifices. This indicated both the lesser nature of the peace offering and its wider and more inclusive significance. It would be offered by, and consumed by, both men and women.