The peace offering, also known as the fellowship offering, is a significant aspect of the sacrificial system outlined in the Old Testament. It is primarily detailed in the book of Leviticus, where it is presented as a voluntary act of worship, thanksgiving, and communion with God. The peace offering is unique in that it allows for both male and female animals from the herd or flock to be offered, reflecting its inclusive nature and the communal aspect of the sacrifice.

Biblical Foundation

The instructions for peace offerings are found in Leviticus 3 and Leviticus 7. The offering could be a male or female animal from the herd or flock, without blemish, symbolizing the purity and perfection required in offerings to God. Leviticus 3:1-2 states, "If one's offering is a peace offering and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present it without blemish before the LORD. He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting."

Purpose and Significance

The peace offering served multiple purposes. It was an expression of gratitude and thanksgiving to God, a means of fulfilling a vow, or a freewill offering. It symbolized reconciliation and fellowship with God, emphasizing the peace and harmony between the offerer and the Divine. The offering was also a communal meal, where the offerer, the priests, and sometimes the community shared in the sacrificial meal, highlighting the communal aspect of worship and fellowship.

Ritual and Procedure

The ritual involved the laying of hands on the animal, signifying the identification of the offerer with the sacrifice. The animal was then slaughtered, and its blood was sprinkled on the altar. The fat and certain internal organs were burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, as described in Leviticus 3:3-5 : "From the peace offering, he is to present an offering made by fire to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, the kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD."

Theological Implications

The peace offering underscores the importance of peace and reconciliation in the believer's relationship with God. It reflects the desire for harmony and the acknowledgment of God's provision and blessings. The communal aspect of the peace offering foreshadows the fellowship believers have with one another and with Christ, who is the ultimate peace offering, reconciling humanity to God through His sacrifice.

New Testament Fulfillment

In the New Testament, the concept of peace offerings finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is described as our peace (Ephesians 2:14). His sacrificial death on the cross reconciles believers to God, establishing a new covenant of peace. The communal meal aspect of the peace offering is echoed in the Lord's Supper, where believers partake in communion, celebrating the peace and fellowship established through Christ's sacrifice.

The peace offering, with its allowance for both male and female animals, highlights the inclusivity and communal nature of worship and fellowship with God, pointing forward to the ultimate reconciliation achieved through Jesus Christ.Leviticus 3:1,6,12
And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings and thy peace offerings, thy
sheep ... sycomore trees: and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

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