Tuesday, March 18, 2014

More Guidelines For Priests

The Trespass Offering
Leviticus 7:1-7

“Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most holy.  In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar. 

And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away: And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a trespass offering.  Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.  As the sin offering is, so is the trespass offering: there is one law for them: the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have it.” (Leviticus 7:1-7)

Like the sin offering, the trespass offering was to be killed in the same place as the burnt offering, and the blood to be sprinkled around the altar.   The priest was to take all the fat, the gall and the kidneys and burn them on the altar.  Like the sin offering, the priests were allowed to eat the bodies of the animals which were not offered for their sin.  Only holy things were to touch it.

The Priest’s Portion
Leviticus 7:8-10

“And the priest that offereth any man's burnt offering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath offered.  

And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it.  And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.” (Leviticus 7:8-10)

The hide of the animal was valuable for making leather and rawhide.  When an burnt offering was made, the hide went to the priest who made the sacrifice as his pay, rather than being burned.  

All of the cooked food offerings belonged to the priests, as well as the raw flour was to be shared equally among the priests.

Special Offerings

Giving Thanks
Leviticus 7:11-15

“And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.  If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.  Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. 

And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.  And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.” (Leviticus 7:11-15)

There were far less restrictions about what could given as a peace offering to express ones appreciation.  They could be either unleavened cakes or wafers, or even leavened bread.  One piece was to be heaved up toward heaven, and the rest was to be eaten by the donor and shared with those around to celebrate what God had done.  Nothing was to be left over.


A Gift To God
Leviticus 7:16-18

“But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten: But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. 

And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.” (Leviticus 7:16-18 )

Sometimes a person wants to just do something special for the Lord.  No guidelines as to what the offering were to consist of are made.  It is just eaten before the Lord as one might sit to eat with his friends.  However, it had to be completely consumed  within forty eight hours to .ensure no spoilage had occurred.  Anything left over on the third day was to be burned as spoiled.  To eat the spoiled food would make the offering unacceptable and the person eating it would be held responsible.




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