Leviticus 3

1“If you present an animal from the herd asa peace offering to the LORD, it may bea male a 4:3: 7:11-21 or a fernale, but it must have no defects. 2Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and 3:2 Exod 29:11 slaughter it at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

5Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter (204-4: 7-141:16 Or the crop and its contents. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 3:2 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; alsoin 3:8, 13OO2:1tf The grain offering accompanied all burnt offerings andwas a gift of thanks to God. It reminded the people that their foodcame from God and that they therefore owed their lives to him.Three kinds of grain offerings are listed: (1) fine flour with oiland incense, (2) baked cakes or wafers of fine flour and oil,and (3) roasted kernels of grain (corn) with oil and incense.The absence of yeast symbolized the absence of sin, and theoil symbolized God’s presence. Part of the grain offering wasburned on the altar as a gift to God, and the rest was eaten bythe priests. The offerings heiped support them in their work.2:11 Why was no yeast allowed in the grain offerings? Yeastis a bacterial fungus or mold and is, therefore, an appropriatesymbol for sin. It grows in bread dough just as sin grows ina life.A ittle yeast will affect the whole loaf, just as a little sin can ruina whole life. Jesus expanded this analogy by warning about the“yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6; Mark8:15). How do you visualize the effects of sin in your life? Whatdo you do to eliminate sin from your attitudes and actions?2:13 The offerings were seasoned with salt as a reminder of thepeople's covenant (contract) with God. Salt is a good symbol ofGod's activity in a person’s life because it penetrates, preserves,and aids in healing. God wants to be active in your life. Let himbecome part of you, penetrating every aspect of your life, preserv-ing you from the evil all around, and healing you of your sins andshortcomings.2:13 In ancient Middle Eastern lands, an agreement was sealedwith a gift of salt to show the strength and permanence of thecontract. Salt also points to the effects of a truthful agreement—it changes behavior. In Matthew 5:13 believers are called “thegalt of the earth.

6Let the salt you use each day remind you thatyou are now one of God's covenant people, who actively helpspreserve and purify the world.2:14, 15 Coarsely ground heads of new grain mixed with oil andbaked was typical food for the average person. This offering wasa token presentation of a person’s daily food. in this way, peopleacknowledged God as provider of their food. Even a poor personcould fulfill this offering. God was pleased by the motivation andthe dedication of the persons making it.3:1ff A person gave a peace offering as an expression of grati-tude and a means of maintaining fellowship between himself and

its blood against all sides of the altar. $The priest must present part of this peace offering as a special gift to the LORD. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 4the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, Sand Aaron’s sons will burn them on top of the burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 6“Tf you present an animal from the flock as a peace offering to the LORD, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. 7If you present a sheep as your offering, bring it to the LORD, Slay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron's sons will then splatter the sheep's blood against all sides of the altar. 9The priest must present the fat of this peace offering as a special gift to the LORD. This includes the fat of the broad tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat around the internal organs,!°the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, ‘tand the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food presented to the LORD. 12“If you present a goat as your offering, bring it to the LORD, ‘tay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the goat’s blood againstall sides of the altar. 14The priest must present part of this offering asa special gift to the LORD. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 'Sthe two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, ‘and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food, a pleasing aroma to the Lor. All the fat belongs to the LORD. 17“You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation, wherever you live.”