Leviticus 3
HAWEISLeviticus 3:1-5
flanks: and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it fhall he take away. 5. And Aaron’s fom * fhall burn it on the altar, upon the burnt-facrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire : it is an offering made by fire of a sweet favour unto the LORD.
Peace-offerings were either to express their grateful acknowledgments for mercies received, or to refund their prayers for some good which was defaud. It was called a peace-offering, because God was regarded therein as in a state of reconciliation with them. Note, Chrift is our peace, and it is to him we may make our requests with confidence of being heard, and offer our praiias, affured they will please God.
The fame formalities were observed as before. The offerer laid his hand on the victim’s head, expreftive of the fence of his own defains. The head is killed, and the blood sprinkled upon the altar; intimating, that in our very facrifices of prayer and praise, we need pardon from God; and then the head is divided. Part is the Lord’s portion, v. 3, 4, of the remainder, part was the priest’s, the rest to be eaten by the offerer and his family, for chap. vii. Two things are to be observed, 1. The fat must be burned on the altar. So should every corrupt affection of our hearts continually be confining by the fire of divine love. 2. It was burned upon the daily burnt-offering; for it is with a constant eye to the Lamb that was flain, that we can hope to keep, up any peaceful intercourse and communion with the holy God.
- ¶ And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace-offering unto the LORD be of the flock, male or female; he shall offer it without blemish. 7. If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the LORD. 8. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation; and Aaron’s ions shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar. 9. And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering, an offering made by fire unto the LORD: the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall be take off hard by the back-bone: and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards. 10. And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall be take away. 11. And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD. 12. ¶ And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD. 13. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation; and the ions of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about. 14. And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards. 15. And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall be take away. 16. And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet favour. 17. All the fat is the LORD’s. 17. It shall be a perpetual flature for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
Leviticus 3:6-17
The fame process was to attend the leffer sacrifices of peace-offerings. The rump of the sheep only was added to the fat. An express prohibition is also added of eating either any of the fat of the inwards or blood. As the blood was typical of the atonement, it must be regarded as sacred; and the fat being God’s portion of the sacrifices, must not be used as a common thing. As the shadows are now passed away in Chrift, the reason of the prohibition ceases; only one command remains, that we live in holy temperance to the glory of God, not luxuriously eating the fat, and instantly drinking the blood of the flain.