Leviticus 7:11

Leviticus 7:11 says, And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.  This was still God's instructions to Moses, this time concerning the peace offering.  We need to hear what God has to say to us today if we are followers of Christ.  Verse twelve adds, 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.  Moses was first told of the requirements for a thanksgiving offering, which was to be offered with unleavened cakes and wafers anointed with oil.  These offerings were not required, but were to be freely offered any time a person wanted to do so.  Accepting Christ's sacrifice on the cross for our sins is all that is necessary for salvation, but we are still to make offerings to God of the material things that He blesses us with.  Verse thirteen continues, Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.  There were also leavened cakes that were to be offered with the peace offering as an offering of thanksgiving.  Verse fourteen declares, 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.  One part the leavened bread was to be given to the priest, who would sprinkle it with the blood of the peace offering.  We know today that we are made righteous with God by the shed blood of Jesus, and when we offer anything to God, it is purified by the blood of Jesus.  Verse fifteen adds, 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.  What was left over from the peace offering could be eaten not just by the priest but by the one bringing the offering as well, but it had to be eaten that day.  Matthew Henry says this was so that something given to God would never be allowed to decay.  When we offer something to God today, we must give it freely to be used up immediately if God sees fit, and if we are allowed to still keep a portion for ourselves, then we must still use it all for the glory of God.  Verse sixteen continues, 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:  There was a little difference in the offering made for a vow, and that was that what was left could be eaten on the second day as well.  As Christians, everything we own should belong to God, and some of it will be immediately removed from our possession to do God's work through the church as a whole, but even the rest should be viewed as belonging to God and used for His honor and glory.  Verse seventeen states, But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire.  Anything left by the third day was to be burned up.  Verse eighteen adds, 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.  Any of the offering eaten the third day would make the offering not be accepted.  We need to realize that God is the One Who controls the way that our offerings are to be used, and once we make them they are then under His control.  Verse nineteen continues, And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.  If the flesh of the offering touched anything unclean, it was to be burned.  All that was clean could still be eaten.  When we bring an offering to God today, we should ask forgiveness for any sin in our lives when we do so, and then our sacrifice will be pure.  Verse twenty declares, But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.  Anyone eating part of the peace offering who was unclean was to be cut off from the people of God.  If we allow something unclean, or some sin, to enter our life today as a follower of Christ, then we may lose our close relationship with other Christians, though won't lose our salvation.  Verse twenty-one adds, Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.  Offerings and sacrifices were taken seriously then, as should our offerings be today.  Whenever we offer anything to God, we should first make sure that we are not made unclean by some sin that is in our life.