I miss my commentaries. I have a pretty nifty piece of Bible software I often use in my Bible study (in fact, my reading plan is input into it so that I can just click on a link and it brings up my reading for the day, or I type in my reading in the Study search, and it will bring up commentaries and helpful resources, and then after I've read it, I only have to click and it's marked as read! Sweet, huh?). This is my go-to piece for all things OT (Old Testament) as all of my OT books from college are... missing. I have notes, but my books and things have mysteriously disappeared. I want them back. Actually, I want my software back. But, because of disk space, memory, storage, etc., my husband did an upgrade on the computer, and has so far reinstalled everything but my software. I must ask him to do this. Soon.
I feel a bit at a loss with this passage. I admit: I feel I should know more about peace offerings than I do. What is the exact purpose of the peace offering? Is it to be given in concert with a burnt offering, a sin offering, a guilt offering in order to make peace with God? Or is a celebration of the peace with God that can be found through righteous living? This passage more than adequately states how to appropriately conduct a peace offering, but I feel at a loss for what a peace offering is. Have I missed it? I miss my commentaries for this purpose, where men (and women) older, wiser, more learned can explain to me the intricacies of the Scriptures that I'm missing. I even got out my OT notes on Leviticus and while they are more than adequate for explaining the purpose and structure of Leviticus as well as the offerings and sacrifices, but... not so hot on explaining the specifics of each one. I know there are other places in Scripture where the offerings are discussed, but my concordance in the back of my Bible(s, actually) is inadequate to point me there, and I don't have a very good head for remembering where things are at. (That makes memorization difficult oftentimes.) Here again, my trusty software would be of use.
One thing I did note, rather superficial, is the gruesomeness of the offering. The offerer was to put their hand on the head of the animal to be sacrificed as its throat was cut and it's blood drained away. Then the priests were to take the blood and throw it, literally splatter it against the side of the altar. All this before the animal is cut up, served up as an offering, and then later eaten with the priests. Kind of rocks our modern sensibilities, doesn't it? I wonder how PETA would react when they finally get the sacrificial system up and going again in Israel, as I hear they are trying to do (and expect they will for Scripture to be fulfilled). But I guess, in a way, it is typical, or rather prophetic. See, I mean "typical" as in "type", as in a foreshadowing. (I guess that's rather technical Biblical studies language there, isn't it?) There are types of Christ throughout the Old Testament. The Passover is a type of Christ's sacrifice on the cross in that His sacrifice as our substitute allows the penalty of death to "pass over us" (I'm sure there's a better way to explain that, though). Similarly, these offerings, peace offerings, burnt offerings, guilt and sin offerings, all are types of Christ's sacrifice as well, and that His blood was shed in a pretty gruesome way in order to make our relationship right with the Lord. In fact, as the sacrifices were designed to enable fallen people to live in a Holy Presence, Christ's sacrifice allows all fallen people to be inhabited by God Himself. Pretty cool, huh?
I'm gonna get that software up and running again. And then I'm going to take a very serious look at these offerings, because I'm intrigued.
Next Reading: Leviticus 4:1-5:13
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