AN EXPRESSION OF THANKSGIVING: A concept found a number
of times in the Bible: Psa 50:23; 107:8,22; Hos 14:2; 2Co 9:15; Eph 5:20; Phi
4:6; Col 1:12; 1Th 5:18; Heb 13:15; 1Pe 2:5.
Lev 7:13
MADE WITH YEAST: "Leavened" with sin, corruption: A
humble recognition of sinfulness (Lev 23:17). Christ came in "flesh of
sin".
Lev 7:15
The essential idea of the peace/fellowship offering: Sharing a
meal with God: Act 2:42,46; Exo 24:5,11; 1Co 10:16,20,21; Col 1:20-22.
Lev 7:17
ANY MEAT... LEFT OVER... MUST BE BURNED UP: So that no
corruption be associated with peace/fellowship offering: cp Psa 16:10.
Lev 7:26
"The life is in the blood": Lev 3:17; 7:26,27; 17:11,14; Deu
12:23. Blood is the source of life -- its red blood cells supply oxygen and
nutrients to every cell in the human body.
A very instructive contrast is intended here: Christ's blood
is a "transfusion" of life to us: "Drink my blood" (Joh 6:53-57; 1Co 11:25-27;
Mat 26:27,28). What was FORBIDDEN -- that is, the partaking of the natural
blood, of other sacrifices -- is COMMANDED of us, on a spiritual level -- in the
symbolic partaking of Christ's "blood". It is only through Christ and his shed
blood that we may have life.
And so, as the Letter to the Hebrews emphasizes time and
again, all the offerings and sacrifices of the Law of Moses could never take
away sin... BUT the one perfect sacrifice of God' Son could and did and has
taken away sin -- once and for all time, and -- prospectively, and on the basis
of faith -- for all men! (See Lesson, Blood. Cp Lev 3:17; 17:11,14; Deu
12:23.)
Lev 7:30
WITH HIS OWN HANDS: The sacrifice cannot be offered by
proxy; every person is responsible for his or her own sin, and his or her own
offering.
Lev 7:31
THE BREAST: The "heart" belongs to all priests, but...
the strength (v 32: right shoulder) belongs to the priest who offered it only
(Christ only had strength to offer). This was offered once only: one "heave", or
lifting up.
Lev 7:34
THE BREAST THAT IS WAVED: A continuous back-and-forth
motion. "Breast" = heart.
THE THIGH THAT IS PRESENTED: "The heave shoulder". One
lifting motion. "Shoulder" = strength.