Leviticus Chapter 7
The 7th chapter of Leviticus describes the rules for the guilt or "trespass" offering, and rules for the three types of "peace" offerings.
The description for these offerings and the exact nature of the required procedures provides very vivid detail of the offerings of animals, their fat and their organs. While this is sometimes hard for us to comprehend the somewhat grueling nature of the description, they bore religious significance to the Israel people pursuant to Moses instruction divinely given by God.
The trespass offering (Lev. 7:1-10) was made under the precise instructions for dividing the carcass from its organs, and the blood sprinkled at the altar.
The male priests were allowed to eat a specific portion in the holy place within the tabernacle; and there was equal division among Aaron’s sons who served as priests under Aaron.
The "peace" offerings actually consisted of three different types of offerings. (Lev. 7:11-21). It involved offerings based on the persons "Thanksgiving" to the Lord 7:12. This involved a public declaration or proclamation of one’s faith with praise and acknowledgment of the Lord’s blessings.
The second type of peace offering was the "vow" (Lev. 7:16). The vow was basically a verbal promise to God, attempted in return for God’s favor. A vow was said to be an act of devotion above and beyond the minimum legal requirements of the law.
The third type of peace offering was the "voluntary" offering, sometimes called the "freewill" offering. (Lev. 7:16). These were intended apparently to express a general feeling of thanking the Lord unrelated to any specific blessing. Various specific details are provided regarding the time length for the sacrifices, as well as the important need to keep unclean contact from the sacrifices. Lev. 7:18-21.
The chapter concludes with the Lord’s specific instructions to Moses to teach the Israel people regarding the eating, and non eating, of various types of animals. For example, He stated: "Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat." Lev. 7:23.
The lord also instructed that "no manner of blood" was to be consumed in any of their dwellings. Lev. 7:26.
The last part of Chapter 7 deals with the priests’ portion of the sacrifices. (Lev. 7:28-38). The Lord instructs as to how the priests are to handle the offerings from the people