A peace offering in the Bible is a type of sacrificial offering made to God to restore fellowship and peace between God and man. The peace offering is one of several offerings prescribed in the Old Testament law given to Moses by God for the people of Israel.
The primary purpose of a peace offering was to express thanksgiving and gratitude towards God, or to fulfill a vow. It was considered a “fellowship offering” where the offerer would eat a portion of the offering to signify peace and communion between them and God. Peace offerings were made for both spontaneous reasons and mandatory occasions.
There are over 50 mentions of peace offerings throughout the Old Testament, first described in Leviticus 3. The specific instructions for the peace offering are as follows:
- It had to be a male or female animal without defect or blemish (Leviticus 3:1). Common offerings included cattle, sheep, or goats.
- The worshiper would lay hands on the animal’s head and then slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting (Leviticus 3:2). This symbolized the transfer of sin.
- The animal’s fat, kidneys, and liver lobe were burned on the altar as a soothing aroma to the Lord (Leviticus 3:3-5). This was considered the food portion for God.
- The priest received the breast of the animal as his portion (Leviticus 7:31-34).
- The rest of the meat was returned to the worshipper to eat in a ceremonial meal as a sign of fellowship with God (Leviticus 7:15-18). This could be shared with others.
There were several specific occasions where a peace offering was required:
- Thank offerings – To express gratitude for God’s deliverance, blessing or favor (Leviticus 7:11-15).
- Vow offerings – To fulfill a vow or promise made to God (Leviticus 7:16).
- Freewill offerings – Voluntary offerings made out of adoration to God (Leviticus 7:16).
- Offerings of wellbeing – General offerings made to seek God’s favor and blessings (Leviticus 3:1).
In addition to prescribed occasions, peace offerings were also used to dedicate the altar (Numbers 7:17-88), celebrate victories and for communal meals like Passover (Deuteronomy 27:7). The meat was permitted to be eaten for up to two days under the peace offering regulations (Leviticus 19:5-8).
The major difference between a peace offering and other offerings was that the worshipper and priest could eat a portion. This symbolized fellowship and unity with God. Jesus is described in the New Testament as the ultimate peace offering, restoring our broken relationship with God (Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:19-20).
In summary, a peace offering in the Bible was a sacrificial gift of thanksgiving and fellowship to God. Specific instructions were given for unblemished animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. The fat was burned on the altar, the priest received a portion, and the worshipper and their family ate the rest in communion with the Lord. Peace offerings expressed gratitude, fulfilled vows, and celebrated God’s blessings.
Old Testament Background
Peace offerings have their origin early in the Bible. The first peace offering is believed to have been made by Noah after the Great Flood subsided (Genesis 8:20-21). Other instances in Genesis include Abraham offering a peace offering after settling in Canaan (Genesis 13:18) and Jacob instructing his family to prepare one during his reunion with his brother Esau (Genesis 32:13-21).
When formalized sacrificial laws were established through Moses, the peace offering was codified along with other offerings like the burnt offering, grain offering, sin offering, and guilt offering (Leviticus 1-7). These were voluntary “sweet-savor” offerings, meaning they were a pleasing aroma to God (Leviticus 3:5).
The peace offerings were the only offerings in which the worshipper and priest could eat a portion. Specific instructions were given regarding which parts of the animal were to be burned, given to the priest, and eaten by the worshipper. Only unblemished animals were permitted to signify purity.
In Leviticus 7, further stipulations were given regarding thank offerings, vow offerings, and freewill offerings. Thank offerings expressed gratitude for God’s deliverance or blessing. Vow offerings fulfilled a voluntary promise made to God. Freewill offerings were voluntary gifts to praise and worship God.
The well-regulated procedures around the peace offering were designed to promote devotion and obedience to God. Eating a portion in God’s presence signified the blessings of communion and fellowship with Him.
New Testament Fulfillment
While Old Testament peace offerings foreshadowed restored fellowship with God, Jesus Christ is seen as the ultimate peace offering in the New Testament. Through his sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus made the way for permanent reconciliation between God and man.
Several New Testament verses point to Christ’s fulfillment of the peace offering:
- Ephesians 2:13-18 – Christ’s blood offered peace between Jew and Gentile and access through the Holy Spirit to the Father.
- Romans 5:1 – Since we are justified by faith in Christ, we have peace with God through Jesus.
- Colossians 1:19-20 – God was pleased to reconcile all things through Christ’s blood shed on the cross, making peace.
- Hebrews 7:26-27 – Christ as high priest offered himself as a single sacrifice for all time, unlike the daily sacrifices.
- Hebrews 9:11-14 – Christ entered the true, perfect tabernacle and obtained eternal redemption for us through his blood.
- Hebrews 10:11-18 – After Christ’s sacrifice, no more offerings for sin are needed.
These verses indicate that Christ embodied all the qualities of an acceptable peace offering – pure, undefiled, and willing to be slaughtered to make peace with God. He accomplished eternally what the temporary peace offerings could not. Through him, our fellowship with God is perfectly restored.
Principles and Applications
While the specific regulations around Old Testament peace offerings no longer apply under the new covenant, we can still draw important principles and applications:
- Expressing Gratitude – As the peace offering was a thank offering, we should continually give thanks to God for his grace and deliverance in our lives (Colossians 3:15).
- Fulfilling Promises – When we make vows to God, we should be sure to fulfill them just as vow offerings did.
- Praising Freely – We should voluntarily praise and adore God, not out of obligation but delight, like the freewill offerings (Psalm 54:6).
- Making Amends – To reconcile broken relationships, we can make peace offerings by confessing faults and making restitution.
- Communion with God – We can pursue intimate fellowship with God through Christ who is our peace offering (1 John 1:3).
While we are no longer bound to offering animal sacrifices, we can still honor God and enjoy peace with Him through Christ. As the ultimate peace offering, Christ has opened the way for us to commune with God if we place our faith in his finished work.
Examples in Scripture
There are many examples of peace offerings throughout the Old Testament. Some significant instances include:
- The dedication of the altar – In Numbers 7, each tribe of Israel brought peace offerings to dedicate the altar and draw near to God.
- Celebrating victories – In 1 Samuel 11, Saul and Israel rejoiced with peace offerings after defeating the Ammonites.
- King Solomon’s offerings – At the dedication of the temple, Solomon offered 120,000 sheep and 22,000 cattle as peace offerings (1 Kings 8:63).
- Hezekiah’s cleansing of the temple – Hezekiah offered seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, sanctuary, and Judah (2 Chronicles 29:21).
- Josiah’s covenant renewal – Josiah offered peace offerings as part of renewing the covenant between God and Judah (2 Chronicles 34:29).
These examples give insight into the significant role peace offerings played in worship, celebration, cleansing, dedication, and covenant renewal. When offered with a sincere heart, they demonstrated gratitude, obedience and reverence towards God.
Contrast with Other Offerings
It can be helpful to contrast the peace offering with some of the other offerings prescribed in the Mosaic law:
- Burnt offerings – Entirely burned on the altar, these were atoning offerings for unintentional sin (Leviticus 1:4).
- Grain offerings – Gifts of wheat, grain, oil and incense expressing devotion to God (Leviticus 2:1).
- Sin offerings – Made atonement for specific unintentional sins against God (Leviticus 4:1).
- Guilt offerings – Made restitution for sin through payment and sacrifice (Leviticus 5:14-16).
The peace offering was distinct in its focus on celebrating fellowship with God. The portions eaten by the priest and worshipper expressed the ideas of unity, gratitude, and blessings associated with obedience. It was an invitation for God’s presence and favor.
Significance and Implications
The peace offerings in the Old Testament hold rich significance for us today:
- They reveal God’s desire to dwell with His people.
- They point to Christ as the ultimate peace offering.
- They display God’s patience in providing ways to restore fellowship.
- They remind us of the blessings that come from obeying God’s commands.
- They illustrate that thankfulness should be at the heart of worship.
As the book of Hebrews explains, Christ fulfilled all the sacrificial requirements eternally. No more offerings are needed. But we can still offer God praise from the heart, pursuing holiness, and loving others. This brings delight to God (Hebrews 13:15-16).
The peace offerings provide a rich backdrop for understanding Christ’s sacrifice and God’s desire for relationship with us. They remind us to draw near to Him with gratitude, praise and joyful obedience.