Leviticus 7

God continues to instruct the priests regarding the handling of various offerings in Leviticus 7, and in doing so, we can identify more truths about His character. For example, we see how some of the offerings the Israelites were to bring to the LORD were also used as sustenance for the priests (vv. 6, 10, 15, 31). In other words, the priests’ ability to eat was in large part influenced by the Israelites’ obedience to God’s commands, thus putting the priests in a position where they were fully dependent on their Provider. God wants us to feel that same sense of helplessness today, not so that we will wallow in self-pity, but rather fix our eyes on the One who knows and provides our daily bread. 

We also read about how anyone deemed to be unclean should not eat of any of the offerings. David Guzik notes that “Ceremonial purity was required of anyone who wanted to participate in the fellowship meal associated with the peace offering. This illustrates the principle that we cannot enjoy the peace of God until we have received His cleansing grace.”[i] Further, “in the partaking of the Lord’s Supper, which closely approximates the eating of the fellowship offering, the believer must not participate if unconfessed sin is in his life. Like the Israelite who ate the sacrifice in a state of uncleanness, the believer who partakes of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy state may expect the direct judgment of God (1 Corinthians 11:27-32).”[ii] God is pure, holy, and undefiled, so let us not participate in any of His holy sacraments with a haphazard, flippant, impure heart. Rather, endeavor to revere and esteem these moments when your mind is fixed on the perfect sacrifice that forever reconciled you to your Creator. 

The last takeaway I’d encourage you to ponder is related to “the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings that one may offer to the LORD. If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thanksgiving sacrifice unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of fine flour well mixed with oil. With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving he shall bring his offering with loaves of leavened bread” (vv. 11-13). You may recall that often in Scripture, leaven represents sin. So why would God instruct leavened bread to be offered with unleavened bread here? G. Campbell Morgan offers this insight: 

We noted that no leaven was to be mixed in the Meal Offering, because leaven is in itself corrupting, and is perpetually the symbol of corruption. This makes us pause when we find that leaven was now commanded to be mixed with the Peace Offering. In order to understand it, let the reader note carefully that in the previous verse (12) the worshipper is commanded to offer with the Peace Offering unleavened cakes, and unleavened wafers. Then also leavened cakes. Surely the suggestion is quite patent. The Peace Offering is supremely the symbol of communion based on reconciliation. It is the offering which symbolizes two sides to a great transaction; one of those is that of God, the other is that of man. God and man are at peace. The Godward side can only be symbolized by that which is unleavened, free from all evil, separated from everything that tends to corruption. On the other hand, there remains in man much of imperfection. This is symbolized by the leavened cakes. Our unworthiness in and of ourselves abides. In our thanksgiving and our praise there is no room for boastfulness. Of this we need to be constantly reminded.[iii]

Brothers and sisters, our peace with God is not based on our cleanliness and purity—far from it, in fact. Instead, our reconciliation with a pure, holy, righteous God is predicated solely on the ministry and sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, is the reason we are at peace with God and have His peace in us. Let these words from the song “Thank You Jesus for the Blood” dwell deep within you as you move to a time of contemplation:

I was a wretch, I remember who I wasI was lost, I was blind, I was running out of time.Sin separated, the breach was far too wideBut from the far side of the chasm, You had me in Your sight

So You made a way, across the great divideLeft behind, Heaven’s throne, to build it here insideThere at the cross You paid the debt I owedBroke my chains, Freed my soul and for the first time I had Hope 

Thank You Jesus, for the blood appliedThank You Jesus, it has washed me whiteThank You Jesus, You have saved my life Brought me from the darkness into glorious light[iv]

- - - - - -

Journal responses to the following prompts:

·       Do you sense a helplessness in your own abilities that causes you to daily petition the Provider for your daily bread?  

·       When partaking of the Lord’s Supper, are you more prone to esteem and revere those holy moments with God or casually go through the motions? 

[i] Study Guide for Leviticus 7. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved March 31, 2026, from https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/leviticus/leviticus-7.cfm

[ii] Rooker, M. (2000). The new American commentary: Leviticus. Holman Reference. p. 135. 

[iii] Morgan, G. C. (1952). Searchlights from the Word. Wipf and Stock. p. 39. 

[iv] Gayle, C. (2021). Thank you Jesus for the Blood [Song]. On Endless Praise [Album]. The Fuel Music.