Conclusion of Sacrifices Acceptable to Jehovah

Another voluntary offering was the communion sacrifice, described in Leviticus chapter 3.  The name can also be translated "a sacrifice of peace offerings."  In Hebrew, the word "peace" denotes much more than simply being free from war or disturbance.  "In the Bible, it denotes this, and also the  state or relation of peace with God, prosperity, joy, and happiness," says the book Studies in the Mosaic Institution.  Thus, communion sacrifices were offered, not to secure peace with God, as if to appease him, but to express gratitude for or to celebrate the blessed condition of peace with God enjoyed by those who are approved by him. The priests and the offerer partook of the sacrifice after the blood and fat were offered to Jehovah.  (Leviticus 3:17; 7:16-21;  19:5-8)  In a beautiful and symbolic way, the offerer, the priests, and Jehovah God were sharing in a meal, signifying the peaceful relationship that existed among them.

Sacrifices that were offered to seek forgiveness for sin or to atone for transgressions against the Law included the sin offing and the guilt offering. Although these sacrifices also involved burning  on the altar, they differed from the burnt offering in that the entire animal  was not offered to God, only the fat and certain portions of it. The rest of the animal was disposed of outside the camp or in some cases partaken of by the priests.  This distinction is significant. The burnt offering was presented as a gift to God to allow approach  to him, so it was offered to God exclusively and in total. Interestingly, a burnt offering or a guilt offering, suggesting that to make a sinner's gift acceptable to God, forgiveness of sin was needed. -Leviticus 8:14, 18; 9:2, 3; 16:3, 5. 

The sin offering was acceptable only for unintentional sin against the Law, sin committed because of weakness of the flesh.  "In case a soul sins by mistake in any of the things that Jehovah commands should not be done," then the sinner was to offer a sin offering in proportion to his status, or standing in the community.  (Leviticus 4:2, 3, 22, 27. ) On the other hand, unrepentant sinners were cut off; no sacrifices were available for them. -Exodus 21:12-15; Leviticus 17:10;   20:2, 6, 10; Numbers 15:30; Hebrews 2:2.

The meaning and purpose of the guilt offering are made clear in Leviticus chapters  5 and 6. A person may have sinned unintentionally. Still, his transgression may have incurred guilt against the rights of either his fellowmen or Jehovah God, and that wrong had to be satisfied or righted. Several categories of sins are mentioned. Some were private sins.  (5:2-6)  Some were sins against "the holy things of Jehovah" (5:14-16)  and some, though not entirely unwitting, were sins that resulted from wrong desires or fleshly weaknesses. (6:1-3) In addition to confessing such sins, the offender was required to make compensation where due and then to present a guilt offering to Jehovah. -Leviticus 6:4, 7. 

Next time: Something Better to Come

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000