LEVITICUS 17


     We will begin this lesson in Leviticus 7:16 "But if the sacrifice
of his offering [be] a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten
the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also
the remainder of it shall be eaten:"

     It seems this offering varies from the other offerings in that
this is a voluntary offering, and not a required offering. Of course
all the thank offerings were not required, but they were for a special
thing God had done and were expected. This offering here is not
expected, just done because the person loves God. The fact that this
was a voluntary offering, gave a little more lee-way to the person
offering and allowed for two days for it to be consumed. The vow
offering would be showing that the vow made to God was completed. The
voluntary would be a thanks praise to God. This would not necessarily
be for any specific thing, but just to praise God for His activities
in their life.

     Leviticus 7:17 "But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice
on the third day shall be burnt with fire."

     Flesh carried over to the third day would certainly be spoiled,
in the days when there was no refrigeration. The best thing to do with
it would be to burn it up, so no one would be poisoned by it. In many
of these offerings, we will see that God takes care of man.

     Leviticus 7:18 "And if [any] of the flesh of the sacrifice of his
peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be
accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it
shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his
iniquity."

     In all the offerings, we have seen that God will not accept
things that are rejects. All the animals had to be the best. You can
easily see why God would not count it a sacrifice to give Him, in a
burnt offering, something that was ruined. We really know that someone
who eats bad meat does bear the iniquity. They become very sick.

     Leviticus 7:19 "And the flesh that toucheth any unclean [thing]
shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh,
all that be clean shall eat thereof."

     As I have said so many times during these lessons, so many of
these ordinances are for the good of man. Notice the burning with fire
is not in offering to God. This meat is not good for anything or
anyone. The peace offerings were to thank God for fellowshipping with
man. When we take of the communion table, we are really remembering
and thanking Jesus for making it possible for us to fellowship with
the Father. There is peace with God and man, and man should be
thankful for it. The shed blood of Jesus Christ is what reconciled us
to the Father. When mankind is at peace with God, we are saying that
we trust in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to save us. We are
told over and over in the words of Jesus, not to fear, but have faith.
The Scripture in John which says; Let not your heart be troubled,
makes us know that it is within our power not to worry. Fear is the
opposite of faith. Have faith and pray for more faith every day. Learn
to trust in Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord. He is our only
hope. Thank Him for the wonderful payment He made in our stead.

     Leviticus 7:20 "But the soul that eateth [of] the flesh of the
sacrifice of peace offerings, that [pertain] unto the LORD, having his
uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his
people."

     We Christians are warned not to eat the communion unworthily in
the following verse. I Corinthians 11:27 "Wherefore whosoever shall
eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be
guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." These following Scriptures
can say it far better than I could ever express it. Psalms 24:3 "Who
shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?  or who shall stand in his
holy place?" Psalms 24:4 "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully."
Psalms 24:5 "He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and
righteousness from the God of his salvation."  The Lord Jesus Christ
took our sin upon His body on the cross, and in turn clothed us with
His righteousness, if we have accepted Him as our Saviour. Christians
have been cleansed from all sin, but as long as we live in a house of
flesh, that flesh will desire to sin. For a Christian to please God,
our spirit has to rule over our flesh. We must not fall to fleshly
temptation, nor should we touch {associate with} the unclean.

     Leviticus 7:21 "Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean
[thing, as] the uncleanness of man, or [any] unclean beast, or any
abominable unclean [thing], and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of
peace offerings, which [pertain] unto the LORD, even that soul shall
be cut off from his people."

     The message for the believers in this is found in the 6th chapter
of Hebrews. This Scripture above is speaking of those who have been
cleansed and are permitted to eat of this meat. We have said so many
times that this is a shadow of those who are Christians eating of the
flesh of Jesus. After we have eaten of this Holy One, and then go back
into a sinful way of life, and start fellowshiping with those of the
earth {the unclean}, that soul shall be cut off from God. Hebrews 6:4
"For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost,"  Hebrews 6:5 "And have tasted the good word of God, and the
powers of the world to come,"  Hebrews 6:6 "If they shall fall away,
to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves
the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame."

     Leviticus 7:22  "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

     Again, we are reminded here where this message originated and to
whom it was given.
     Leviticus 7:23 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye
shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat."

     Oxen and sheep and goats were animals that were sacrificed to God
many times. God reminded Moses to remind the people that they were to
eat no fat from the type of animals that were offered to God. The fat
and the blood were reserved for God.

     Leviticus 7:24 "And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself,
and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any
other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it."

     These animals would be unfit for sacrifice to God. He allowed
them to use this fat for purposes other than consumption {eating} by
man.

     Leviticus 7:25 "For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of
which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul
that eateth [it] shall be cut off from his people."

     This is stealing the things of God for your own personal use.
This sin would be against God Himself. This would be a deliberate act
of defiance toward God. It would even be like trying to say we are
equal with God. Many false teachers today are saying that man, who is
saved by Jesus Christ, is equal with God. This is false. We Christians
are not equal with God. We are His servants, who have been adopted
into His family. We share in the inheritance, because Jesus purchased
our right to the inheritance for us, but we will never be a god.

     Leviticus 7:26 "Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood,
[whether it be] of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings."

     All blood belongs to God. Many devil worshippers today drink
blood in their meetings. If nothing else told of their terrible error,
this should. God has forbidden man to drink or eat blood throughout
the Bible. Even in the New Testament, one of the ordinances is to eat
no blood.  Acts 21:25 "As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have
written [and] concluded that they observe no such thing, save only
that they keep themselves from [things] offered to idols, and from
blood, and from strangled, and from fornication."  This is the law of
the early church, but notice, they must refrain from the taking of
blood by eating or drinking it.

     Leviticus 7:27 "Whatsoever soul [it be] that eateth any manner of
blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people."

     There is great freedom in Christianity, but notice that there
were a few things so abominable to God, that they will not be
overlooked.  God will still hold a person responsible for drinking or
eating blood.




                             Questions 17

1.  The vow, or the voluntary offering, could be eaten when?
2.  Why was this variation from the normal allowed?
3.  What did the vow offering show?
4.  What was to be done with anything left to the third day?
5.  What would happen to flesh unrefrigerated by the third day?
6.  In many of these offerings, God was doing what?
7.  What was any of the flesh eaten on the third day to God? One word.
8.  What happens to a person who eats bad meat?
9.  What were they to do with flesh that touched any unclean thing?
10. Why could not the burning of this spoiled flesh be an offering to
    God?
11. The peace offerings were for what purpose?
12. When we take communion as Christians, what are we doing?
13. What reconciled the Christians to the Father?
14. What is the opposite of faith?
15. In what book in the Bible did Jesus say; Let not your heart be
    troubled?
16. What will happen to those who eat of the flesh, while they are
    unclean?
17. Where do we find the dangers of Christians taking of communion
    unworthily?
18. Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord, or stand in His holy
    place?
19. If we are believers, Jesus took our sin upon His body and clothed
    us with what?
20. We Christians have been cleansed from all sin, but still have to
    overcome what?
21. How can a Christian please God?
22. What is the message for believers in verse 21?
23. What will happen to the soul who goes back into a sinful way of
    life, after they have been saved and filled with the Holy Ghost?
24. Why is the verse; "And the LORD said unto Moses, saying," ,
    repeated so much?
25. Why were the ox, sheep, and goat named specifically when God said
    not to eat their fat?
26. Why were they allowed to use the fat in verse 24, for other
    purposes other than eating it?
27. What is verse 25 speaking of?
28. What false teaching is being passed of as being Christian?
29. Who are the Christians in Christ?
30. What do many devil worshippers in our day do, that is an
    abomination to God?
31. What does Acts chapter 21 verse 25 tell us about the law of the
    early church?
32. There is great ______ in Christianity.