Five Levitical Sacrifices – Grain & Peace Offerings

Levitical Sacrificial Offerings

In the first six chapters of the book of Leviticus, five different Levitical sacrificial offerings are described. Chapter 1 describes the burnt offering. Chapter 2 discusses the grain offering or the meal offering. Chapter 3 is about the peace offering. From chapter 4, verse 1 to chapter 5, verse 13, we are given a description of the sin offering. Then the guilt offering is given to us in chapter 5 and verse 14 to chapter 6 and verse 7.

Voluntary and Required Sacrifices

These sacrifices can be broken up into two categories: voluntary sacrifices and required sacrifices. There are three voluntary sacrifices. They are the burnt offering, the grain offering or the meal offering, and the peace offering. The voluntary sacrifices are also called voluntary offerings. The two required offerings are the sin offering and the guilt offering. So that is a quick summary.

Burnt Offering Was Voluntary

In the last study we looked at the burnt offering, the very first voluntary offering. That offering symbolized the atonement. It symbolized Jesus’ crucifixion on a cross for the forgiveness of our sins. We saw that Isaac was a type of Christ. When Isaac was going to be offered by Abraham, we are told that Isaac was going to be a burnt offering.

When we think of a burnt offering, we should think of something being burnt completely. I think we have all burned something on a barbecue grill, over a fire, on a stove, or in an oven. Hebrews 11:17-19 tells us that Isaac was a type of Christ. That is, Isaac looked forward to Christ. He was to be offered up to God as a burnt offering. (Genesis 22:2-8).

So, the burnt offering looked forward to and was symbolic of Christ dying on the cross for our sins. We pointed out that this offering was voluntary. However, the burnt offering was required on a number of occasions. It was required in almost all of the feasts, and on other occasions. Yet, anyone could voluntarily offer a burnt offering. If a person did offer it, there were two other offerings that had to accompany it.

Burnt, Grain, and Peace Offerings

When the burnt sacrifice was offered, the grain or meal offering, and the peace offering were also offered. All three voluntary offerings were offered together. So, our study will focus on these two other voluntary offerings. They are the meal (or grain offering), and the peace offering. You will see that these offerings have important symbolism to them.

The Grain or Meal Offering (A Gift)

Leviticus 2 is about the grain or the meal offering. The Hebrew word “grain” is minha, and it just means “gift.” Leviticus 2:1 tells us,

Now when anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it. Leviticus 2:1 (NASB)

When we are told it is a grain offering, the word for grain offering has the idea of a gift. It means that a gift is going to be given that symbolizes dedication. It was a choice on the part of the person who wanted to give it and was an act of dedicating the offering. In reality, it was symbolic of Christ dedicating Himself.

We have already pointed out that the grain offering was offered at the same time as the burnt offering. It was also offered at the same time as the peace offering. There were different types of grain or meal offerings that could be offered.

Four Ways to Prepare the Grain (Meal) Offerings

There were four different kinds of grain or meal offerings that could either be with loose grain or cooked.

The Cooked Grain (or Meal) Offering

A grain offering was from the field that could be offered as raw grain or as cooked in some way. The preparation of this sacrifice might have involved the wife. Sometimes grapes were included in this offering as well.

Genesis chapter 4 gives an account of Cain and Abel’s sacrifices. God had preference for Abel’s sacrifice, but not for Cain’s sacrifice. Abel’s sacrifice was from the flock, and Cain’s came from the ground. What was wrong with Cain’s offering? At the time the brothers presented their sacrifices, God had no yet instituted offerings from the ground. So Cain was not following God’s instructions for sacrifices that God had given Adam’s family at that time. Now the Israelites can present an offering from the ground – grain or grapes.

Fine Flour for the Grain (Meal) Offering

Each of the ingredients have a symbolic meaning. The fine flour is symbolic of Christ’s perfection. The oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Frankincense, we believe, is symbolic of the life of Christ. So the grain offering has lots of meaning to it. Why is fine flour symbolic of Christ’s perfection? Stop to think how flour is made.

We use machinery today to produce wheat or barley flour. We grind and grind the grains to make a really fine flour. Then it undergoes filtering before being poured into bags. Some is not filtered first to process what will be sold as organic grain. In the time of Old Testament Israel, they did use modern machinery.

They would use a stone bowl and a stone instrument to manually crush the grain. Or they might use a mill with a large stone pulled by an animal to crush the grain to th desired fineness. The requirement here in scripture is for fine flour.

Notice the key word, “fine.” That means they had to crush and crush the grain, work it, and work it, and work it to make it fine. That required a lot of time and effort. That means an individual had to dedicate their self to working and working to make it really fine enough before offering it to the Lord. This tells us something else. God is not interested in anything that does not require some kind of sacrifice on our part. This involved a sacrifice of time and effort on the part of the wife. This was sacrifice on the part of the offerer.

So God required some effort be involved in this sacrifice for it to be fine flour. It could not be coarse flour. God could have said, “You offer flour, and whatever you want to give is good enough.” That is not what God said. God said, “Fine flour.” That speaks of Christ and His perfection. There was real meaning in this offering. The oil in the Old and New Testaments consistently speaks of the Holy Spirit, and the frankincense speaks of the life of Christ. That is what this grain or meal offering represented.

Here it says a grain offering; but it can also be a meal offering, because it could be cooked if you wanted to. This is actually symbolic of Christ and the perfection of His life. He “did His ministry under the power of the Holy Spirit.” Verse 2:

He shall then bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests . . . Leviticus 2:2a (NASB)

The offerer brings it to the priests.

. . . and shall take from it his handful of its fine flour and of its oil with all of its frankincense. Leviticus 2:2b (NASB)

The message is that the offerer then would take from the flour, the oil, and from the frankincense, and then hand it to the priest. What does the priest do with it? We are told:

And the priest shall offer it up in smoke as its memorial portion on the altar, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. Leviticus 2:2b (NASB)

So a portion of this—not all of it— apparently whatever you could hold in your hand was given to the priest. The priest put it on the altar and the fire consumed it. Verse 3:

The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy, of the offerings to the LORD by fire. Leviticus 2:3 (NASB)

The message here is that the rest of the offering belonged to the priests to be consumed as their food. If you want more information about that, refer to chapter 6, verse 16. It essentially says the same thing, that it became food for the priests. We are told that he was to offer it at the altar. That was speaking of the tabernacle in the wilderness. So he came to the front gate, offered it to the priest, who put it on the altar where it was consumed and burnt up. The priest then placed the balance of the offering with the food supplies for the priests. It was given to the priests as a means to support the priesthood. This was one of the sacrifices that was food for the priests.

The Baked, Grilled or Fried Grain Offerings

Verse 4 says:

Now when you bring an offering of a grain offering baked in an oven. . . Leviticus 2:4a (NASB)

There were four options for preparing and offering a grain or meal offering. This is the second way. The first way was to take the grain, pour on some oil, and put on some frankincense, and then give it to the priest. The second way was to bake the grain offering in an oven.

. . . it shall be unleavened cakes. . . Leviticus 2:4b (NASB)

Notice it says cakes. This is now being prepared as for a meal, as a cake that one could eat.

. . . of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil. ‘If your offering is a grain offering made on the griddle . . . Leviticus 2:4c-5a (NASB)

So now you could grill it. I am not sure what their griddle looked like back in those days.

. . . it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil; you shall break it into bits and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. Leviticus 2:5b-6 (NASB)

That is the third method. You could offer the grain, or you could bake it in an oven, or you could cook it on a griddle. Verse 7 says:

Now if your offering is a grain offering made in a pan . . . Leviticus 2:7a (NASB)

So now you can fry it.

. . . it shall be made of fine flour with oil. Leviticus 2:7 (NASB)

So there are four different ways you could elect to offer the grain offering. It is your choice; it is a voluntary offering. And that is the important part, it is a voluntary offering, you get to choose. But when you offer it, you must also offer a voluntary burnt offering. You will see shortly the next one is also voluntary. One offered all three of these at the same time.

Verses 8 through 10 tell us the process that had to be followed. It is fairly self-explanatory as to what happened. Verse 11 says:

No grain offering, which you bring to the LORD, shall be made with leaven, for you shall not offer up in smoke any leaven or any honey as an offering by fire to the LORD. Leviticus 2:11 (NASB)

Verse 11 tells us that the grain offering cannot contain any leaven or honey. Leaven is yeast. Yeast was symbolic in the New Testament of sin. What would that mean since this offering is symbolic of Christ? That would represent the sinlessness of Jesus Christ. So the symbolism makes sense.

Now the question is, why could honey not be included? We do not know. First of all, Scripture does not tell us! So no one really knows. Every one is guessing or just speculating. So when you start comparing and looking at all the data, no one knows. For an unknown reason, honey could not be included. Verses 12 and 13 say:

As an offering of first fruits you shall bring them to the LORD, but they shall not ascend for a soothing aroma on the altar. Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.
Leviticus 2:12-13 (NASB)

Now, why is salt required in all of the offerings? Salt has always been used as a preservative. Jesus was then and is now a preservative. I could almost say that He is the salt or the One who can preserve the world. Turn to Matthew, chapter 5 and look at verse 13. This is in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus said:

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. Matthew 5:13 (NASB)

Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth. That is, Christians are the salt of the earth. And He said, But if the salt has become tasteless, it is not good really for anything—just throw it out so it can be trampled underfoot by men. So what does it mean then to not be salty? It means you do not stand for righteousness, that you are not a light unto the world. You are not living in the power of the Spirit.

The next three verses talk about being a light of the world. It talks about letting the world see our good works so that we might glorify the Father who is in heaven. This is talking about our witness as a Christian. It is talking about being holy before a godless world. What was Jesus? Jesus was holy before a godless world.

That is why I could almost say that He is the salt of the world. Scripture says He is the light of the world, He is the bread of life. So I am thinking, how about coining a phrase? We could speak of Him as the salt of the world. The salt was a preservative of the covenant. We as Christians are to be salt on the earth; we are to be salt to the world. We are to preserve what God has passed on to us as being biblical truth, and we are to live in obedience to that truth.

Next, Leviticus 2:14-16 says:

Also if you bring a grain offering of early ripened things to the LORD, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things. ‘You shall then put oil on it and lay incense on it; it is a grain offering. ‘The priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of its grits and its oil with all its incense as an offering by fire to the LORD. Leviticus 2:14-16 (NASB)

That is the grain or meal offering. It is a voluntary offering. And it is symbolic of the dedication of the offerer. I think one of the clear messages as to why it is an offering of dedication is the offerer has to work, and work, and work to prepare this one.

The Peace Offering

The next offering is the peace offering, described in chapter 3. This is a very short chapter. Chapter 3, verse 1 says:

Now if his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he is going to offer out of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the LORD. Leviticus 3:1 (NASB)

Now when Moses says it is an offering to the Lord, it means just that. It is an offering to the Lord. But this offering can be male or female. That is, it could be a male bull or a female cow. We will find out that there was another peace offering that could be from the flock, a lamb. Then there was a third option, a goat. We will see that shortly.

But the first one was from the herd, male or female, and it was a peace offering. It was an offering of reconciliation between us and God. This offering was symbolic of reconciliation. What did Christ do? He reconciled us to Himself. We will review a verse about that, shortly.

This peace offering was to be offered at the same time as the burnt offering and the grain or meal offering:

• Verses 1-6 describe the offering of an animal from the herd.
• Verses 7-11 describe a sheep that is offered.
• Verses 12-17 describe the goat that is offered.

That gives you a quick snapshot of what these offerings are all about—three different types of animal offerings, offered to the Lord. This is the most-loved of the sacrifices.

Peace Offering Symbolizes Reconciliation with God

I thought that was really interesting. This is the best-loved sacrifice because they could eat it. Part of it was offered, and the rest of it they could eat.

This is about reconciliation. Reconciliation is reestablishing people back together who used to be at odds. This is reestablishment of a friendship that results in peace. That is why this is called the peace offering.

Freedom in the Peace Offering

Notice the freedom this person who is bringing the sacrifice has. Some of the requirements are lessened: male or female, not just male. All of the other sacrifices, except for the last one we just looked at, require a male animal. But the peace offering could be a male or female. Why? The goal was reconciliation. It represented the reestablishment of a relationship. The one who offered this was actually saying that they wanted a relationship with God. That is what this offering symbolized.

This would be my favorite offering because it was relational. It was relational with the Father, telling God the Father that “I want a relationship with you. I want peace with you.” It was one of friendship that connected friends together. Verse 2:

He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slay it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar. Leviticus 3:2 (NASB)

So the message is if you were to offer this sacrifice, you were to lay your hand on the animal, and then kill it. Then the priest would take the blood and sprinkle it around the altar. We previously made the point that with the burnt offering, the killing was ritualistic. We do not mean that it was sadistic but was done in such a way that the priest was able to drain the blood and then have some blood to sprinkle around the altar.

Verses 3 to 5:

From the sacrifice of the peace offerings he shall present an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron’s sons shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire; it is an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. Leviticus 3:3-5 (NASB)

That means they removed all the fat. Notice how this is described in verse 5. The fat is on top of the animal, which is on top of the wood, which is on top of the fire. That is the order; the fat is on top. If you are wondering why the fat was on top, just think about basting a turkey. You brush it with oil to keep it soft and keep it from drying out. The principle is the same here. It was a form of basting.

They put all the fat on top of the carcass, which was on top of the wood. The fire was underneath, and then the offering was cooked. If it was done correctly, it would come out nice and tender and taste delicious. He was able to eat it, as you will soon see.

Starting with verse 6 through verse 11, we find out that now there is an option. In verse 1 we were told it is from the herd. In verse 6 we are told it is from the flock.

But if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD is from the flock, he shall offer it, male or female, without defect. Leviticus 3:6 (NASB)

Again, it is male or female and can be from the flock. I am not going to read verses 7 to 10. I want you to read verse 11, because the description is virtually the same. There are some minor differences because it is a lamb, but verse 11 says:

Then the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire to the LORD. Leviticus 3:11 (NASB)

What does it say?

. . . as food, Leviticus 3:11 (NASB)

Whose food? The offerer gets to eat it.

. . . an offering by fire to the LORD. Leviticus 3:11 (NASB)

Verse 12 shows the other option.

Moreover, if his offering is a goat. . . Leviticus 3:12 (NASB)

So now it is the herd or the lamb or the goat, and I am not going to read verses 13 through 16, because it is essentially a repeat of what we read about the herd. But if you look at verse 16 it says:

The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food. . . Leviticus 3:16 (NASB)

See that again? That means that the offerer gets to eat this offering. That is why I said early on that this is probably the most-loved of the sacrifices. I think it would be the most-loved of the sacrifices that I would offer, because of all the others, you only give a part of it for the sacrifice, and you give the remainder to the priest; or else it is all burnt up. This is one offering, in which you get to partake in it.

Why is it significant that I get to partake in it? Because it speaks of reconciliation. It speaks of a relationship between God and myself. We both partake of it. We are told here “it is a soothing aroma to the LORD.” So there is a sense in which He partakes of it and I partake of it. Obviously, God does not need food to live. So we get to partake of it. It speaks of reconciliation between us and the Father.

Importance of The Sacrifices

These sacrifices have real meaning, and we miss it as Christians. We just read this and think, “Oh, Jesus is the only thing that is important. We will just forget all these sacrifices.” Yes, but their significance shows up in the New Testament. The New Testament speaks of reconciliation. When you think of reconciliation, think of the peace offering that we partake in, with the Father. It speaks of a relationship. I hope that gives you a different sense of reconciliation. It is really enlightening to think about what is being said.

Summarizing the Three Peace Offerings

So let me summarize these three peace offerings. They are all types of Christ; they all speak of Christ. And when Christ came, he fulfilled all of them.

Christ Fulfilled the Burnt Offering and the Meal (Grain) Offering

For example, the burnt offering speaks of atonement. Turn to Hebrews, chapter 10. I love this chapter. I am going to start with verse 1 so you understand the meaning. And what you will see is that the burnt offering and the meal or the grain offering shows up in this passage. Hebrews 10:1 says,

For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Hebrews 10:1 (NASB)

They were offering it, and offering it, and offering it; and it never ever made any one perfect.

Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,
“ SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,
BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;
IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. Hebrews 10:2-6 (NASB)

We are going to see the sacrifice for sin and the guilt offering next time.

“THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME
(IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME)
TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’” After saying above, “ SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “ BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:7-10 (NASB)

What is the meaning when the prophecy said He came to do the will of the Father? That is an act of dedication. An act of dedication is represented by the fine flour that symbolized His perfection. The oil symbolized the Holy Spirit by which He would have offered Himself. That is the message of the New Testament. He offered Himself by the Spirit. Frankincense symbolized His life. The absence of leaven symbolized the fact that He is sinless. So He was the perfect sacrifice who takes away the sin of the world, and He came to do the Father’s will. That was His act of dedication!!

So the first two voluntary sacrifices—the burnt offering and the grain or meal offering—are covered (or fulfilled) in verses 1-10.

Christ Fulfilled the Peace Offering

Now turn to 2 Corinthians, and you will see the third voluntary sacrifice. Second Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 18, says,

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NASB)

Reconciliation means what? Making two friends, bringing peace. Go to Romans 5:1. Romans 5:1 says,

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 (NASB)

That is the third sacrifice. This sacrifice (peace) is not explicitly stated in Scripture, but Jesus does bring peace. Watch this: the sacrifices are symbolic of Christ. He makes the forgiveness of sins available to us. Christ dedicated Himself to the Father to do the Father’s will. He gave Himself in total submission to the Father. Then in the act of what He did, He was reconciling us to Himself. That is the peace offering. That to me is very meaningful—the peace offering. That is what Christ did for us.

Do you realize what this means? God likes voluntary offerings. He likes our voluntary offering. He likes us offering ourselves to Him. All of these sacrifices reflect Christ. I have to admit than I enjoy the study of the voluntary offerings.

The next two offerings are the sin and the guilt offerings, and you might wonder what is the difference, why is it important? You will find that these are extremely meaningful. We will learn about them the next time. Let us pray.