messiah our peace offering (shelem)

Read Leviticus 3 at Bible Gateway.

qorban, that which gathers home 2014 apr 07
messiah our grain offering (minchah) 2014 apr 08

The peace offering or shelem, was a voluntary offering brought by the worshiper in right standing with God (i.e., no sins or trespasses were standing between them, unatoned for). The idea is that when YHVH adds blessing to or subtracts cursing from a man, to bring him to completion or wholeness (shalom), he responds with a peace offering, a shelem; thus some translations translate shelem as a thank offering.

If he offers it (referring to shelem or peace offering) for a thanksgiving (towdah), then he shall offer, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving (towdah), unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, or cakes of blended flour mixed with oil. Besides the cakes, as his offering (qorban) he shall offer leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving (towdah) of his peace offering (shelem). Lev 7:12-13

Towdah, translated “thanksgiving” or sometimes “thank offering,” is Strong’s H8426, a confession (testimony?), thanksgiving, or praise to God. Besides the thank offering offered on the altar, it could also be a choir offering worship, or a hymn of praise. Thus,

Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings (towdah) into the house of the Lord.” So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings (towdah), and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings (olah). 2 Chr 29:31

That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving (towdah),
And tell of all Your wondrous works. Psa 26:7

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place—of which you say, “It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say:

“Praise the Lord of hosts,
For the Lord is good,
For His mercy endures forever”—

and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise (towdah) into the house of the Lord. Jer 33:10-11

(Bunny trail: Have you ever heard the teaching that the “sacrifice of praise” means to praise God as a sacrificial act, even when it is the last thing you want to do? Yeah, that is not the meaning of the “sacrifice of praise.” The sacrifice of praise is the peace offering, given from a heart overflowing with thanksgiving, brought to draw near in worship to God.)

I discovered something curious … when I looked up Lev 3:1 in the Septuagint, to discover how the Hebrew word shelem or peace offering was translated into Greek (so that I could find its equivalent usage in the New Testament), to my surprise the peace offering is translated as soteriou.

Soteriou is from Strong’s G4992, normally translated “salvation.” Its root word, soter, Strong’s G4990, is “Savior,” found throughout the New Testament applied to Messiah Yeshua! What is Messiah’s connection as Savior to the peace offering?

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Heb 13:15

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation (soteria, same word) belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Rev 7:9-10

The great multitude before the throne was bringing the sacrifice of praise before the Lamb, for He is the root cause of our rejoicing, thanksgiving, and praise! Beloved, we do not have to wait until we are standing before the throne! We can bring our peace offerings of thanksgiving before the Lord this day! ♥