We are in chapter twenty-four of Exodus with our word for today which is actually a phrase. זְבָחִ֧ים שְׁלָמִ֛ים peace offerings. It is used 51 times in the Old Testament. Since our phrase is used for the first time in our chapter let’s start there. Exodus 24:5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed זְבָחִ֧ים שְׁלָמִ֛ים peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. God gives instructions how this offering was to be performed. Our phrase is used the most in one chapter in Leviticus 7. Leviticus 7:11, 13-15, 21, 29, 37-38 And this is the law of the sacrifice of זֶ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִ֑ים peace offerings that one may offer to the Lord … With the sacrifice of זֶ֖בַח תּוֹדַ֥ת שְׁלָמָֽיו [literally offering thanksgiving peace offering. This shows the close connection with peace and thanksgiving] his peace offerings for thanksgiving he shall bring his offering with loaves of leavened bread. And from it he shall offer one loaf from each offering, as a gift to the Lord. It shall belong to the priest who throws the blood of הַשְּׁלָמִ֖ים the peace offerings. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his זֶ֚בַח תּוֹדַ֣ת שְׁלָמָ֔יו peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering … This is the law of ... the וּלְזֶ֖בַח הַשְּׁלָמִֽים peace offering, which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai. This offering is connected with the process of God forgiving sin. Leviticus 4:26, 31, 35 And all its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of זֶ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִ֑ים peace offerings. So the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin, and he shall be forgiven … And all its fat he shall remove, as the fat is removed from the זֶ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִים֒ peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven … And all its fat he shall remove as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of מִזֶּ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִים֒ peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it on the altar, on top of the Lord's food offerings. And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed, and he shall be forgiven. This is why the animal had to have no blemishes so that it would be able to take the place of the sinner and act as a turning away of wrath or atonement. We find our phrase used to describe an offering of an animal without blemish. Leviticus 22:21 And when anyone offers a sacrifice of זֶֽבַח־שְׁלָמִים֙ peace offerings to the Lord to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it (Leviticus 3:6). The Holy Spirit interprets what was done in the Old Testament time as not taking away sins in a permanent way but rather rolling them back until Christ would come and take away sins once and for all. I’ll close with this wonder good news we have in Christ work through is saving death in our place as our sacrifice. Hebrews 10:4-10 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
