The Peace Offering, also known as the Fellowship Offering, is a significant sacrificial practice detailed in the Old Testament, primarily within the Levitical law. It is a voluntary act of worship, thanksgiving, and fellowship, symbolizing reconciliation and communion between God and the offerer. The Peace Offering is distinct from other offerings such as the Burnt Offering or Sin Offering, as it emphasizes the aspect of shared fellowship and gratitude.

Biblical Foundation

The instructions for the Peace Offering are primarily found in Leviticus 3 and Leviticus 7. The offering could be from the herd or flock, either male or female, but it had to be without blemish. The offerer would lay hands on the animal, symbolically transferring their identity and intentions, and then the animal would be slaughtered. The blood was sprinkled on the altar, and specific portions of the animal, such as the fat and kidneys, were burned as an offering to the LORD.

Leviticus 3:1-5 states: "If one's offering is a peace offering and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present it without blemish before the LORD. He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar. From the peace offering he is to bring an offering made by fire to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, the kidneys with the fat on them, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron's sons are to burn it on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD."

Symbolism and Significance

1. Reconciliation and Fellowship: The Peace Offering symbolizes reconciliation between the offerer and God. It represents the restoration of peace and harmony, acknowledging God's provision and grace. The shared meal aspect of the offering, where the offerer, the priest, and sometimes the community partake in the sacrificial meal, underscores the communal and relational aspect of worship.

2. Thanksgiving and Gratitude: This offering is often associated with thanksgiving, as seen in Leviticus 7:12-15. It is a way for the offerer to express gratitude for God's blessings and faithfulness. The Peace Offering could be given in response to answered prayers, deliverance, or other divine interventions.

3. Covenant Relationship: The Peace Offering reinforces the covenant relationship between God and His people. It serves as a reminder of the covenantal promises and the peace that comes from being in right standing with God. The act of sharing the sacrificial meal is a tangible expression of the covenant community's unity and shared faith.

4. Holiness and Purity: The requirement for the offering to be without blemish highlights the importance of holiness and purity in approaching God. It reflects the need for the offerer to come before God with sincerity and integrity, acknowledging His holiness.

5. Aroma Pleasing to the LORD: The burning of the fat and specific portions of the animal is described as a "pleasing aroma to the LORD" (Leviticus 3:5). This phrase signifies God's acceptance of the offering and the offerer's worship. It emphasizes the idea that true worship, offered with a sincere heart, is delightful to God.

New Testament Fulfillment

In the New Testament, the concept of peace and reconciliation is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:14-16 states, "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He extinguished their hostility." Christ's sacrificial death is the ultimate Peace Offering, reconciling humanity to God and establishing eternal peace.

The Peace Offering, with its rich symbolism, points to the deeper spiritual truths of reconciliation, thanksgiving, and covenant relationship, ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.