在舊約時代，只有祭司族中的男性可以從事聖職，也只有他們能進入聖所和吃聖物。所有獻給上帝的祭，特是作為贖罪祭的祭物，都是至聖之物。上帝一點也不輕看罪，我們也不應掉以輕心。罪是一件很嚴重、必須被對付的事。那也就是為什麼上帝要設立獻祭制度，直到祂的兒子耶穌成為最後、最完全的祭──透過祂，我們的罪得著赦免。在新約，所有已被完全分別為聖歸給上帝的人，不分男女，都成了上帝聖潔的祭司，也因此能分享上帝的聖物。所有耶穌的真門徒都可以直接進入上帝的聖所分享主的聖餐；所有的人都可以分享從聖經得來的靈糧；所有的人也都可以得著聖靈所賜的屬靈恩賜和果子。上帝是這些美妙禮物的賞賜者，而祂最大的禮物是祂的愛子耶穌。

        第七章對贖愆祭和平安祭有更進一步的敘述。搖祭和舉祭（7：30、32）是自動歸給祭司的部分。將祭物的胸肉在上帝面前搖一搖象徵獻給上帝；作為舉祭的祭牲右腿先在上帝面前舉起，然後就歸祭司個人所有。上帝藉著這些和其他的一些方式確保祭司能同享百姓對祂的供獻。這是祭司在會幕裡不斷執行聖職而得報酬的方式之一。雖然只有祭司可以在聖所裡享用聖物，但他們仍能供養他們的妻兒、家人，因為他們可把歸給祭司的初熟之物、十分之一奉獻、以及平安祭物的胸和右腿帶回家。這些奉獻使祭司不必另去賺錢養家，而能奉獻他們全部的時間事奉上帝（參林前9：13~14）。今天也一樣，信徒有責任在財物上支持那些全時間事奉上帝的人（提前5：16~17）

        從十一節到卅五節也提供了有關平安祭之性質的細節。它有二種性質，都和與上帝的關係有關。（1）平安祭是感謝祭，（2）還願祭，（3）及因享受與上帝立約的關係滿心喜樂所獻的甘心祭。平安祭的祭肉絕不可留超過一定的時間，否則祭肉就變成污穢了。人若不順服而吃了逾期的祭肉，所獻的祭必不蒙悅納，他也必擔當自己的罪（7：18）。在禮上不潔淨的人若吃了祭物也算為有罪。不順服的結果是放逐，或處死──「從民中剪除」。干犯聖物的結果很嚴重，因為所獻給上帝的物是神聖的，必須受到尊敬。這點類似今日主的聖餐（林前11：27~29）。我們作主的祭司必須聖潔，因為祂是聖潔的（利19：2；彼前1：15~16）。要聖潔就必須順服上帝。第七章也再次強調以色列人不能吃脂油和血，違命的處分也是很嚴重的：「從民中剪除」。這些律例，包括祭肉第三天要用火焚燒的規定（7：17），就像上帝許多其他的命令一樣，都是對百姓的健康有益，因為他們生活在炎熱的沙漠裡。

        獻祭贖罪還有一項基本原則：獻祭者要親自將祭物帶到會幕，不可由別人代理（7：30）。求上帝赦免、將自己奉獻給祂、向上帝獻上感恩、與上帝相交，都應是敬拜者個人對上帝祝福所作的有形回應。單用話語表達感謝及讚美不夠，還要表現在「行為和誠實上」（約壹3：18）。以色列人回應上帝的愛，就是藉者獻祭和為主的工作奉獻財物。今天我們對主的回應也該如此。

        主啊，幫助我們向您獻上祭禮。我們相信您赦免我們的罪。現在我們要用具體的行動表達我們的感謝。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        In the Old Covenant period, only the males from the priestly families were consecrated to the Lord and His service, and only they were permitted to enter the holy places and eat from the holy offerings. All the offerings consecrated to the Lord, especially those for the expiation of sin, were considered most holy. God does not take sin lightly,, nor should we. It is a serious matter and must be dealt with. That is why God established the sacrificial system until His Son Jesus became the final, perfect, and ultimate Sacrifice, through whom we receive forgiveness of sins. All believers in the New Covenant, whether male or female, who are totally consecrated to the Lord make up the body of His holy priesthood, and as such may partake of the very holy things of the Lord. All true followers of Jesus may enter directly into the holy presence of the Lord and share in His Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper; all may partake of the spiritual food received from the Holy Bible; all may receive spiritual gifts and fruits bestowed by the Holy Spirit. The Lord God is certainly a giver of great gifts, the greatest of which was His Son.

        This chapter relates further information about the trespass and peace offering. The wave and heave offerings (7:30, 32) were portions of that offering which were voluntarily given for those who served God. The act of waving the breast portion of the sacrifice up before God signified consecration to Him and, in the heave offering, the right thigh was first lifted up toward God and then given into the priest’s hands for his personal use. In these and other ways, God saw to it that His priests shared in His offerings. This was one way they received pay for the great service they performed continually. Although only the priests could partake of the holy offerings in the holy place, they could still provide for their wives and families because the first fruits and tithes, as well as the breasts and right thighs of the peace offerings could be taken to their homes. These offerings enabled the priests not to worry about having to work elsewhere and earn a living so they could devote all their time to the service of God (cf. 1 Cor. 9:13, 14). As it was then, and still is today, it is the responsibility of the Lord’s people to support those who serve God in full-time ministry (1 Tim. 5:16, 17).

        More details concerning the nature of the peace offering is given from verses 11 to 35. Three types are described, all having to do with communion with God. (1) A thanksgiving offering, (2) a vow offering, and (3) a freewill or voluntary offering, which sprang from, joy in the covenant relationship with God. It was strictly required that no meat of the offering became defiled by leaving it longer than the specified time. If this was disobeyed and the offering was eaten, it would be unacceptable to God and the offender would be guilty (7:18). Guilt also came upon the person who. Being ceremonially unclean ate from the holy offering. This disobedience resulted in exile or possible death, being “cut off from his people”. It was a serious matter, for those things holy to the Lord are sacred and must be respected. It is similar with the Lord’s Supper today (1 Cor. 11:27-29). We as the Lords priests are to be holy, as He is holy (Lev. 19:2; 1 Pet. 1:15, 16). To be holy there must be obedience to the Lord. It is once again stressed in chapter seven that the Israelites were to eat no fat or blood, and again there is a serious penalty: being “cut off”. These rules, like many others given, including the burning of the offered meat on the third day (7:17), were good for the health of the people, for they were living in a hot desert region.

        A basic principle of atonement was set forth: the offering was to be brought personally to the Tabernacle by the person offering it, never by proxy (7:17). Asking God for forgiveness, dedication oneself to Him, giving thanks to Him and having communion with Him was to be done by the individual worshipper as a tangible response to God’s blessings. Mere words expressing thanks or love were not enough; it had to be done “in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Sacrificial material and financial gifts to the work of the Lord were to proper Israelite response to their love of God. This response should be ours today.

        O Lord, help us to offer sacrificial gifts to You. We trust You for forgiveness and now we offer a tangible expression of our thankfulness.