The Peace Offering - Voluntary Thanksgiving

The peace offering could be given any time people wanted to celebrate the peace they enjoyed with God. 

The Hebrew word Shelem for "Peace offering" means a voluntary sacrifice in thanks.

The peace offering was given under three circumstances 

     🌻for thanksgiving,

     🌻 upon the payment of a vow, or 

     🌻as a free expression of the worshiper’s goodwill (7:11–18).

🌻The peace offering was not an offering to make peace with God (this was the purpose of the sin offering of Leviticus 4), but an offering to enjoy peace with God. 

The whole reason Jesus made peace between the Father and the believer is so that the peace could be enjoyed.

The psalmist in Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.”

In the New Testament , Peter points to the multiplication of Peace as the knowledge of God's word increases.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Pet 1:2)

The Peace of God is one that should be enjoyed by believers and increases (multiplies) with the knowledge of God's word. 

Peter continues to emphasize in v3 that for all the numerous promises God has given us, we need a Certain "Peace"  to fully enjoy and experience it.

 v3 ,as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, v4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises (2 Pet 2: 3-4)

🌻The greatest animal peace offering ever made happened when Solomon dedicated the temple, offering 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep (1 Kings 8:63). 

🌻When worshipers under the old covenant wanted to present a special offering before the Lord that was not part of those rituals for propitiation, dedication, or  atonement that everyone had to offer (Lev. 1–2; 4), a peace offering was brought to the sanctuary out of the overflow of the worshiper’s heart. 

🌻A vow offering was brought to celebrate an answer to prayer after a person vowed to praise the Lord if He answered the worshiper’s prayer. 

🌻Hannah’s lavish offering when she dedicated Samuel to the Lord is an example of a peace offering given to commemorate the payment of a vow (1 Sam. 1:21–28)

🌻The peace offering for thanksgiving is probably better translated as a “praise” offering that was given when someone was in dire need of deliverance. 

🌻Freewill offerings were given in response to God’s unexpected or unsought generosity. 

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7)

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