Bible Commentaries
Leviticus 17

Verses 1-16

Chapter 17

Now in chapter seventeen, God laid out that there was only to be one place for sacrifice, and that was the temple. They weren't to just sacrifice anywhere but the tabernacle, and later the temples were to be the only places where sacrifices were to be offered unto the Lord. And that any time you killed any of your animals, you really should bring them. You shouldn't just butcher your animals anywhere in the field. You should bring them to the temple and offer them as unto the Lord, as a peace offering, or a communion with God.

So that you would offer it and then you would get a part of the meat back for yourself in order that as you ate, it was something that had been offered to God. He having part of it, the fat and all, was burned as a sweet savor unto the Lord. And so you get the meat to eat. As you eat, the idea is I'm communing with God. I'm eating with God. I'm having this fellowship with God, the peace offering. So anytime you were gonna eat meat, anytime you were gonna have a barbecue, you should bring it first to the priest, offer it to the Lord, let it be slain there. You weren't to just slay the animals anywhere, but let there be that constant reminder of the need that we have for fellowship with God. So offer to God, and realize that I'm eating with God. I'm partaking with God. I'm a part of God and realize that relationship that you have to the Lord.

Then in the latter portion of chapter seventeen the sanctity of the blood, beginning with verse ten,

They are not to eat any manner of blood, nor to allow any stranger in the land to eat any manner of blood; for God will set his face against that person, and will cut him off from among the people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I've given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes the atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourns among you eat blood. And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or the strangers [and so forth] that hunt and catch any beast or fowl that it may be eaten; he shall pour out the blood, and cover it with dust. For it is the life of all flesh; the blood is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood ( Leviticus 17:10-14 ):

So the respect for life, and then of course the realization that the blood was that which brings the covering for sins. "