The significance of the Jewish economy is not yet fully comprehended. Truths vast and profound are shadowed forth in its rites and symbols. The gospel is the key that unlocks its mysteries. Through a knowledge of the plan of redemption, its truths are opened to the understanding. Far more than we do, it is our privilege to understand these wonderful themes. We are to comprehend the deep things of God. Angels desire to look into the truths that are revealed to the people who with contrite hearts are searching the word of God, and praying for greater lengths and breadths and depths and heights of the knowledge which He alone can give.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0Christ’s Object Lessons<\/u>, p. 133<\/p>\n In studying the various sacrifices and offerings that are described in the Torah, I noticed a detail that is repeated several times. All of the principle Sacrifices included the following specification (with minor variations):<\/p>\n And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver<\/em> (in many translations “the lobe of the liver”), with the kidneys, it shall he take away, as it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering. And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.<\/em>\u00a0 Leviticus 4:8-12<\/p>\n Certain body parts were to be removed from the sacrificial animal and burned on the Altar while the rest of the animal was burned outside the camp. These specifications are mentioned for the Peace Offering (Leviticus 3), the Sin Offering (Leviticus 4), the Trespass Offering (Leviticus 7), and various offerings that were part of the Priest dedication services (Exodus 29, Leviticus 8, 9)<\/p>\n As I pondered this, I thought there must be special significance and symbolism involved with these body parts that were removed and burned on the Altar. When something was burned on the Altar, it was called “a sweet savour unto the LORD,” like something given directly to God.<\/p>\n And Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.<\/em>\u00a0 Leviticus 3:5<\/p>\n All of the sacrifices pointed forward to what Christ did and all the details are to help us understand the meaning of His sacrifice. They also represent something that should happen in our lives when we give ourselves to God. He was our Substitute, dieing for us so we don’t have to die for our sins. But we have to die to our sin, break our connection with it, be crucified with Christ in our mind and heart, so we can be connected to Him, married to Him, through faith.<\/p>\n I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.<\/em>\u00a0 Galatians 2:20<\/p>\n I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.<\/em>\u00a0 Romans 12:1<\/p>\n So what does this sacrifice symbolize regarding our relationship with God? The people were never to eat the fat of an animal. (Leviticus 3:16) God claimed it as His just like He claimed the tithe (Leviticus 27:30). It symbolized abundance, excess, luxury, and in a certain sense, the choicest part of the sacrificial animal. The Hebrew word for “fat” is also translated “best” and “finest.”<\/p>\n from Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: fat<\/p>\n H2459\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0cheleb che^leb\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0kheh’-leb, khay’-leb<\/p>\n From an unused root meaning to be fat; fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence the richest or choice part: – X best, fat (-ness), X finest, grease, marrow.<\/p>\n All the best<\/em> (H2459) of the oil, and all the best<\/em> (H2459) of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee.<\/em> Numbers 18:12<\/p>\n He should have fed them also with the finest<\/em> (H2459) of the wheat: And with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.<\/em>\u00a0 Psalm 81:16<\/p>\n When the body takes in more food than is needed, the excess is stored as fat. Giving God the fat can symbolize two basic concepts:<\/p>\n 1) give Him our best<\/p>\n But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.\u00a0<\/em> Leviticus 22:20<\/p>\n And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor; Will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.<\/em>\u00a0 Malachi 1:8<\/p>\n Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.<\/em>\u00a0 John 12:3<\/p>\n 2) don’t keep for ourselves more than is required for basic needs. This reminds me of the parable Jesus told in Luke 12:15-20 about the rich farmer who thought he needed more storage capacity for his harvest. God did not approve of his plans and Jesus made a strong point in the next verse.<\/p>\n So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.<\/em>\u00a0 Luke 12:21<\/p>\n Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. \u00a0<\/em>Matthew 6:19-21<\/p>\n The Kidneys –<\/p>\n The kidneys seem to represent guidance, destiny. The Hebrew word for kidneys is often translated in the KJV as “reins.”<\/p>\n from Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: kidneys<\/p>\n H3629\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0kilya^h\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0kil-yaw’<\/p>\n Feminine of H3627 (only in the plural); a kidney (as an essential organ); figuratively the mind (as the interior self): – kidneys, reins.<\/p>\n For thou hast possessed my reins:<\/em> (H3629) Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.<\/em>\u00a0 Psalm 139:3<\/p>\n The rider holds the reins to control what the horse does and where it goes.<\/p>\n A man’s heart deviseth his way: But the Lord directeth his steps.<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0Proverbs 16:9<\/p>\n Jesus very purposely submitted to His Father’s will rather than His own.<\/p>\n And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.<\/em> Matthew 26:39<\/p>\n Giving the kidneys to God symbolizes obedience, submission to His will and control.<\/p>\n The Liver –<\/p>\n The liver seems to represent honor. The Hebrew word for liver comes from the word for honor.<\/p>\n from Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: liver<\/p>\n H3516\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0ka^be^d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0kaw-bade’<\/p>\n The same as H3515; the liver (as the heaviest of the viscera): – liver.<\/p>\n H3515\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0ka^be^d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0kaw-bade’<\/p>\n From H3513; heavy; figuratively in a good sense (numerous) or in a bad sense (severe, difficult, stupid): – (so) great, grievous, hard (-ened), (too) heavy (-ier), laden, much, slow, sore, thick.<\/p>\n H3513\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0ka^bad ka^be^d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0kaw-bad, kaw-bade’<\/p>\n A primitive root; to be heavy, that is, in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively to make weighty (in the same two senses): – abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, X be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man), lade, X more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.<\/p>\n Honor<\/em> (H3513) thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.<\/em>\u00a0 Exodus 20:12<\/p>\n We are to give God glory and honor. How can we do anything less? He is the Ruler of the universe yet He loves us, He wants to save us. He is so great and we are so insignificant, yet He wants us to live with Him for eternity. He certainly deserves all of our praise and honor.<\/p>\n Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. <\/em>Revelation 4:11<\/p>\n Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.<\/em>\u00a0 Revelation 5:12<\/p>\n Not the heart? –<\/p>\n It is interesting to note that the heart of the sacrificial animal is never mentioned as being separated and burned on the Altar. The Hebrew concept was that the heart was the deep center of thinking, the understanding, the deepest inner desires and feelings.<\/p>\n Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: But a good word maketh it glad.<\/em>\u00a0 Proverbs 12:25<\/p>\n Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.<\/em> Proverbs 3:5, 6<\/p>\n Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:<\/em>\u00a0 Matthew 15:18, 19<\/p>\n We often speak of the heart in a similar way even though we know that all these things actually happen in our brain. God does not take control of our mind without our consent. We are free moral agents. He wants us to think in harmony with Him but He allows us to choose.<\/p>\n The Spirit of God does not interfere with the freedom of the human agent. The Holy Spirit is given to be a helper, so that the human agent may cooperate with the divine intelligences; and it is its province to draw the soul, but never to force obedience. . . . The Holy Spirit will bring the God-entrusted capabilities into Christ’s service, and will mold and fashion the human agent according to the divine Pattern, in proportion as the human agent shall earnestly desire the transformation.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Youth’s Instructor, July 5, 1894<\/p>\n . . . choose you this day whom ye will serve; \u00a0. . .<\/em> Joshua 24:15<\/p>\n I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:\u00a0<\/em> Deuteronomy 30:19<\/p>\n A Learning Experience –<\/p>\n God gave the Ceremonial Law as part of His Covenant to save His people. But it was not merely a set of rules to demand certain pious actions; not just a complex system to test their willingness to obey and their ability to follow directions. These sacrifices, with their specifications, were carefully designed by God to be a teaching method, an acted parable or metaphor. God wanted His people to be able to comprehend the various aspects of sin and atonement, to understand their true condition, what He wanted to do for them, and what they needed to do to cooperate with Him.<\/p>\n The sacrifices where these parts were separated and burned were either for the purpose of reconciliation or to express friendship and peace with God. They were to facilitate Atonement “AT-ONE-ment” with God. To be AT-ONE is to be in harmony with God. The fact that He specifically commanded these things teaches that He claims a right to them. Burning the fat, kidneys, and liver illustrated the concept that true harmony with God can only happen when we give Him our best, when we are totally obedient to His will, and when we glorify and honor Him as He so richly deserves.<\/p>\n As a golden treasure, truth was entrusted to the Jewish nation. The Jewish economy, bearing the signature of heaven, was instituted by the great teacher, Jesus Christ. In types and shadows, important truths and mysteries that needed an interpreter, were veiled. The shadow pointed to the substance; and when Jesus came to our world, it was to let spiritual light shine forth. Hear, O heavens! and be astonished, O earth! The appointed instructor was no less a personage than the only begotten Son of God. God was revealed in Christ. He made plain the treasures of truth.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Christian Educator, 08-01-97<\/p>\n The opinion is widely held, that the sacrifices and offerings of the Hebrews possess no significance for Christians, and can be of no interest to them. This opinion is without foundation. It is true that the ceremonies of the Mosaic law are not now to be observed; but, when rightly understood, they are seen to be all aglow with sacred and important truths. These rites, appointed by Jehovah himself, were like so many beacons to light up the path of God’s ancient people, and to direct their minds to the great sacrifice to be offered for the sins of men. Viewed in the light of the cross, they contain most precious lessons for the people of God today.<\/em>\u00a0 Review and Herald, 01-09-83<\/p>\n As we gather up the divine rays shining from the gospel, we shall have a clearer insight into the Jewish economy, and a deeper appreciation of its important truths. Our exploration of truth is yet incomplete. We have gathered up only a few rays of light. Those who are not daily students of the Word will not solve the problems of the Jewish economy. They will not understand the truths taught by the temple service. The work of God is hindered by a worldly understanding of his great plan. The future life will unfold the meaning of the laws that Christ, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, gave to his people.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Spaulding-Magan Collection, p. 306<\/p>\n I want to encourage you to be a daily student of the Word. Give yourself to God as a living sacrifice. Give Him your best, live by His will, give Him the glory and honor He deserves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The significance of the Jewish economy is not yet fully comprehended. Truths vast and profound are shadowed forth in its rites and symbols. The gospel is the key that unlocks its mysteries. Through a knowledge of the plan of redemption, its truths are opened to the understanding. Far more than we do, it is our … <\/p>\n
\nThe Fat –<\/p>\n