Leviticus 7:23–27

Of these offerings, the peace offering was the only one Jehovah's people were allowed to eat. So any abuse of the privilege had to be strictly forbidden. This prohibition reached everyone without exception. The word had come to Aaron and his sons; here Moses is told to speak to the people of Israel. No fat of the sacrificial animals was to be eaten, nor of what died of itself, or was torn. Blood too was completely forbidden. Not only the inward energy, but the life as well was sacred to Jehovah. He would allow no meddling with His sole right and title here.

This portion of the sacrifices was to be burned on the altar, for all the fat is the Lord's. As to the fat, this seems to refer to that "of ox, or of sheep, or of goat," the animals of sacrifice. It also refers to the fat of any animal that died of itself, or was torn by beasts (Leviticus 7:23-24). In Nehemiah 8:10 the call went out, "eat the fat," with no restriction. But there the Hebrew word is different, and means something closer to "rich food."... The "fat" signifies the best part, the inward energy and will.

The fat shows the energy of the inward will. Compare Deuteronomy 32:15, "Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked" — the will was in opposition to God. Here the fat was not the Lord's. In the Lord Jesus, there was perfect subjection and devotedness: "Behold, I have come to do your will, O God." There the fat was all the Lord's.

Only the Father could rightly appreciate Christ's unique excellence. God alone could measure all that was involved in accepting His will without reserve. That acceptance included all the suffering and shame of the cross... It is Jehovah's exclusive portion; that which He alone can appreciate. As another has said, "We can contemplate what is not given us to appropriate."

Keep this expression firmly in mind: "which belong to the Lord" (Leviticus 7:20). The worship — what passes in our hearts in it — is not ours. It is God's. God has put it there for our joy, so that we may share in the offering of Christ, His joy in Christ. But the moment we make it ours, we desecrate it.

The flesh of the peace offering could be eaten. So some might reason that the fat and blood should not be withheld from them either. Many today reason in the same way, for they do not distinguish things that differ. So God insists, as He had often done before, that the fat of any offerings was never to be eaten. Disobedience to this law was also punishable by death (Leviticus 7:25).

The surrounding nations could freely eat the fat, which to Israel was forbidden. Were the people, then, worse off than the Gentiles? Certainly not. They were God's own people, privileged and blessed beyond all others. But being such they were to be obedient. They were to own that what the fat pictured was to be all surrendered to God, as we see it was in the Lord Jesus Christ's life here below. There are things in which others feel free to indulge that are not suited for a child of God. So, like Israel, we have to own that the liberty to exercise our own will must be checked.

Today Scripture plainly warns believers not to eat blood (Acts 15:20). God introduced this restriction when He first allowed men to eat animals (Genesis 9:3-4), long before He gave the law to Israel. Neither at that time, nor under grace today, is there any restriction as to eating fat.

The fat points to the energy of the inward will. Compare Deuteronomy 32:15: "Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked." The will stood against God. Here the fat was not the Lord's. In the Lord Jesus there was perfect submission and devotion: "Behold, I have come to do your will, O God." There the fat was all the Lord's.

The fat stood for the inner excellence and energy of what people offered in sacrifice to Jehovah. So it was not for the priests to use. It was a restful odour to Him who alone could fully value it in the One it pictured.

An animal that died of itself, or that another animal killed, was already forbidden whole in Exodus 22:31. Israel was to throw it to the dogs. Its fat was even more clearly unlawful for Israelites, since they were holy to Jehovah. In any other way they might use it.

Life belonged to God and was to be consecrated to God; to Him alone it belonged or could belong. Life spent or taken by another was high treason against God's title… But it was no less true that everything belonged to God and belongs to God. Man could not take it for his own use. A man might still use it when a beast died or was torn. But whenever man of his own will took the life of a beast, he had to recognise God's title, submit his will, and own that the will of God alone has a claim.

The worshipper could eat the flesh of the peace offering. So some might reason that God should not hold back the fat and blood from them either. Many today reason in the same way, for they do not distinguish things that differ. So God insists, as He had often done before, that the fat of any offering was never to be eaten. It speaks of the energy of the Lord's devotion to His Father, and was therefore for God alone.

In the light of all this, how fitting that the Spirit calls the fat "the food of the offering." It is Jehovah's exclusive portion, the part He alone can appreciate. As another has said, "We can contemplate what is not given us to appropriate."

The fat allowed there was of course not the fat kept for Him alone in the sacrificial portions. It was fitting that He should have His own delight in what glorified Him in Christ. And it was wonderful grace that we should have not just pardon or justification, but real fellowship in the same Christ, though not in the same measure or way. If God shares His joy with us in Christ's sacrifice, then those who are His should listen all the more to His call to reverence and godly fear.

The first thing I notice is that he refuses entirely what nature would have accepted and enjoyed. I have no doubt the devil said, "There is no use setting up to be separated to God in a day of ruin; you are in Babylon, do as Babylon does." I have a purpose in my heart, replies Daniel — and he stuck to it.

The peace offering was the only one of these offerings that allowed eating on the part of the Lord's people. So any abuse of the privilege had to be rigidly forbidden. This prohibition reached everyone without exception... And all blood, of every kind, was forbidden as food. Not only the inward energy, but the life too was sacred to the Lord. He would allow no meddling with His sole right and title here.

Life belonged to God and was to be consecrated to God; to Him alone it belonged or could belong. Life spent or taken by another was high treason against God's title... But it was no less true that all belonged to God and belongs to God: man could not take it for his own use. A man could use it in the case of a beast that died or was torn. But whenever he chose to take the life of a beast, he had to recognise God's title, submit his will, and own the will of God as alone having a claim.

But the blood was forbidden to the whole people, who knew, as no one else then did, that life belongs to God. It did not matter what the animal was, fowl or beast: all of it was forbidden. Eating blood denied the rights of God the Creator; and if man forfeited his own rights by sin, the Lord maintained His title over life unimpaired.

Life belongs to God, so no one of the human race was to eat blood. The sinner, too, has forfeited his life. He can only live before God through the death of a sacrifice in his place... But if they were forbidden the blood, they were reminded how it could speak to God on their behalf. The blood makes atonement for the soul... Of three important truths, then, the prohibition to eat blood reminds us. We are creatures, and must remember it. We were by nature sinners, and must acknowledge it. We owe atonement by blood wholly to God, and must always own it... So atonement is all of grace. The One to whom life belongs has given the blood to be poured out for our everlasting blessing.

On the other hand, the blood of no living creature could they eat; for life belongs to God. The recognition that life belongs to God is binding on all men... God has forbidden blood to all. He forbade the fat of the sacrifice only to His people.

This ban started when God first allowed animals to be eaten as food (Genesis 9:3-5). Blood was never to be eaten, and this is as true today as it was then (Acts 15:28-29). As for eating fat, this was forbidden only in the case of animals being sacrificed (v. 25). But any eating of blood was punishable by death under law (v. 27). We do not carry out that sentence under grace, though eating blood is just as serious a wrong today as at any time. For "the blood is the life," and in this matter we must recognise God's rights as the Lifegiver.

As a Jew, obedient to the word of God, Daniel could not eat the food of the Gentile nations. Even with the animals a Jew could eat, the fat and the blood were forbidden... So Daniel and his companions could not accept the royal food. To take it, they would have had to give up their faith and reject the word of their God.

But the blood was completely forbidden to the people who knew, as no others did in those days, that life belongs to God. It made no difference what the animal was, bird or beast — all of it was forbidden absolutely. Eating blood denied the rights of God, the Creator. Man forfeited his own rights by sin, but the LORD kept His title over life untouched. God set up human government in the first place to deal with death caused on purpose. Shed blood is its sign, and it belongs to God alone. Man has no right to take it for himself.

The blood of no beast or bird was to be eaten, for it is the life of the creature, and life belongs to God. For Israel, this rule enforced in a special way what God laid down after the flood, in Noah's time (Genesis 9:4). So the apostles and elders gave this instruction to Gentile believers, as recorded in Acts 15:20 and 29. They were not imposing a mere item of the law of Moses on them. This is a prohibition that applies to all people. We do well to keep it. But we do not need to copy the extreme care the Jews took, as the instruction of 1 Corinthians 10:25 shows.

Feasting with God on the fat of the inner parts of any animal offered in sacrifice would have been a privilege — fellowship with Him. As food, it was flatly denied them. What the fat symbolised was for God... On the other hand, they could not eat the blood of any living creature; for life belongs to God. The recognition that life belongs to God is binding on all men... God has forbidden blood to all. He forbade the fat of the sacrifice only to His people.

Blood was never to be eaten, and this is as true today as it was then (Acts 15:28-29). As to eating fat, this was forbidden only in cases of animals being sacrificed (v. 25). But any eating of blood was punishable by death, under law (v. 27). Such a sentence is not to be carried out under grace, though eating blood is just as seriously wrong today as at any time. For "the blood is the life," and we must in this matter recognise God's rights as the lifegiver.

So complete was the change that now He commands what would once have been the greatest sin. Unless one eats the flesh and drinks the blood of the Son of Man, there is no life. The sign of His death gives life to us, and is absolutely necessary. To have life one must drink what was due only and strictly to God the judge of sin. But now Christ has changed it all for us. The very blood that it would have been most criminal to touch or taste before must now be drunk by us. So the standing witness to the work of Christ that the Christian sees is in the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper.

This man had learned, I have no doubt, to read the Scriptures. He knew that the king's meat had been offered to idols, and he also knew God's mind about the fat and the blood.