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“All fat is the Lord’s. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.” Leviticus 3:16–17

All the fat is the Lord’s! Are you giving God the fat? This odd phrase from our study in Leviticus contains a helpful reminder—God deserves our best.

When bringing an offering to God, He reminded His people that He deserves the best parts of the offerings. Sacrifices were to be unblemished, the best of the animals (Leviticus 21:17-33). And above all, the fat, the best parts were reserved for God. 

Later in Israel’s history two worthless priests by the name of Hophni and Phinehas engaged in a sort of sacrificial embezzlement. They held back the best portions from the Lord.

“…before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.” (1 Samuel 2:15–17)

In response, the Lord condemned their behavior.

“Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’” (1 Samuel 2:29)

What was these priests’ great problem? They did not give God the best! They took what was rightfully His and kept it for themselves.

God Still Deserves Our Best

God still deserves our best. No, we are not offering the fat of a literal sacrifice to the Lord, but He still deserves the fat. All the fat is the Lord’s. Our holy lives are offerings to Him because of His great mercy to us (Romans 12:1-2). He deserves the fat of our time, the fat of our devotion, the fat of our care. He deserves the fat of our resources. 

No, we don’t bring lambs to the tent anymore in worship to God, but that does not mean God deserves any less from us. All the fat is the Lord’s. Are you giving God the fat?