Approaching God, Completely - Leviticus 7-9

 Leviticus 7:22-27 (ESV)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, You shall eat no fat, of ox or sheep or goat. The fat of an animal that dies of itself and the fat of one that is torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but on no account shall you eat it. For every person who eats of the fat of an animal of which a food offering may be made to the LORD shall be cut off from his people. Moreover, you shall eat no blood whatever, whether of fowl or of animal, in any of your dwelling places. Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people.”

Before we really can understand the above statement we have to recall something Moses wrote about earlier:

Leviticus 3:14-16 (ESV)

Then he shall offer from it, as his offering for a food offering to the LORD, the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the LORD’S.

The addendum written in 7:22-27 is addressed to the nation of Israel and not just the priest.    It is a warning to them about eating the fat.   The nation was constantly warned that the fat of an animal was dedicated to the LORD.   It was not to be eaten. In the above passage it even mentions that the fat from a dead animal is dedicated to the LORD.   We are not given much information as to why this is required, but it is a command in the sacrifice system.    The nation is not given options to obey this point of the system for approaching God.   Perhaps there might be a biology lesson here.   Fat in the body serves many purposes, but one is to store excess energy to be used in demanding times.  Perhaps, without stressing the metaphor too far, the picture is that God want’s all our energy. He wants us to commit fully to Him and leave nothing left for ourselves.    God demands that we follow His commands. Some we may not understand. Some we may not like. Some we may not agree with.  But the only way to approach God is on His terms.  Today we approach Him based upon the sacrifice of His Son who gave every part of His body in sacrifice to us.   That is the example we have in Him.