This verse exemplifies how God’s law sets apart both worship and worshipers to carry out His purpose.
In this verse, the LORD commands, “The priest shall offer up the fat in smoke on the altar, but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons” (v.31). By specifying that the priest is to carefully remove and burn the fat, this law emphasizes the holiness of the sacrificial process, showing that God desires complete dedication of the offering to Him. The fat portions signifying richness or abundance are wholly consumed on the altar, symbolizing total surrender. In the culture of ancient Israel, such practices delineated precise ways that worshipers approached God. This instruction was given in the wilderness area around Mount Sinai—traditionally pinpointed in the Sinai Peninsula—sometime after the Exodus of the Israelites (c. 1446-1406 BC). The location was crucial because it was there, between Egypt and the Promised Land, that God provided the laws which shaped the identity and spiritual life of His people.
When the verse says that “the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons” (v.31), it grants a specific portion of the sacrificial animal to the priests. Aaron, who lived in the mid-15th century BC, served as the first high priest of Israel and the older brother of Moses. His sons continued the priestly line, upholding the covenant responsibilities of facilitating worship and ensuring that God’s commands were rightly followed. This portion provided a way for the priests to be sustained as they were committed to the service of the tabernacle, which pointed forward, in principle, to a future time when Jesus Christ would become the ultimate High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-10). Although the laws of animal sacrifice were eventually fulfilled in Christ’s once-for-all offering (Hebrews 10:12), the principle of God’s provision for His ministers endures, reminding believers that spiritual leadership has material needs as well.
All these regulations underscore a deeper truth: God calls His people to honor Him through obedience and reverence, providing for those He has chosen to serve. By separating the fat for the altar and assigning the breast to the priestly family, the LORD reinforced both His holiness and His nurture of His appointed servants. These carefully prescribed details further highlight His grand design of redemption, culminating in the sacrificial work of Jesus.
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Leviticus 7:31 meaning
In this verse, the LORD commands, “The priest shall offer up the fat in smoke on the altar, but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons” (v.31). By specifying that the priest is to carefully remove and burn the fat, this law emphasizes the holiness of the sacrificial process, showing that God desires complete dedication of the offering to Him. The fat portions signifying richness or abundance are wholly consumed on the altar, symbolizing total surrender. In the culture of ancient Israel, such practices delineated precise ways that worshipers approached God. This instruction was given in the wilderness area around Mount Sinai—traditionally pinpointed in the Sinai Peninsula—sometime after the Exodus of the Israelites (c. 1446-1406 BC). The location was crucial because it was there, between Egypt and the Promised Land, that God provided the laws which shaped the identity and spiritual life of His people.
When the verse says that “the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons” (v.31), it grants a specific portion of the sacrificial animal to the priests. Aaron, who lived in the mid-15th century BC, served as the first high priest of Israel and the older brother of Moses. His sons continued the priestly line, upholding the covenant responsibilities of facilitating worship and ensuring that God’s commands were rightly followed. This portion provided a way for the priests to be sustained as they were committed to the service of the tabernacle, which pointed forward, in principle, to a future time when Jesus Christ would become the ultimate High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-10). Although the laws of animal sacrifice were eventually fulfilled in Christ’s once-for-all offering (Hebrews 10:12), the principle of God’s provision for His ministers endures, reminding believers that spiritual leadership has material needs as well.
All these regulations underscore a deeper truth: God calls His people to honor Him through obedience and reverence, providing for those He has chosen to serve. By separating the fat for the altar and assigning the breast to the priestly family, the LORD reinforced both His holiness and His nurture of His appointed servants. These carefully prescribed details further highlight His grand design of redemption, culminating in the sacrificial work of Jesus.