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Leviticus 7:4 meaning

All parts of worship must be undertaken with careful devotion and a willing heart.

Leviticus 7:4 continues the specific instructions for the peace offerings brought before the LORD, specifying which parts of the animal are to be removed and offered. In this verse, Moses, who leads the Israelites during the 15th-14th century BC and is traditionally recognized as the author of Leviticus, explains that “also the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, he shall remove with the kidneys” (v.4). These details pertain to the ceremonial practice of removing certain internal organs and offering them to the LORD as holy for Him alone. This ceremonial act underscores the thoroughness with which the Israelites were to approach offerings, ensuring every aspect met God’s standards of purity and obedience.

In the broader context, Leviticus is delivered to the Israelites while they are gathered at Mount Sinai, located in the Sinai Peninsula, north of the Red Sea, where they have formed a covenant community in the wilderness. By instructing them to remove specific parts of the animal, such as “the two kidneys and the fat… the lobe of the liver” (v.4), the text highlights both practical health considerations and symbolic reminders that every detail of worship is important. The fat, in particular, often represents the healthiest, richest portion of a sacrifice, signifying the worshiper’s dedication of the best to the LORD.

Spiritually, this verse connects to the sacrificial themes developed throughout Scripture. The emphasis on precise offering details foreshadows the perfection needed in Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, which fulfilled all sacrificial requirements (Hebrews 10:12). The focus on removing certain internal parts can also remind believers that God desires purity in the innermost places of our hearts (Psalm 51:6). In essence, these regulations point toward the holiness of the worship demanded by a holy God, later fully satisfied by Jesus’s redeeming work.

Leviticus 7:4