How does Exodus 29:13 illustrate the importance of consecration in our lives? Setting the Scene: Consecrating Israel’s Priests • Exodus 29 describes the ordination of Aaron and his sons. • God required specific parts of the ram to be burned: – “Then take all the fat that covers the entrails,” – “the fat surrounding the liver,” – “and both kidneys with the fat on them,” – “and burn them on the altar.” (Exodus 29:13) • Nothing was random; every detail taught Israel how a holy God is approached. Why These Inner Parts? • Fat, kidneys, and liver were hidden, vital organs—symbols of the inner life. • Burning them signified that consecration reaches the deepest, unseen places. • Leviticus 8:16 repeats the command: “Moses took all the fat around the entrails,” “the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat,” “and burned them on the altar.” • God’s message: I want the whole person—inside first, outside next. Timeless Principles for Us 1. God Begins With the Heart • He asks for what’s “under the surface,” not mere outward religion. 2. Total Surrender Is Non-Negotiable • Not a portion of life but every hidden motive laid on His altar. 3. Consecration Requires Fire • Burning consumes and purifies; God’s holiness tests what we give Him. New-Covenant Echoes • Romans 12:1 urges believers to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice,” “holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual service of worship.” • 1 Peter 2:9 reminds us we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,” “a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him” “who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” • Hebrews 9:14 explains that Christ’s blood can “cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we may serve the living God!” Living Out Consecration Today • Daily review motives, asking: Is my inner life on the altar? • Offer hidden “fat” to God—appetites, ambitions, secret habits. • Allow the Spirit’s “fire” (conviction, discipline, Scripture) to refine. • Serve from a clean heart, not for approval but from acceptance in Christ. Christ, Our Perfect Example • Jesus yielded every desire to the Father (John 6:38). • At the cross He offered Himself “unblemished to God,” fulfilling the pattern of Exodus 29. • In Him, we receive both the call and the power to live consecrated lives. Takeaway Exodus 29:13 shows that consecration isn’t a surface ritual. God asks for the hidden places first, consumes them with His holy fire, and then uses consecrated people to display His glory to the world. |
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