What is the meaning of Leviticus 3:15? Both kidneys - “Both kidneys” (Leviticus 3:15) highlights that God required specific inner parts, not a random collection. Earlier in the chapter the same organs are singled out (Leviticus 3:4), and the pattern is repeated in the consecration of priests (Exodus 29:13). - In Scripture the kidneys symbolize the innermost thoughts and motives (Psalm 26:2; Jeremiah 17:10). By placing them on the altar, the worshiper acknowledged that the Lord alone searches and owns the human heart. - The precision underscores that God is worthy of the very depths of our being, foreshadowing Romans 12:1 where believers are urged to present their whole selves as a living sacrifice. The fat on them near the loins - Fat represented the richest, choicest portion (Leviticus 3:16–17). Reserving it for God affirmed His supreme worth. - The “fat…near the loins” refers to the protective covering closest to vital organs, emphasizing the best and most essential parts. Compare 1 Samuel 2:15–16, where Eli’s sons sinned by seizing this fat for themselves. - God’s claim on the best challenges believers today to give first-rate devotion rather than leftovers (Proverbs 3:9). The lobe of the liver - Exodus 29:13 and Leviticus 8:16 mention the same “lobe of the liver,” showing this was not incidental but a consistent requirement. - The liver was viewed as central to physical life. Offering its “lobe” reinforced the message that life belongs to God (Leviticus 17:11). - In Christ, the perfect sacrifice, every vital part was yielded to the Father (John 10:17–18), fulfilling what these offerings only anticipated. Remove with the kidneys - “Which he is to remove with the kidneys” stresses deliberate separation for the altar. Nothing was left to chance; obedience had to be exact (Leviticus 10:1–2 illustrates the danger of departing from God’s pattern). - This removal also guarded the worshiper from consuming what God had reserved for Himself, preserving the holiness of both the offering and the participant (Leviticus 7:23–25). - Hebrews 10:22 invites believers to draw near with “a true heart,” echoing the careful removal of anything that rightfully belongs to the Lord. summary Leviticus 3:15 zooms in on specific inner organs and fat to show that God demands—and deserves—the richest, deepest portions of life. Every detail underscores His ownership of our motives, affections, and very breath. By faithfully removing and placing these parts on the altar, the worshiper proclaimed God’s supremacy and anticipated the complete, flawless surrender fulfilled in Jesus. The verse invites us to offer our innermost selves, holding nothing back, because the Lord who sees the heart has already given His best for us. |
    |