What is the meaning of Leviticus 4:9? Both kidneys - Leviticus 4:9 singles out “both kidneys” as part of the sin offering. The kidneys were viewed as vital organs hidden deep within the body, symbolizing the innermost thoughts and motives (Psalm 26:2; Jeremiah 17:10). Because sin corrupts from the inside out, God required these hidden parts to be offered, underscoring that forgiveness reaches even the secret places (Leviticus 7:4). - By specifying “both,” the text shows that nothing was to be left behind. A partial surrender is not sufficient when dealing with sin; every part must be placed before the Lord (Romans 12:1). With the fat on them - “All the fat is the LORD’s” (Leviticus 3:16). Fat represented the best and richest portion, devoted wholly to God. By attaching the fat to the kidneys, the Lord claimed both the hidden seat of desire and the choicest part of the animal. - Sacrificing the fat demonstrated that the worshiper held nothing back. This principle echoes in Proverbs 3:9, where believers are told to “honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your harvest.” Near the loins - The phrase pinpoints location, ensuring the priest removed the precise portion God required (Exodus 29:13). Accuracy mattered: God detailed where, what, and how, showing that He defines the terms of atonement. - The loins also signify strength (Job 40:16) and reproduction (Genesis 46:26). Removing fat near the loins acknowledged God’s ownership over both power and posterity, reminding Israel to rely on Him, not self, for strength and future. And the lobe of the liver - The liver’s lobe, like the kidneys, is an internal part. Exodus 29:13 and Leviticus 8:16 repeat this requirement, emphasizing consistency in worship. - In ancient Near Eastern culture, livers were associated with life and decision-making. By surrendering it, Israel confessed that life’s direction belongs to God alone (Proverbs 16:9). - The liver’s inclusion also balances the offering: neither emotion (kidneys) nor volition (liver) is excluded from God’s claim. Which he is to remove with the kidneys— - The priest must “remove with the kidneys,” showing that obedience to God’s pattern is not optional (Leviticus 4:31). Precision signaled reverence. - This removal prefigures the complete, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, who “offered Himself” without defect (Hebrews 7:27). Just as nothing was left in the animal, no sin remained uncovered by Jesus’ atonement (2 Corinthians 5:21). - For believers today, thorough confession and wholehearted devotion mirror the thorough removal commanded here (1 John 1:9). summary Leviticus 4:9 calls for the priest to remove the kidneys, their fat, the fat near the loins, and the liver’s lobe, underscoring that God wants every hidden, valuable, and life-directing part wholly surrendered. This meticulous act illustrates the seriousness of sin, the necessity of complete obedience, and foreshadows the total sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. |
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