In the context of Old Testament sacrificial practices, the command that the fat of sacrifices should not remain until morning is a specific directive given by God to the Israelites. This instruction is part of the broader sacrificial system established in the Mosaic Law, which outlines various offerings and their associated regulations.

Biblical References:

The primary reference for this command is found in Exodus 23:18, which states: "You must not offer the blood of My sacrifices with anything leavened, nor may the fat of My feast remain until morning." . This verse is part of the Covenant Code, a section of Exodus that details laws and ordinances for the Israelites.

A similar command is reiterated in Exodus 34:25: "Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to Me along with anything leavened, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Feast remain until morning." . Here, the instruction is specifically linked to the Passover, emphasizing the importance of consuming the sacrificial elements within a designated timeframe.

Theological Significance:

The prohibition against leaving the fat of sacrifices until morning underscores the sanctity and immediacy of the sacrificial act. In the ancient Near Eastern context, fat was considered the choicest part of the animal, symbolizing richness and abundance. By ensuring that the fat was consumed or burned promptly, the Israelites demonstrated their obedience and reverence for God's commands.

This regulation also highlights the principle of offering the best to God without delay. The immediacy of the consumption or burning of the fat signifies the urgency and priority of worship, reflecting a heart fully devoted to God.

Cultural and Ritual Context:

In the sacrificial system, the fat of the offering was typically burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord (Leviticus 3:16). This act of burning the fat was an integral part of the peace offerings, which were voluntary sacrifices expressing thanksgiving and fellowship with God.

The command not to let the fat remain until morning can also be seen as a practical measure to prevent decay and ensure the purity of the sacrificial process. In a time without modern preservation methods, leaving sacrificial elements overnight could lead to spoilage, thus defiling the offering.

Application for Believers:

For contemporary believers, while the specific sacrificial practices of the Old Testament are no longer applicable due to the fulfillment of the sacrificial system in Christ (Hebrews 10:10), the underlying principles remain relevant. The call to offer the best to God, to act with immediacy in worship, and to maintain purity in one's spiritual life are enduring values that continue to guide Christian practice.

In summary, the command that the fat of sacrifices should not remain until morning reflects a deep theological and practical significance within the Old Testament sacrificial system, emphasizing the importance of wholehearted devotion and the immediacy of worship.Exodus 23:8
And you shall take no gift: for the gift blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Reading the Law with Tears and Joy
... said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink ... The second set of thirteen was
not composed of the ... assisting at the menial parts of the sacrifices was now ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/reading the law with tears.htm

All the Day Long
... temples; our families, churches; our lives, sacrifices; ourselves kings ... no more envy
them than you envy fat bullocks the ... Do not even in your wish deprive the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/all the day long.htm

Letter cii. (AD 409. )
... reasonably suppose that oil made from fat should not ... kingdom, the priesthood, and
the sacrifices formerly established ... of knowledge which is not prejudicial to ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter cii a d 409.htm

Saul Rejected
... sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams ... Eben-ezer; and apparently they purpose
sacrifices and a ... the consequence of his deposition was not outward change ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/saul rejected.htm

Concerning the Wife of Solomon; Concerning his Wisdom and Riches ...
... Jerusalem; and after he had offered great sacrifices before the ... out of the pastures,
and a hundred fat lambs; all ... nothing but the truth, and do not compose a ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 2 concerning the wife.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... been generally adopted; but to me it does not appear so ... a bunch of ears of corn,
are fat quails, and ... the cattle,"and he provideth for the sacrifices of all ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The Unrivalled Friend
... with words that are but air, but they offer him no sweet cane with money, neither
do they fill him with the fat of their sacrifices. ... Let it not be so with us ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the unrivalled friend.htm

The Social Test of Religion
... of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed ... feeling in the first century was
against bloody sacrifices. ... We can not make much permanent progress toward a ...
/.../rauschenbusch/the social principles of jesus/chapter ix the social test.htm

Twenty-Seven Articles Respecting the Reformation of the Christian ...
... and drink, or to digest or to grow fat, no one is ... work, neither should he eat." God
has not ordained that ... that they are only looked upon as sacrifices and good ...
/.../iii twenty-seven articles respecting the.htm

The First Apology of Justin, the Martyr
... to the dead, crowns for their statues, and sacrifices. ... it is an abomination to me;
the fat of lambs ... the prophecy given through Moses did not precisely indicate ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the first apology of justin.htm

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