The fat of the peace offering is significant. Scripture records it for the first time with Abel’s sacrifice (Gen. 4:4), which was “more excellent” than what Cain brought (Heb. 11:4). This latter verse shows that the fat of the sacrifice emphasizes not only the excellence of the sacrifice, but also that it reflects something of the offerer. God’s Word often puts these two aspects together. On the negative side, when the sacrifice was blemished, it reflected the bad condition of the offerer and of the priests (Mal. 1:6–14).

The fat was always reserved for God alone, just as the blood was. God’s rights as Creator and Redeemer, expressed in the blood of the sacrifice, must always be respected. The fat too reflected something related to God’s glory—the energy of the sacrifice and its healthy inner condition. The inward parts, or intestines, are only seen by God. He wants our inward parts to be in harmony with His thoughts (Ps. 51:6), so that the inward corresponds to the outward. The New Testament term “bowels” shows this concept: God wants our inner feelings and emotions to be in tune with His holy standards and to be reserved for Him.

The fat was also linked to the kidneys, representing discernment (Ps. 16:7). They too needed to be in good condition. The fat was linked to the liver (Lev. 3:3, 10), which also was only for God. The word “liver” is sometimes translated “weight” or “glory.” The fat tail (3:10), a delicacy among Gentiles, again was only for God. Together with all the other fat, this was called His food or bread. All the fat and blood belonged to Him alone (vv. 16–17).