Sacrifices

The priest who offers the sacrifice as a sin offering must eat his portion in a sacred place within the courtyard of the Tabernacle. [Leviticus 6.26]

Although these offering and sacrifices can be confusing to keep up with, one must step back to take a look at them one at a time. At least I have to!

In looking at the sin offering, I saw today that the only parts that are burned are the fat, the kidneys, and the long lobe of the liver. 

First, the blood is sprinkled before the curtain in the Holy Place (not the Most Holy Place as far as I can tell) seven times, and then some of the blood is put on the horns of the incense altar in the Holy Place. After this, the priest then takes the rest of the blood out of the Holy Place into the courtyard(?) where the altar of burnt offering is and pour out what is remaining at the base of that altar.

It is after the blood is removed and placed accordingly, that all the fat, the kidneys, and the long lobe of the liver are burned on the altar.

At this point, the priest must take for himself and his male descendants some portion of the meat and cook and eat it there in the Tabernacle.

As a final ritual, it appears all that is left of the animal is then taken outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place and burned.

And this sacrifice protocol is just for the sin of a priest or the entire community of Israel...

The sacrifices for the sins of normal leaders and individuals are different. The blood for these offenses never makes it into the Holy Place, but only to the altar of burnt offerings.

I am curious today why the fat, kidneys and long lobe of the liver are differentiated from the rest of the internal organs. It would seem at first glance, that these 'parts' serve secondary functions as compared to the lungs, heart, stomach, and intestines. I need to learn more about this...

Father, thank You for helping me to understand some of these sacrifices. Please continue to teach me what these sacrifices are and how they relate to Jesus' work on the Cross on my behalf.