Leviticus 7:20
But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Leviticus 7:11-21 gives the law governing the peace offerings, which were especially an expression of thanksgiving to God. In the peace offering only the fat was burned upon the altar, a specified portion was reserved for the priests, and the greater part was returned to the offerer to be eaten by him and his friends in a sacrificial feast. The sacrifices pointed forward to the death of Christ and were designed to preserve faith in the coming Redeemer and to direct all hearts in gratitude and faith to the great Sacrifice that would take away the sin of the world, so the Lord's directions concerning them had to be strictly heeded.
The portion reserved for the people was blessed before eating, and the shared sacred meal was meant to foster true devotion, piety, kindness, and sympathy, not to become empty ceremony or self-gratification. This law was violated by the sons of Eli, who carried disregard for authority into the service of God and used the symbolic service for self-indulgence. They demanded more than their allotted part and used the many sacrifices at the annual feasts to enrich themselves at the expense of the people, refusing to wait until the fat had been burned as an offering to God and threatening to take by violence whatever portion pleased them.