And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’.
The order laid down for the peace offering, which was especially an expression of thanksgiving to God, was that the fat alone was to be burned upon the altar to God, a specified portion including the breast belonged to Aaron and his sons, and the greater part was returned to the offerer to be eaten by him and his friends in a sacrificial feast. The fat had to be burned as an offering to God before the priests took their portion. The burning of the fat and the sacrifices were a type of the great Sacrifice, pointing forward to the death of Christ to take away the sin of the world, designed to preserve faith in the coming Redeemer and to direct all hearts to Him in gratitude and faith.
Because of that solemn symbolic meaning, strict heed to the Lord's directions about the offering was of the greatest importance. The sons of Eli did not realize the solemnity of the symbolic service but used it for self-indulgence. Not content with the part allotted to them, they demanded an additional portion and whatever portion pleased them and refused to wait even until the fat had been burned as an offering to God. They threatened to take it by violence if denied and took it by force beforehand, using the great number of sacrifices at the annual feasts to enrich themselves at the expense of the people, which violated God's directions and robbed the offerers of their rightful share.
The order laid down for the peace offering, which was especially an expression of thanksgiving to God, was that the fat alone was to be burned upon the altar to God, a specified portion including the breast belonged to Aaron and his sons, and the greater part was returned to the offerer to be eaten by him and his friends in a sacrificial feast. The fat had to be burned as an offering to God before the priests took their portion. The burning of the fat and the sacrifices were a type of the great Sacrifice, pointing forward to the death of Christ to take away the sin of the world, designed to preserve faith in the coming Redeemer and to direct all hearts to Him in gratitude and faith.
Because of that solemn symbolic meaning, strict heed to the Lord's directions about the offering was of the greatest importance. The sons of Eli did not realize the solemnity of the symbolic service but used it for self-indulgence. Not content with the part allotted to them, they demanded an additional portion and whatever portion pleased them and refused to wait even until the fat had been burned as an offering to God. They threatened to take it by violence if denied and took it by force beforehand, using the great number of sacrifices at the annual feasts to enrich themselves at the expense of the people, which violated God's directions and robbed the offerers of their rightful share.