What is a cult? Typically, when someone says, “you belong to a cult” they are referring to a group that is controlled by a powerful personality and who submit to teachings or rules that seek to brainwash. But in actuality, a cult by its simplest definition implies a sect or group of people that trend towards an offbeat desire to challenge mainstream beliefs.
When Yeshua our Messiah was on this Earth, there was a sect of believers who grew out of His teachings. They were called “The Way.” These people were accused of challenging Roman authority and were thereby punished or even put to death for their daring new beliefs. What was their crime? The Way believed in miracles, had spiritual revivals, raised the dead, taught that there was a Spiritual Kingdom greater than Rome, and that love was superior to power or wealth. Pretty weird stuff. Right?
I believe the world will continue to call believers in Yahweh a cult. But for me, this is not a concern. My concern is for believers to continue to seek the Messiah in the Scriptures and to be diligent towards the written words to the fullest context historically, culturally, spiritually, and in language.
This week’s Torah portion continues to explore what Israel gave to Yahweh on the altar of offerings—a topic that may seem a little bit “cultic” to the world due to all the blood and fat. But to a student of the Messiah, pictures emerge that can give us confidence.
Last week, we tackled the issue of liver and kidneys and why they are a sweet aroma to Yahweh. And this week in the study of Tzav or “Command” I came across an addition to that study . . . the fat that surrounds these organs.
Naturally, the question then arises, “Why is the fat reserved for Yahweh and how can I even explain this stuff to someone without sounding crazy?”
Possible Answer 1:
We read:
And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savor: all the fat is the LORD’S. Leviticus 3:14-16
This verse “plainly” says that all the fat is the Lord’s. But look at how it prefaces it; it describes the fat that covers the inwards, which includes a deposit known as “perirenal fat.” So, the “visceral fat” as we know it today is specifically mentioned; but the fat that is “subcutaneous” (under skin) and intra-muscular fat are not mentioned. Why?
In the Torah, you will never find a mention of intramuscular fat or subcutaneous fat being prohibited or reserved for God. But rather every time “ALL the fat is mine” or a similar statement is made there is a reservation. For example:
And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
Leviticus 7:3-4:
And in the next verse, “All his fat” goes undefined, but the verse after connects us back to the previous sacrifice:
And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar. And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: Leviticus 4:19:
How was the fat handled on that sacrifice?
And the two kidneys [of the bullock for the sin offering], and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. Leviticus 4:9
Again, only visceral fat is mentioned. And that is consistent throughout the Bible. But what does all of it MEAN?!
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of an ox, or sheep, or of goat. And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. Leviticus 7:22-25
This tells us that Yah is very serious about us not eating fat, that is clear. It also tells us that it “may be used in any other use”. This might include soap, grease, candles, waterproofing, and quite a few other things. Finally, it is also interesting to note that Yah only mentions the fat of oxen, sheep, and goats; it does not mention chicken fat or fish fat.
We know in the book of Hebrews that the services in the tabernacle are a pattern of heavenly things. (Heb. 8:5) But, what could there possibly be in the heavenlies that relate to fat? Again, I believe we have to look for the picture trying to be expressed.
Biologically, fat is used by the body to store excess energy in good times and for hard times; let us make an analogy; fat is the “money” your body needs to survive. When there is a temporary excess of money coming in, on payday or harvest season, you will first spend that money on this week’s grocery bill, and then you will store the surplus in a bank. Then in the downtime between your next payday, you will draw on that reserve. If you have a well-paying job or low expenses, then you will continue to have an excess every month and save that money back for your retirement, children, and grandchildren.
And that is, in a nutshell, what fat is designed to do. When you take in more carbohydrates (starches and sugars primarily) than your body will use between now and the next meal, the excess is primarily stored as fat; the fat is deposited in various parts of your body, and when you fast (voluntarily or involuntarily) these fat cells are broken down and used for energy. And now we have enough groundwork laid, I can tell you what fat MEANS, and possibly why Yah chose it for Himself.
And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Genesis 45:18
Fat is considered by many cultures, particularly those in the middle east, to be a delicacy. But yet Yah prohibits visceral fat. Though at the same time, Yah promises that Israel will eat the fat of the land. A dual meaning emerges because here the fat (the same Hebrew word is used as elsewhere in Leviticus) is pictured as a blessing of plenty of food and good land. Yah uses it to represent the end product of working a good productive land – in this sense, the fat would also represent the bottles of wine and oil, the barns full of hay, and the bins full of grain for the next year.
All the best (same word “fat”) of the oil, and all the best (fat) of the wine, and of the wheat, the first fruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. Numbers 18:12
YHWH uses the same word translated as fat in a metaphoric sense to mean the “best” portion of something. Obviously, wine is entirely fat-free, so it has no fat in the literal sense. And here God was giving the “best” – the “fat” of the land to the sons of Levi.
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Numbers 18:20-21
Later on in the same chapter, after going through all the things God had given to the tribe of Levi, He sums it up in the word “tenth” – the tithe! Does fat represent TITHE?
As Yahweh blesses a righteous person or nation, they may accumulate excess; called in the Bible “increase”. As a healthy body grows on good food, it accumulates a healthy excess which it stores back called “fat”. As a righteous person saves back this “increase”, God requires that a tenth be saved back as tithe and given to Him. For the rest of your increase, you are free to enjoy the fruits of however you see fit.
…burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor unto the LORD. Numbers 18:17
Yah required the Levitical priesthood to burn on the altar all visceral fat; was this Yah’s tithe portion of an animal while giving other fat to the priests? The fat that was removed was a lump portion of energy that the animal, thanks to Yah’s blessing, had been able to save up and which God took as His tithe of that animal.
The fat pictures Yahweh’s blessing of an animal and a people; most of that fat and that blessing is ours to keep, but the visceral fat is representative of God’s portion, and eating that is stealing from God (Malachi 3:8), and whoever eats it will be cut off from Israel (Leviticus 7:25).
Possible Answer #2:
With all of this being said, could there be another theory? For instance, why would Yahweh ask for fat that is not overly healthy to consume?
Visceral fat is fat that wraps around abdominal organs deep inside your body. You can’t always feel it or see it. You may have a pretty flat tummy and still have visceral fat. Sometimes it is called TOFI, or “thin outside fat inside.”
Too much of any body fat is bad for your health. But compared to the fat that lies just underneath your skin (subcutaneous fat), the visceral kind is more likely to raise your risk for serious medical issues. Heart disease, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and high cholesterol are some of the conditions that are strongly linked to too much fat in your trunk.
So, is there another picture to be found here? If Yahweh demands to take fat that is bad for us and even reminds us not to eat of it, what is He exactly saying? From this point of view, it doesn’t look like visceral fat is the “best tithe.” Like the picture of kidneys and liver being filters of disease, it seems to paint the idea that Elohim takes on our sin and saves us from death.
Here’s the point, I’ve presented you with one picture this week that is long and detailed with lots of “proof” texts. The second picture is short without proof texts and only seeks to paint purpose and function. Which way will you lean? Which one if any sounds like a cult-type answer to you? Can pictures still be proof text or do I need proof texts to prove a point?
Be Blessed this Sabbath,
Rollyn