The Old Testament of the Hebrew scriptures give us an understanding of the holiness and the purity of God. If i were to summarize the old covenant it would be something like this, God created everything we see and don't see, he created mankind in his image and likeness to enjoy an intimate relationship with him and to steward and exercise dominion over creation as divine representatives and custodians. Man in his rebellion rejects his creator and attempts to live independently of his maker which causes the judgement of the Lord to fall on him. Since the fall of man in Eden man dwells apart from God and everywhere he treads is unholy ground.
God in his mercy promises a redeemer who will restore fallen, unholy men back into the holy, pure presence of God to once again enjoy fellowship and uninterrupted communion. In between the promise of a redeemer and the fulfillment of the promise, God sets up a sacrificial system to show the importance of atonement when it comes to entering his sacred space. unlike in Eden pre fall, man and God dwelt in the same space. After sin infects man and all of creation, no man was permitted into the Prescence of God absent a sacrificial offering, again this shadowed and prepared them to accept the one true sacrifice that would later be given to make them clean forever!
Having said all of that, I have a question for you the reader, does your life smell good? sounds weird i know, but one section of the sacrificial system in Israel had to do with offering up incense to the Lord as a holy act of worship! (see Exodus 30-34-38) That's right GOD would prescribe certain ingredients to be set apart for him specifically, to be offered up a sweet-smelling sacrifice in worship.
Fast forward to the new covenant and we see that it's not grain, lambs and incense that the lord wants his people to offer up to him in sacred worship, but its's rather our praise, our love for others and even our very own bodies (SEE Romans 12:1) we should make it our aim to offer him a life that's pleasing to him and more specifically a life that smells good to his nostrils
We must remember that the old covenant is a shadow of the things in the new covenant and having said that i turn your attention to Jesus being anointed for his burial by a sinful woman two days before his death. (Mark 14:3-9) we're told that a young lady took a costly alabaster jar of perfume and anointed his feet and head. IF this event happened two days before his death it's extremely likely that he went to the cross-smelling amazing!! As Jesus was on the cross, we're told he said to the father as he was dying " into your hands I commit my spirit"(Luke 23:46) and there it was IT WAS FINISHED!! the sacrifice was made and the atonement he came to bring was accomplished. Furthermore, the OFFERING was given!
look at what Paul says concerning this offering Christ made, pay attention in Ephesians 5 he says Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Are you seeing what I'm seeing? Christ life was given for us as THE acceptable offering that the old testament required, but even more interesting to me is his life being described as a "Fragrant offering" or a sweet-smelling savor! Christ LITERALLY was anointed days before his death with costly perfume and spiritually he was anointed before creation the God man, the holy spotless Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. His life smelled great to the father, his offering was pleasantly accepted and because of that very offering you and i are accepted as well.
My encouragement for us is to strive to live lives of gratitude and humility, understanding that one day we too will offer up a life to God, and our heartbeat should be that he smells what he smelt when his son offered up his. A life of sacrifice, love, humility and purity!! those things are pleasing to his nostrils indeed
Comments