"Stay focused on the core message of Leviticus, that My plan is to make you holy and you'll see My love - and My Son - all through the letter. My Spirit will help."Okay then, Spirit, gonna need some help!
God didn't waste any time instructing Moses and the Israelites, He wanted to be present with His people. His Glory filled The Dwelling (Exodus 40:34) and now He desires to make a way for His Holiness to meet the sinful Israelites. He immediately begins describing the offerings "to make atonement" (Lev. 1:4), to provide at-one-ment with Him, reconciliation with Him through the sacrifice and satisfaction for their offenses.
For whatever reason, the one thing that is dominating my thoughts about these 4 chapters is the smell. It had to be atrocious with all those animals being slaughtered and burned. Unlike Cici's confession yesterday of her hatred for camping, my family loves to camp. And I love the smell of a campfire at night, BUT I do not like waking up with the smell of smoke in my hair and on my clothes. In fact, it's almost nauseating. So from my camping experience, I'm assuming that the smoke and the smells must have lingered in the Israelites' camp. A constant reminder of their sin and the sacrifice required to satisfy a Holy God. But to God, it was "a pleasing fragrance", the smell of atonement. He made the way to be at one with His people.
For us,
God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear [atone] that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public - to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. Romans 3:25-26 (Msg)And now,
Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse. 2 Cor. 2:15-16 (Msg)I want to be the aroma of Christ, a sweet scent rising to God, not a nasty smell that makes Him nauseous. Thank God, it's not up to me to be clean enough or to use the right soap or to provide a better-smelling sacrifice. It's Jesus that covers me with His scent -- a pleasing fragrance to God.
3 comments:
I'm right there with you - the stench must have been awful! All of the blood being poured on the Altar, all of the burning of animals. Yuck. I didn't notice any instructions on actually cleaning the Altar! Bleach, anyone?? Honestly, I find it a little nauseating even reading about it. (I could never be a nurse!)
But eight times in the first four chapters, God calls these burnt offerings "a pleasing fragrance." I believe Him, but I don't understand it. I just can't wait until we get to the bodily discharge chapter! Ick. :-)
But seriously, it is kind of overwhelming to think what the Israelites had to go through in order to have their sins forgiven - over and over again.
All too often, I take my complete forgiveness through Christ for granted. The details in these chapters (and the ones to come) remind me that God doesn't take my sin lightly and neither should I.
I'm right there with you ladies with the smell and all the blood everywhere - and yes, Cici, I too thought "I hope we hit a chapter on how to clean it up well!" And I also like the campfire smell the morning after. :)
The thing that struck me in these chapters (besides the gore of killing and gutting an animal) is the repetition about the "pleasing fragrance to God". And Staci, thanks for addressing it with the passages in the New Testament. I kept wondering "what kind of fragrance do I give off to other people?" (no comments here, people.:-) ) Is it sweet and pure, like Christ? Or is it stench? It makes me really examine my heart, my words, my attitude, and my actions - they are more powerful than I realize.
BLIZZARD in Tulsa but I'm enjoying being "stuck" at home and so thankful my UPS semi-tractor night driving husband is on vacation this week...home safe and sound.
As I read I was thinking about all these "unintentional" sins, how many I must have daily, that would have been then and would be now (if it was required) a lot of animals being sacrificed.
I was always kind of puzzled how it could have been a pleasing/good smell to God. But had a moment of enlightenment when I read your note Staci... It was "a pleasing fragrance", the smell of atonement. WOW! And then years later how it pleased the Father to sacrifice His only begotten Son for our atonement. What a miraculous gift of love and grace! (Isaiah 53:10)
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