A Pleasing Aroma to God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 28:1-2,

"The Lord said to Moses, 'Give this command to the Israelites and say
to them: "Make sure that you present to me at the appointed time my
food offerings, as an aroma pleasing to me."'"

Now that the forty year sojourn in the wilderness for Israel had come
to its end and a new generation of Israelites is now on the scene,
with Moses to shortly pass the mantle of leadership to Joshua, the
Lord reviews the sacrificial offerings and festivals with a few
additional details.

As the Lord speaks to Moses, he begins with calling the offerings his
food offerings that provided a pleasing aroma to him. The notion that
the offerings were a pleasing aroma to him was something he
underscored when he first gave the requirements for offerings forty
years earlier. I count at least 20 occasions where the Lord referred
to the offerings as a pleasing aroma to him, Exodus 29:18 - Leviticus
26:31.

What did the Lord mean by a "pleasing aroma" in reference to the
offerings? Was he like me when I am out grilling on my Weber enjoying
(and celebrating!) the aroma that those rib eye steaks bring? Was it
the actual physical aroma of the roasting meat on the altar that was
pleasing to him?

I don't think that quite captures what the Lord was communicating. The
Quest Study Bible provides a great thought on it in a comment made at
Leviticus 1:9. Quest points to the pleasure God received from the
genuine and heartfelt intent behind the offering made by the
worshippers. The aroma of the offerings was a picture communicating
the pleasure he felt when worshippers expressed their faith and
devotion in him through their worship of him.

Can we bring that pleasure to God through our worship and obedience to
him today? Consider Hebrews 13:15-16, "Through Jesus, therefore, let
us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips
that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to
share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

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