Aroma

• Prologue
• Kinds of sacrifices
• Regular burnt offerings
• A pleasing aroma
• God’s food
• Well-being offerings
• Grain and drink offerings
• The New Testament
• Thematic undertones
• Jesus’ death

Prologue

The flow of the narrative from the end of Exodus to the beginning of Numbers tells us an interesting story.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40: 34-35

Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying Leviticus 1:1

Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying Numbers 1:1

We see the progression of Moses’ position with respect to the tabernacle when God conversed with him. He initially could not enter the tabernacle, and God was speaking to him from the temple. At the beginning of Numbers, we see that God now speaks to him in the tabernacle. This shows us that what we have in Leviticus is the resolution to the conflict that we see at the end of Exodus; God living among the people, but they could not have communion. He was so near, but still so far.

Kinds of sacrifices

It is a grave misconception to think that Israel’s sacrifices were just of one kind, or that all sacrifices were designed to deal with sin/impurity. From the detailed descriptions we have in Leviticus (and Numbers), we clearly see that not all sacrifices were about dealing with sin/impurity.

There are two broad kinds of sacrifices (classified by their atoning function) which were given in the temple; atoning and non-atoning sacrifices. Today, we’re dealing with the non-atoning sacrifices.

Regular burnt offerings

Too long, please open your Bible Exodus 29: 38-46

Too long, please open your Bible Numbers 28: 1-8

A burnt offering is one where the entire animal—except for its hide, which goes to the officiating priest (Leviticus 1:6, 7:8)—is burned up on the altar in the courtyard of the dwelling place (1:1–17).

One phrase that is consistently repeated in the prescriptions for the daily offerings is “a pleasing aroma to the Lord. This phrase helps us better understand the primary purpose of the daily burnt offerings.

A pleasing aroma

The purpose of this offering was to “attract” God’s presence, and by extension, God’s blessing in the tabernacle. This is made clearer if we examine the instruction about building altars. The only purpose given is “I will come, and I will bless”.

Too long, please open your Bible Exodus 20: 22-24

But how exactly does the pleasing aroma attract God’s presence?

God’s food

In the Torah, we see the concept of sacrifice being metaphorically referred to as God’s food. At its most basic level, the idea behind sacrifice is to metaphorically prepare food for God to consume.

“Command the Israelites: ‘With regard to my offering, be sure to offer my food for my offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to me at its appointed time.’ Numbers 28:2

Too long, please open your Bible Leviticus 21: 21-22

It is important to note that scripture clearly rejects the idea that God literally eats the sacrifices.

“If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Psalm 50: 12-13

Well-being offerings

N.B: These are also known as peace/fellowship offerings

Seeing that God is the only one who eats from the daily burnt offerings, it makes sense then that there would be offerings that the people (and priests) also partook in. This was the function of the well-being offerings.

Too long, please open your Bible Leviticus 3: 1-5

Too long, please open your Bible Leviticus 7: 11-21

From observation, well-being sacrifices always come after a burnt offering. This is even further clarified in Exodus 20, where the burnt offering and well-being offering are the only ones mention, and the idea was for God to come and bless them.

‘You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. Exodus 20:24

The well-being sacrifices are an umbrella term for referring to:

• Thanksgiving offering
• Freewill offering
• Vowed offering

The well-being sacrifices can be private (for a family clan or unit), or public (for all the people). IT is evident then, why well-being sacrifices are used for the Passover ceremony and Covenant inauguration/reenactment ceremonies.

These sacrifices are the only ones the people can eat from, and it is split between the people, the priests, and God.

Grain and drink offerings

N.B: These are also known as gift/present/tribute offerings

Too long, please open your Bible Numbers 15: 1-13

Too long, please open your Bible Leviticus 2

The burnt offerings and well-being offerings are usually to be offered with a grain offering. The grain and wine complement the animal (protein) with carbohydrates (grain) and drink (wine). This is a full meal. This all reinforces the fact that sacrifice is fundamentally about sacred meals.

The New Testament

Thematic undertones

Apostle Paul metaphorically takes the idea of well-being offerings and applies it to the believers’ continual offering of thanksgiving, praise, and sharing among themselves.

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13: 15-16

But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. Philippians 4:18

He also refers to his own life as a drink offering

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 2: 17-18

Apostle Paul presents the notion that human moral actions can be thought of as analogous to, or even as a replacement for, the sacrifices of grain or animals in the temple cult as an expression of worship.

Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. Romans 12: 1-2 (NET)

Jesus’ death

The New Testament uses non-atoning sacrificial image to communicate sacrificial understandings of Jesus’ death, and we will explore those from next week.