God’s Food: Sweet Aroma Offerings - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Command the children of Israel ‘My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time the one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb.'"
Numbers 28:1-7 NKJV

God's Food: Sweet Aroma Offerings
We customarily eat our meals at certain times of the day. What a delicious fragrance often greets our nostrils as we approach the table! God here speaks of the offerings brought to Him at their appointed time as His food and as a sweet aroma to Him. Why? They present the fragrance of Christ to Him. Just as we enjoy eating tasty meals regularly throughout our lives, so God never tires of hearing His redeemed people speak and sing in worship to Him of how they appreciate the work of His beloved Son.

The burnt offering was a male animal without blemish which the offerer, laying his hand on the offering's head, offered for his acceptance. This sweet savor offering depicted Christ devotedly offering Himself without spot to God, delighting to do His Father's will even to death. Birds could be burnt offerings too.

A grain offering (sometimes translated meal or meat offering) always accompanied the burnt offering. The fine flour stands for the perfect evenness and balance of Christ's life. Being mixed with oil, or anointed with oil, speaks of Him as born of the Spirit or anointed with the Spirit. The frankincense represents the fragrance of His life to God, while the lack of leaven and honey denote the absence of sin and mere natural sweetness. The fire shows the intensity of the Lord's suffering for righteousness during His life. The drink offering shows Christ's joy in His sufferings.

-- Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.