A Pleasing Aroma To God

                                              "He (the priest) shall take out the memorial
                                               portion from the grain offering and burn it
                                               on the altar as an offering made by fire, an
                                               aroma pleasing to the LORD."
                                                                                          Leviticus 2:9



          Throughout the Old Testament, from Genesis to Ezra to Ezekiel, Scripture
     tells us about the sacrifices offered by the children of Israel as being "a pleasing
     arom to the LORD."

          God told His people exactly how to prepare and sacrifice certain animals
     before Him, and when they listened and obeyed His commands, God was pleased.

          The sacrifices were necessary because the people had sinned against God.


                                            "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything
                                             be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding
                                             of blood there is no forgiveness."
                                                                                              Hebrews 9:22


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          "God wanted the people to remember His holiness, their sin, and His grace,
     so He ordained the priesthood and the sacrifices.  The sacrifice was an atone-
     ment for sin."
                                                                            Robert A. Peterson
                                             Salvation Accomplished By the Son: The Work of Christ



          Of course, with Jesus' death on the cross, the need for sacrifice ended.  Animal
     sacrifice only temporarily satisfied God the Father's wrath against the people for
     their sins, but Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice once for all time and sat down
     at the right hand of the Father. 


          The high priest never sat down while offering sacrifices because his work was
     never finished.
          That Jesus sat down, signified that His work was completed, as His sacrifice
     atoned for all the sins of His people for all time, making any further sacrifice unnecessary.


                                                "But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for
                                                 all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down
                                                 at the right hand of God."
                                                                                       Hebrews 10:12


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          While animal sacrifice is no longer needed, Christians should still want to please
     God with the kind of lives we lead.  In fact, God wants us to offer our bodies as
     "living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to [Him]." 


                                                "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of
                                                  God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living
                                                  sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this
                                                  is your spiritual act of worship.
                                                 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of
                                                  this world, but be transformed by the renew-
                                                  ing of your mind.  Then you will be able to
                                                  test and approve what God's will is -- His
                                                  good, pleasing, and perfect will."
                                                                                      Romans 12:1-2


          Our bodies do not belong to us, but are temples of the Holy Spirit, bought by
      the blood of Jesus.


                                                "Do you not know that your body is a temple
                                                 of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you
                                                 have received from God?  You are not your
                                                 own;  you were bought at a price.  Therefore
                                                 honor God with your body."
                                                                                          1 Corinthians 6:19-20


          Our lives, led by the Holy Spirit, should produce fruit that brings glory to God,
     and leads others to saving faith in Him.


                                               "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
                                                patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
                                                gentleness, and self-control."
                                                                                        Galatians 5:22-23a


                                               "... in purity, understanding, patience, and kind-
                                                ness;   in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love."
                                                                                         2 Corinthians 6:6


                                              "Be completely humble and gentle;  be patient,
                                               bearing with one another in love.  Make every
                                               effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through
                                               the bond of peace."
                                                                                          Ephesians 4:2-3


          The Holy Spirit produces these virtues in the believer's life.


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          Our obedience and worship is considered to be a pleasing sacrifice offered to God.


                                              "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually
                                               offer to God a sacrifice of praise, -- the fruit
                                               of lips that confess His name.  And do not
                                               forget to do good and to share with others
                                               for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
                                                                                    Hebrews 13:15-16


          God would rather have our obedience than our sacrifice of animals.


                                            (Samuel said),"Does the LORD delight in burnt
                                            offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the
                                            voice of the LORD?
                                            "To obey is better than sacrifice."
                                                                                     1 Samuel 15:22


          Jesus' sacrifice of Himself on behalf of His people was also pleasing to God.
     We should follow His example and live a life of love.


                                             "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly
                                              loved children and live a life of love, just
                                              as Christ loved us and gave Himself up
                                              for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice
                                              to God."
                                                                                     Ephesians 5:2