An Aroma Pleasing to the Lord

An Aroma Pleasing to the Lord

Date: Mar. 7, 2022

Passage

Numbers 15:1-21 (ESV)

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, 3 and you offer to the LORD from the herd or from the flock a food offering or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing aroma to the LORD, 4 then he who brings his offering shall offer to the LORD a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil; 5 and you shall offer with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of wine for the drink offering for each lamb. 6 Or for a ram, you shall offer for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil. 7 And for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 8 And when you offer a bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or for peace offerings to the LORD, 9 then one shall offer with the bull a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with half a hin of oil. 10 And you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

11 “Thus it shall be done for each bull or ram, or for each lamb or young goat. 12 As many as you offer, so shall you do with each one, as many as there are. 13 Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in offering a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 14 And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, he shall do as you do. 15 For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the LORD. 16 One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

17 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land to which I bring you 19 and when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall present a contribution to the LORD. 20 Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it. 21 Some of the first of your dough you shall give to the LORD as a contribution throughout your generations.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 15:2-3

“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, and you offer to the LORD from the herd or from the flock a food offering or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing aroma to the LORD,

That generation maintained a relationship with God through the Tabernacle. God believed their children would want to give freewill and fellowship offerings – an aroma pleasing to the LORD – to mark their relationship and thankfulness to God. God reiterated the rules of offerings to instruct how to demonstrate love to God practically. This applies to all regardless of cultural background (13-16). Today we come to God through Jesus, our great High Priest, who died for our sins once for all, fulfilling the Old Testament sacrificial system. We show our love today through hearing and obeying Jesus (Jn 14:21) and offering ourselves as living sacrifices, pleasing to God (Ro 12:1). We must show each generation how to do so practically, by our example and instruction.

In the wilderness every bite and drink were provided by God through manna and springs. But in the land they would be blessed abundantly with harvests. To remember and keep a thankful heart to God, the first of the ground meal was to be given to God as an offering. It is easy to think our labor and wealth provides for us; but all that we have is to be received from God with thanksgiving. We are to seek God and his kingdom first (Mt 6:33), trusting in his provision for all our needs.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, thank you for providing all for us. Help us respond by offering ourselves and our materials in a way that pleases you.

One Word: One Word: Offer ourselves as a living sacrifice

God Blessed Abraham’s Son Isaac

Genesis 25:1-18

Key Verse: 25:11

Today's Question

What is adoption?

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