Something smells good

A “through the bible” devotion from Leviticus 1.

Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. Leviticus. Supportive friends have thanked me for these “through the bible” devotions. Back in Genesis, I told them, “We’ll see how it goes when we get to Leviticus.” Many “I’m going to read the bible” endeavors get out of the blocks fast in Genesis, plod through Exodus, and stall out in Leviticus.

However, the last few times through the bible, I’ve found the guidelines for sacrifices, ordination of priests, foods, festivals, and holiness to be fascinating. So I’m going to share my thoughts with you. I dare you to hang in there with me.

So much changed when the Covid pandemic hit in 2020. There was so much we didn’t know. There was a lot of misinformation, too. I never knew there were so many epidemiologists in my congregation! Everyone had expert opinions on communicable diseases, masks, and immunizations.

To the relief of some, the dismay of others, and the anger of a few, we shut the doors of the church and learned how to stream worship into our homes. As I preached to an iPhone camera on a tripod in an empty sanctuary, I wondered if anyone was watching or listening.

Suddenly, we didn’t have to get up, shower, dress, and drive to church on Sunday morning. We could worship virtually via a streaming device in pajamas as we ate breakfast at the dining room table.

It was convenient. But it wasn’t the same. We didn’t have the chance to catch up with friends we hadn’t seen for a week. For better or worse, our singing voices stood out rather than blending in with others. We missed the flock!

God lays out instructions for worship in Leviticus. “When anyone of you brings an offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:2), it was to be done in a certain place (not your tent or home) and a specific way. With humility and obedience, worshipers focused on God without creativity or personal preference. In other words, it wasn’t about you, but about about the Lord. The whole community did this together.

Worship cost you something. Worship cost you a bull, a sheep or a goat, or if you were poor, a couple of birds. As you laid your hands on the offering, you identified with that gift, giving yourself to the Lord. After all, God doesn’t want some thing from you. He wants you. He desires a relationship with you. He loves you.

Worship in the Old Testament points to Christ, who will be the ultimate sacrifice. The blood of beasts foreshadowed the blood of Christ shed on the cross which truly covers all our sin. “Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:2).

It smells amazing when I’m walking around the block and catch a whiff of someone grilling meat on the back porch. In the same way, these burnt offerings were a “soothing aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9,13,17). Something smells good because Jesus gave his life for us!