A Soothing Aroma

In preparation for a recent Bible study, I considered how not all smoke is the same.  When I was fitted as a tradesman for a half-face respirator to remove asbestos, we were told to breathe normally while our instructor sprayed irritant smoke all around the seal.  The concept was the irritant smoke would provide clear evidence the mask was incorrectly fitted when the person started coughing.  The irritant smoke was harmless--unlike the microscopic fibres we were trying to prevent from lodging in our lungs that could lead to cancer and death.  Our instructor, because he was a bit of a mean old fellow, insisted everyone take an unmasked whiff of the irritant smoke for his own amusement.  And for the record, it really is irritating.

I have sat around many campfires that resulted in smoke blowing into my eyes that made them burn and water.  After blinking back tears and holding my breath, I moved from one side of the fire only to have the breeze shift and smoke me out yet again.  This was the experience God described in dealings with His people when they provoked Him to anger with their disobedience and hypocrisy in Isaiah 65:2-5:  "I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts; ³ a people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; who sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense on altars of brick; ⁴ who sit among the graves, and spend the night in the tombs; who eat swine's flesh, and the broth of abominable things is in their vessels; ⁵ who say, 'Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all the day."  The self-righteousness of God's rebellious people were like someone intentionally blowing cigarette smoke right in the face, an unpleasant experience everyone tries to avoid.

In contrast to irritant smoke, the burn of a campfire or the smell of cigarette smoke blown in the face, the gentle waft of smoke whilst smoking meat is another experience all together.  Unlike those who scramble to escape the caustic smoke from a fire outdoors, people are often drawn to the smell of smoked meat to say, "Something smells good!"  The aroma from a smoker is one that speaks of careful preparation, seasoning of select cuts, careful temperature control and the intent to partake of delicious flavours of life-sustaining food with others.  Gatherings before the LORD often involved feasting, and the smell of sacrifices offered by faith from hearts marked with joy, gratitude and generosity were pleasing to both man and God.  After Noah offered clean animals in sacrifice to the LORD following the flood Genesis 8:21 says, "And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done."

It was not the offering of burnt sacrifices that pleased God but hearts that were made righteous by faith in God revealed by obedience to Him.  When the hearts and lives of God's people were not submitted to Him, He wanted nothing to do with their sacrifices--even though the smell of roasted beef smells delicious to us.  God spoke through the prophet in Amos 5:21-22, "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. ²² Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings."  The people did not comprehend God valued obedience over sacrifice!  Yet when God's people humbled their hearts in repentance from their sins and amended their ways, He was pleased with their obedience as it is written in Psalm 51:19:  "Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall offer bulls on Your altar."

Jesus did not fault the Pharisees for tithing of their firstfruits and herbs, but His complaint was they neglected the weightier matters of the Law.  He said in Matthew 23:23:  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."  He also said in Luke 11:42:  "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."  We do well to tithe of our increase of God, but our gifts become the equivalent of irritant smoke before the LORD instead of sweet aroma when we neglect to love others or walk justly.  Let us not pass by or neglect to examine our hearts, confess and repent of sin, and labour to do the things that please God.  If we prepared our hearts before the LORD as circumspectly as we prepare smoked brisket or ribs to serve guests to eat, we will have done well.