Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and given Himself for us, as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."
Text: Ephesians 5:2
A SWEET SMELLING AROMA
The first use of this phrase may be traced all the way back to the time when Noah made a special offering to God. He and his family had escaped a universal flood that had destroyed the wicked.
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD
and took of every clean animal
and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
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.
while the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat, Winter and summer,
And day and night shall not cease.
GENESIS 8:20-22
What is the significance of the burnt offerings offered to God by Noah?
1. It represented worship from the heart.
2. It expressed deep gratitude to God for His deliverance from death.
3. It expressed a humble but deep faith in God.
4. It represented worship that was carefully planned and anticipated.
ACCEPTANCE OF THE SACRIFICE OF NOAH
God’s acceptance of Noah’s burnt offering came with tremendous blessings:-
1. God would never send another universal flood
2. God would bless the earth with all that is necessary to sustain its existence
JESUS- AS THE SACRIFICE OF A SWEET SMELLING AROMA
If Noah’s simple offering could please God so much, how much more would the sacrifice of Jesus please Him? Let us ponder this text from the Book of Hebrews.
He has appeared to put away sin
by the sacrifice of Himself…
So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.
HEBREWS 9:26, 28