A Sweet Smelling Aroma Before the Lord Exo 30:1-10

Intro: Good morning FE, we are glad you are here with us. My name is Josh Aguilar, I am one of the elders here, I would like to welcome you and those watching on line as we close out our series on the Tabernacle: Experience God’s Presence, today we are looking at the golden altar of incense.

I love the smells of the season of Christmas, the smells of real Christmas trees, candy canes, cinnamon and pine. We must not forget the smell of tamales for those of us who were raised eating tamales around Christmas time. The smells of Christmas bring wonderful memories to mind, sweet smelling aromas which are symbols or reminders of good times or things we take pleasure in. I mean who doesn’t love to unwrap a fresh out of the pot tamale, and take a bite of the tamale package with all its ingredients and spices. Delicious!

In Exo 30 we read about God’s instructions to construct an altar of incense, Alfredo will read the passage in Spanish and our English speakers can follow along in your Bible’s or on the screen.

Exodus 30:1–10 (ESV)

“You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

Harás también un altar para quemar en él incienso; de madera de acacia lo harás. 2 De un codo[a] será su longitud y de un codo su anchura, será cuadrado; y de dos codos su altura. Sus cuernos serán de una pieza con él[b]. 3 Lo revestirás de oro puro: su parte superior, sus lados[c] en derredor y sus cuernos; y le harás una moldura de oro alrededor. 4 Le harás dos argollas de oro debajo de su moldura; los harás en dos de sus lados, en lados opuestos[d], y servirán de sostén[e] para las varas con las cuales transportarlo. 5 Y harás las varas de madera de acacia y las revestirás de oro. 6 Pondrás el altar[f] delante del velo que está junto al[g] arca del testimonio, delante del propiciatorio que está sobre el arca del testimonio, donde yo me encontraré contigo. 7 Y Aarón quemará incienso aromático sobre él; lo quemará cada mañana al preparar las lámparas. 8 Y cuando Aarón prepare[h] las lámparas al atardecer[i], quemará incienso. Habráincienso perpetuo delante del Señor por todas vuestras generaciones. 9 No ofreceréis incienso extraño en este altar[j], ni holocausto ni ofrenda de cereal; tampoco derramaréis libación sobre él. 10 Aarón hará expiación sobre los cuernos del altar[k] una vez al año; hará expiación sobre él con la sangre de la ofrenda de expiación por el pecado, una vez al año por todas vuestras generaciones; santísimo es al Señor.

Pray

Similar to the other pieces of the tabernacle, this was made of acacia wood, overlayed with gold, not very large, around 1.5 foot square and 3 feet tall, like the bronze altar there was 4 horns on the corners, rings so that the Israelites can carry it with poles. The golden altar of incense was placed in the holy place before the ark of the covenant, the only thing that separated the items was the veil.

There are a couple of things that interest me and maybe they interest you. The first is much of the tabernacle and the items in the tabernacle, were given to Moses by God in Exo 25, but we are in Exo 30 and God is now instructing Moses to build the altar on incense, why now and not then?

I believe God put this passage exactly where he wanted it, after the ordination of the priests. After the explanation of the ordination of the priest, God can now begin to describe their duties of worship and how they will serve the Lord in the tabernacle. As described in the passage we read the priest was to burn incense daily at dawn and at dusk. They were not to use just any incense, but they were to use a special incense that was to be used only in the tabernacle of God which is described in verses 34-38. Again we see very detailed and specific instructions on how we are to come before the presence of God and he gives specific instructions concerning the worship of Yahweh.

The priest would burn the incense in the holy place before the mercy seat which was on the ark of the covenant and symbolized the throne of grace, which was on the other side of the veil. The smoke and scent of the incense would fill the tabernacle and go up before the presence of the Lord.

The second thing that interest me is, this is described as the altar of incense, yet there is nothing sacrificed on this altar. God’s instructions were very specific;

You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.

No ofreceréis incienso extraño en este altar, ni holocausto ni ofrenda de cereal; tampoco derramaréis libación sobre él.

If there is nothing sacrificed on the altar of incense, why is this called an altar?

God is making a connection between what happens on the bronze altar in the courtyard and the golden altar of incense in the holy place. Both these altars are square and both have horns on the corners. Both altars were used at the same time of the day, we have read the priest was to go in and burn incense at dawn and at dusk. In Exo 29:38-39 we read that on the bronze altar there is to be 2 lambs sacrificed daily, one at dusk and another at twilight. Sacrifice and incense being presented to the Lord at the same time of the day.

We also read that once a year the high priest is to make atonement by putting blood on the horns of the altar from the blood of the sin offering. Which was a constant reminder that communion with God is dependent on sacrifice for sin. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin, there is no communion with God. We read the details of what Aaron or the high priest is to do, in Lev 16

God was prescribing how we are to come in worship before his presence. The priest coming before the altar of incense, before the presence of God, before the throne of grace burning the incense night and day. The priest represented the people before the Lord, burning the incense before the Lord and we know that as the priest did this in the holy place the people were praying in the courtyard. We see sacrifice, communion, and the witness of the people submitting to Yahweh.

The golden altar of incense teaches us,

sacrifice for our sin is required to come before the presence of the Lord, which the priest did once a year by sprinkling the blood from the sin offering on the horns of the golden altar of incense.

The golden altar of incense also teaches us that God wants to commune with his people, The Lord has made a way to have communion with his people, in the Old Testament it was through the levitical priesthood.

In order to have communion with God the people had to come in humility, with repentant hearts, in obedience and this was to be a witness to what Yahweh has done for them and the continuing covenantal relationship they were to have, The Lord with his people.

When the people come before the Lord, in humility and repentance for sin, the priest presenting the sin offering for the people and sprinkling its blood on the horns of the golden altar of incense once a year, burning the special on holy incense daily morning and night before the Lord, while the people pray, living in obedience and bearing witness to the glory of God’s salvation and covenantal love for his people. All of this is a sweet smelling aroma before the Lord.

When we look to the New Testament, it is interesting we find 3 things the Bible tells us is a sweet smelling aroma before the Lord. The first is

Our Lord’s Sacrificial Love is a sweet smelling aroma before the Lord

Ephesians 5:2 (ESV)

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

2 y andad en amor, así como también Cristo os amó y se dio a sí mismo por nosotros, ofrenda y sacrificio a Dios, como fragante aroma.

This shouldn’t surprise us, the substitutionary sacrifice of the blood of our savior, is a fragrant offering before the Lord. When a Old Testament believer reads that, I have no doubt in my mind he is thinking of the golden altar of incense. Because Jesus loved us and gave himself up for us we have access to God, we no longer have to come to the Lord through a priest because Jesus is our great high priest, their no need for any more animal sacrifices because Jesus is blood is greater and seals our salvation once and for all. When we trust in Jesus, when we choose to follow him for what he has done for us, when we turn away from our sin and look to Jesus as our only source of life in this world, our sins are forgiven and we have communion with God, we can come boldly before the presence of God, before the throne of grace in worship and prayer. Jesus’ sacrifice is a sweet smelling aroma before the Lord because of what it accomplished.

Our prayers are a sweet smelling aroma before the Lord.

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament picture our prayers going up before the Lord like incense. David says in the Psalms,

Psalm 141:2 (ESV)

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,

and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Sea puesta mi oración delante de ti como incienso, el alzar de mis manos como la ofrenda de la tarde.

Let my praters coming up to your be like the incense that is burned on the golden altar of incense, coming before your presence and the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice which is on the brazen altar.

In the book of Revelation we read,

Revelation 5:8 (ESV)

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

8 Cuando tomó el libro, los cuatro seres vivientes y los veinticuatro ancianosse postraron delante del Cordero; cada uno tenía un arpa y copas[g] de orollenas de incienso, que son las oraciones de los santos.

In the tabernacle there was a golden altar of incense before the presence of the Lord, the tabernacle is just a picture of what is going on in heaven. Now in Revelation we get a glimpse of the throne of God, there are so many amazing things going on in this scene, but one of the most beautiful and comforting things to know is that before the throne of God there are the golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Right now, before the throne of God are the prayers of his people. Just three chapters later we read,

Revelation 8:3–4 (ESV)

And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.

3 Otro ángel vino y se paró ante el altar con[a] un incensario de oro, y se le dio mucho incienso para que lo añadiera[b] a las oraciones de todos los santos sobre el altar de oro que estaba delante del trono. 4 Y de la mano del ángel subió ante Dios el humo del incienso con[c] las oraciones de los santos.

If you are a follower of Jesus here today, do not ever doubt that God is listening to you, the prayers of the saints are before God from the hand of the angel, coming from the golden altar before the throne of God.

As we have seen in the Old Testament, to have communion with God, you must come through sacrifice for sins, which was done by the High priest. This was all a picture pointing to Jesus as the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. We must come to God through Jesus. This leads me to ask, does God hear every prayer? Well of course God hears every prayer, he is God, he knows all things, but that isn’t the real question is it? The real question is, does God accept all prayers? Does he receive all prayers withe the same fatherly love and concern?

Based on what we have heard this morning, we have the answer to this question. In order to come into the presence of God, to be accepted by God, our sin needs to be dealt with. Our sin keeps us separated from God this is why year after year, the high priest sacrificed lambs for the sin of the people, the lamb acted as a substitute, taking our punishment which is death. Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away our sin, In christ we have forgiveness, redemption, adoption, in Christ we are holy, we are saints. He is our all in all, when we come to God we come in repentance in faith in his son Jesus Christ, only then do have true communion with the Lord. This is what it means to pray in Jesus name, praying in Jesus name isn’t some magic formula we tie on to the end of our prayers. Praying in Jesus name means, it is by what Jesus has done for me that I have the access and privilege to come into God’s holy presence, before the throne of Grace. Revelation tells us the prayer of the who are before the presence of the Lord, the prayers of the world? No, the prayer of the saints. The prayers of those who follow and love Jesus and if you have questions about what it means to be a follower of Jesus we would love to sit down over coffee or a meal and have a conversation with you.

Disciples of Jesus, our prayers are a sweet smelling aroma before the Lord.

There is one more passage that points to something else that is a sweet smelling aroma before the Lord,

2 Corinthians 2:14–16 (ESV)

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

14 Pero gracias a Dios, que en Cristo siempre nos lleva en triunfo, y que por medio de nosotros manifiesta en todo lugar la fragancia de su conocimiento.15 Porque fragante aroma[e] de Cristo somos para Dios entre los que se salvan y entre los que se pierden; 16 para unos, olor de muerte para muerte, y para otros, olor de vida para vida. Y para estas cosas ¿quién está capacitado[f]? 17 Pues no somos como muchos, que comercian con[g] la palabra de Dios, sino que con sinceridad, como de parte de Dios y delante de Dios hablamos en Cristo.

There is a lot going on in this passage, so lets see if I can sum it up for us in the next few minutes. Paul is using the Roman idea of a triumphal procession. When the Romans on in war, they would come back to their home and parade before their home town all they accomplished on the battle field, this could be important prisoners, the treasures from battle, and many other things. This was a celebration, declaring victory over the enemy.

Paul says thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession. God in Christ is leading in this victory parade, this victory march over the enemies of sin, satan and death. Who is he leading? US, he is leading us in this parade, he saying look at Pachi and Yuli, they are mine, look at Samuel and Dayne they are mine look at Salvador, Sylvia, Roman, Lupita, Dave, Susan, Esteban, Pily look at FE, they are my people, they are my victory and all of heaven is celebrating in the glory of Christ’s victory, the heavens are roaring the praises of the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Paul goes on to say “through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him, God everywhere” When Christ saves us, it isn’t to stay within the walls of the church, we are saved with the purpose of spreading the aroma of God everywhere in this world, wherever you have influence, you are to spread the aroma of Christ. Why?

For we, disciples of Jesus, “are the aroma of Christ to God” Our witness, our lives are the aroma of Christ to God, when God smells us it is the sweet smelling aroma Christ that he smells because of the work of Jesus has done in our lives

Our witness is a sweet smelling aroma before the Lord

To those who want nothing to do with Christ, we are the smell of death. but to those who come to faith in Christ because of you, we are the scent of life. Isn’t this what we celebrate in this season of Christmas, Jesus came to bring life, Joy to the World the Lord has come, the saviour of the world so Come, one of my new favorite Christmas songs is called O Come, All You Unfaithful/ O​H​ ​VEN​, ​TÚ​ ​QUE​ ​ERES​ ​INFIEL here are some of the words

O come, all you unfaithful Come, weak and unstable Come, know you are not alone

Oh ven, tú que eres infiel

Ven, frágil y débil Ve que sólo no estás

O come, barren and waiting ones Weary of praying, come See what your God has done

Oh ven, si estás cansado ya

De orar y esperar Ve lo que ha hecho Dios

Christ is born, Christ is born Christ is born for you

Jesús nació, Él nació Él nació,

por ti