Heavenly Barbeques
The other morning I was visiting my mom and she asked me why God required so many burnt offerings in the Old Testament. She wanted to know what these offerings represented. I looked at her and said that, of all the difficult things to understand in the Bible, this was one that she should understand easily. With a puzzled look, she said she didn't have a clue. So I asked her what was the one thing she enjoyed more than anything else. She thought and then said, "cooking!" "And what else?" I prodded. "Eating and sharing with others, what I've cooked!" she said with a smile. I smiled back and said, "Exactly!”
You see, God enjoys and delights in the fragrant aroma of food. That is one of the reasons why it was important that the fat be burned with the offering; the more fat, the more fragrant the offering. Have you ever cooked corn with the husk on the grill? What a fragrant aroma! And just as we delight in fragrant aromas, God does as well. But it's not just that God delights in the fragrant aroma of grilled meat and grain, he delights in a life that is a sweet aroma, a life that brings enjoyment to others.
The writer of Hebrews brings further insights into these offerings. Not only did the offerings represent Jesus, who pleased the Father with a totally acceptable sacrifice of himself, but now, even the words of our mouths and the way we serve others would be considered a sacrificial offering to the Lord.
“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God,” Hebrews 13:15-16.
Recommended Reading:
Little Sir Galahad (Ages 6+)
It’s All Real True (Ages 9+)
Frozen Fire book/audio (Ages 9+)
Stephen a Comrade of the Cross (Ages 12+)
