“Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Command the children of Israel, and say to them, “My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time”’” (Numbers 28:1-2).
In chapters 28-29 of the book of Numbers God gives detailed instructions of how he wanted the Israelites to worship Him and when He wanted such worship to occur. There were daily offerings to be made, special sacrifices for each Sabbath day, prescribed manners of worship at the beginning of each month and certain feasts such as the Passover, the celebration of first-fruits, the holy convocation of the blowing of Trumpets, and the Feast of Tabernacles that were to be observed as worship unto God (Numbers 28:1-29:40).
Israel was to be “careful” to worship God at these appointed times. When they did this and worshipped God the way He prescribed, God says this was like a “sweet aroma” to Him.
Today, many worship God the way they want. They add all kinds of things to how God has prescribed in the New Testament how He wants to be worshipped. Those who do this want to make worship “more exciting” or so that they can “get more out of worship”. The basic problem is that it takes the focus of where our worship is to be directed. It is to be directed towards God and pleasing Him, not on pleasing ourselves.
I have been married for over 24 years now. I have learned that I need to love my wife the way she wants to be loved. I used to spend a lot of time trying to show her love by DOING things for her or BUYING things for her. Yet, he she did not feel loved by these actions of mine. She wanted me to show her love by simply LISTENING to her and TALKING with her. I have learned and am still learning over the course of these 24 years to love her the way she wants to be loved.
The same is true regarding our worship to God. We are not to worship to God in the way we want, but rather in the way He wants. When we worship God the way He has prescribed He views this as a “sweet aroma”. Isn’t that wonderful! I know my sin stinks. But, as I worship God the way, He has directed I am able to give to God something that He enjoys. He describes it as a “sweet aroma”. I will worship God as He wants so that my worship may please Him!
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand…” (Psalm 95:6-7).