Sweet-Savor Offerings

Scripture Reading: Leviticus 6:1-7

Then he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the Lord, a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord, and he will be forgiven for any one of the things which he may have done to incur guilt. (Lev. 6:6-7 NLT)

My wife makes a savory dish called Sweet and Sour meatballs. It is a combination of meatballs, pineapple chunks, and Sweet and Sour sauce over rice. A little Kikkoman Soy Sauce adds to the flavor.

     The Israelites received instructions for sweet-savor offerings and non-sweet-savor offerings. The two non-sweet-savor offerings were required when sin had broken their fellowship with God. The guilt offering paved the way for restoration from the sins of touching an unclean object, making a foolish vow, cheating or fraud, while the trespass offering caused sins of injury to God and others to be forgiven.

     What do a dented fender, cracked windshield, and a white spot on your favorite pair of dark pants have in common? (Hint: they nothing to do with your spouse!) Give up? All three act as reminders of less than favorable experiences: the yellow steel pole in Wal-Mart’s parking lot that ran into your car, the rock the truck slung at your windshield. And the Clorox that splashed onto your pants.

     God has given each of us unpleasant memories to remind us of our sinfulness. None of them are a sweet fragrance to God because sin is never sweet to him. Sin requires repentance, forgiveness, and restitution. In response to confession God says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12 NASB).

     Have you given God a non-sweet-savor offering lately? He is always ready to listen to our complaints, forgive us our sins, and restore the joy of our salvation.

Prayer: Dear Lord I want to sent you a sweet-savor offering of praise for all the wonderful blessings that you shower on me and my family.