During April and May I have all my windows wide open. Not only does this allow refreshing breezes to flow through the house, but also the wonderful scents of spring.
In the morning, I smell the orange blossoms and in the evening the jasmine. If I venture into my backyard, the roses call me. And a walk to the mailbox blesses me with the smell of lemon blossoms.
Researches say that the sense of smell, of all our senses, is most closely linked to memory. All of us can attest to this. Cut grass reminds me of softball and track in elementary school. The scent of summer soil reminds me I am back in the valley. A certain air freshener brings back memories of a relative’s house.
Is it any wonder, then, that the sacrifices and prayers of God’s people are linked to the sweet aroma of incense.
In the Old Testament, “The Altar of Incense was located in the Holy Place, before the veil. Here, priests would burn a combination of four precious spices and tree resins (including frankincense), every morning and evening, to coincide with the burnt offerings made at the Altar of Sacrifice. The white smoke rising from the altar symbolized the prayers of Israel ascending to God.”
David hoped his prayers would “come to You like the sweet smell of incense" (Psalm 141:2).
And in Revelation 5:8 the golden bowls full of incense “are the prayers of the saints.”
Yes, God sees our sacrifices and hears our prayers, but they are also a beautiful scent to Him as well, reminding us that God never forgets either of them.
In the morning, I smell the orange blossoms and in the evening the jasmine. If I venture into my backyard, the roses call me. And a walk to the mailbox blesses me with the smell of lemon blossoms.
Researches say that the sense of smell, of all our senses, is most closely linked to memory. All of us can attest to this. Cut grass reminds me of softball and track in elementary school. The scent of summer soil reminds me I am back in the valley. A certain air freshener brings back memories of a relative’s house.
Is it any wonder, then, that the sacrifices and prayers of God’s people are linked to the sweet aroma of incense.
In the Old Testament, “The Altar of Incense was located in the Holy Place, before the veil. Here, priests would burn a combination of four precious spices and tree resins (including frankincense), every morning and evening, to coincide with the burnt offerings made at the Altar of Sacrifice. The white smoke rising from the altar symbolized the prayers of Israel ascending to God.”
David hoped his prayers would “come to You like the sweet smell of incense" (Psalm 141:2).
And in Revelation 5:8 the golden bowls full of incense “are the prayers of the saints.”
Yes, God sees our sacrifices and hears our prayers, but they are also a beautiful scent to Him as well, reminding us that God never forgets either of them.
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