How do You Smell Today?
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings,
and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty. For this
is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men
to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all,
to be testified in due time. (ITim
2:1-6)
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is
passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb
4:14-16)
It is fairly clear from the
preceding scripture that the Lord wants a child of God to pray. It is also clear that our Lord Jesus Christ
is our Great High Priest who is our intercessor in prayer. Now, how does this have anything to do with
how you smell? Please note the following
scripture.
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense
upon: (Ex 30:1a)
And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the
ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I
will meet with thee. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning:
when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron
lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense
before the LORD throughout your generations.
(Ex 30:6-8)
And the Lord said unto Moses, take unto thee sweet
spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure
frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: and thou shalt make it a
perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure
and holy: and thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the
testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee:
it shall be unto you most holy. (Ex
30:34-36)
The high priest of
Israel burned incense on the golden altar before the throne of God when he did
the service of the tabernacle. The
incense was described as a sweet, holy perfume; it was pleasant to the
smell. The priest’s garments would be
permeated with that smell.
When you spend time before
the throne of grace with our great high priest interceding for you, your
garments may not be permeated with an odor detected by the nose, but your
spirit will be permeated with an odor of testimony reflecting the time spent in
the presence of our great high priest.
Therefore, how do you smell today?
Note the continued association of the sweet smell of incense to prayer.
Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear
unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense;
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (Ps 141:1-2)
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and
four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them
harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. (Rev 5:8)
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having
a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should
offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before
the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the
saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. (Rev 8:3-4)
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