An Aroma that Touches God’s Heart

I’m unsure if it’s a fresh perspective of a Bible character or topic that most Christians have encountered numerous times or if it’s simply an improved awareness or understanding. However, it’s inevitable that whenever you delve into the Bible and study it, God reveals something new you haven’t seen before. 

Noah was more than just a man who constructed an ark. According to the Bible, Noah was a man who walked faithfully with God and was considered righteous and blameless. His name means “rest and comfort,” and the Lord favored him.

God selected Noah to present the first atoning sacrifice as an act of worship. This sacrifice ultimately led to God’s repentance once again. He first repented when he saw that his creation had become wicked and felt remorseful for creating humanity. When you read the original Hebrew text, one can see that God saw his creation as ruined. The human race had been corrupted due to the events described in Genesis 6:4-5. I often think of this as the lesson my Sunday School teachers skipped. As stated in Genesis 6:6, God regretted creating humans and was troubled.

It’s fascinating to think about how Noah was able to perform the atoning sacrifice that brought solace to God’s heart. Even though he wasn’t a priest or from the Levites tribe, he assumed the role of a priest and carried out the sacrifice. It’s possible that God instructed him on what to do, but we may never know for sure as the conversation wasn’t recorded. 

Noah’s sacrifice rises before God as a pleasing aroma. The second time God repents and says he will never curse the ground because of man’s sin. As a result, God devises a new strategy to deal with the sin problem. We have often heard the scripture stating that shedding blood is necessary for the remission of sins. Here is where it all begins. 

The aroma of our worship moves the heart of God. 

Noah’s sacrifice atones for sin and COMFORTS GOD’S HEART, just like his name suggests. Our worship moves the heart of God to act on our behalf. When we worship, God will change his mind and alter His plans.

Jesus would later become our perfect sacrifice. Also, in God’s omniscience, He knew that the cycle of sin would continue over and over again. So he made provisions for sin in the OT through the sacrificial system.

It was always meant to be that Jesus would be the sacrificial lamb offered up for our freedom. Jesus willingly took on this role with perfect love as the Lamb of God long before time and space existed. As a result, in Revelation, Jesus is referred to as “the lamb slain from the foundation of the earth” (Rev 13:8).

After the sacrifice, then the covenant.  God’s first formal covenant comes immediately after Noah’s sacrifice and obedience, then God’s blessings are released.