Sniff Test

Sniff Test

William Wilberforce was a member of British parliament in the late eighteenth-century and early nineteenth century. He was a devout, Bible-believing Christian who also fought vigorously against slavery. He was friends with William Pitt, who was the prime minister at the time, who was, at best, a nominal Christian, which means he was a Christian in name only. One of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ favorite stories to tell was about one time when William Wilberforce brought his friend William Pitt to hear the preaching of the eminent evangelical preacher, Richard Cecil. Lloyd-Jones tells the story of their different responses to Cecil’s preaching of the gospel. Lloyd-Jones says, “Richard Cecil preached and expounded the glories of the kingdom of God and the relationship of the child of God to the Father, and Wilberforce was in ecstasy, rejoicing, reveling in this glorious truth, and he was wondering what was happening to Pitt.” At the end of the service, they walked out, and we can imagine what Wilberforce was wondering: “What an amazing sermon. I wonder what the Lord is doing in William Pitt’s life. I hope he is listening.” And so, Wilberforce was longing to hear the report and he did not have long to wait. Lloyd-Jones says, “Just as they got outside the vestibule, Pitt turned to Wilberforce—who had been so ravished by the exposition of the truth of God—and said, ‘I didn’t understand a word of what that man was talking about, what was it?’”

In preaching the gospel, Richard Cecil set forth the aroma of Christ. And this aroma was the fragrance of life to William Wilberforce. And yet that same word was the smell of death to William Pitt. The same is true today. There are some who hear the Word of God and the name of Jesus Christ and cherish it, appreciate it and apply it to their lives. To them it is the fragrance of life. Then there are others who hear the Word of God and the name of Jesus Christ and remain indifferent to it. They remain dead in their transgressions and sins. They may even revile it, mock it and reject it. To them it is the fragrance of death.

This morning, we are in Exodus 30:22-38, and it’s all about smells. We will study the aroma of holiness and what that smells like and then we will study the aroma of prayer and what that smells like. These smells are the fragrances of life. But the opposite is true too. If we are indifferent or opposed to striving for holiness and indifferent or opposed to prayer then those smells will be the fragrance of death. In 2 Corinthians 2, the apostle Paul uses a metaphor for the procession, the celebration, that would take place in the streets of Rome after a major military victory over a foreign foe. In the procession, the conquering general would bring up the rear and before him priests would swing their censers with sweet-smelling incense burning in them and the savor would permeate the street. The aroma would be a welcoming fragrance for the returning victorious soldiers. But for the wretched, defeated captives, many of whom were being led to their own execution, that same aroma would be the smell of death.

The question, this morning, is “how do you smell?” Do you smell like the fragrance of life? Do you smell like Jesus? Or do you smell like the fragrance of death. This morning, we want to take a “sniff test” of ourselves as it pertains to holiness and prayer in our lives. God wants us to smell like Jesus. He wants us to strive for holiness and he wants us to come into His presence with the appropriate prayer life. That brings us to our big idea this morning that God desires His people to be the aroma of Christ.

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity and privilege to be in your house this morning. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us as we learn from your Word today. We thank you for your desire to reveal your heart and your Word to us. We humbly ask that you give us insight and wisdom, to heed the warnings, to claim your promises and to follow the principles in it. Help us to be willing to align our hearts with yours and to be obedient. Help us to grow in our faith and in our love for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our first point is the Aroma of Holiness, found in Exodus 30:22-33. This is what God’s Word says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.’”

Just like last week, we start out with the phrase, “Then the Lord said to Moses.” Again, it is its own verse and is significant because God is finishing something in order to start something new. He wants us to take notice and to pay attention to what He is about to say, because He doesn’t want us to miss it. We notice that the instructions for the anointing oil are broken down in three parts. First, instructions are given for making the oil. Second, instructions are given for the authorized uses for the oil. And third, there are warnings given for the unauthorized use of the oil. In order to make the oil, Moses is to take four specific spices and olive oil and make it into a sacred anointing oil through the work of a perfumer. Now this doesn’t mean that Moses is going to make the sacred oil, but he is to supervise the making of it. We will learn in chapter 31 that God has chosen Bezalel and filled him with the Spirit of God and given him skill, ability and knowledge to make everything God commanded Moses to make. And He has appointed Oholiab and other craftsmen, whom He has given skill to help Bezalel. Moses will supervise to make sure the work is done to God’s exact specifications.

We are given the exact spices and the exact weight of each spice that is to be used to make the anointing oil. It consisted of five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, two hundred and fifty shekels of fragrant cinnamon, two hundred and fifty shekels of fragrant calamus or cane and five hundred shekels of cassia. These ingredients were then mixed with a hin of olive oil. Five hundred shekels amounted to approximately 13 pounds and a hin, a measure of volume, amounted to approximately a gallon. When we add up the dry ingredients, we come up with approximately 39 pounds that would have been mixed with a gallon of olive oil.

These spices are described as “fine” meaning they were of the best quality. Nothing but the best was good enough for God’s sacred anointing oil. Liquid myrrh was a resin that came from the bark of a southern Arabian tree. The cinnamon was a very rare and highly prized fragrance that came from the bark of small trees imported from Ceylon and India. The fragrant calamus or cane also came from India but was grown in Arabia and Syria. Cassia was a coarser kind of cinnamon that also came from the bark of a tree. All thirty-nine pounds of these spices would be blended together by a professional perfumer to make the sacred anointing oil. The perfumer would have taken these dry ingredients and steeped them in the olive oil, possibly by heating them, so the spices were absorbed into the oil. The oil was then pressed out of the mixture, retaining the aroma of the spices. The relatively small amount of oil became the sacred anointing oil.

The oil was sacred and holy because it was set apart by God for His special use. It would be used to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony, the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils and the basin with its stand. A few drops would have been sprinkled on the surface of each item, consecrating them and making them most holy and set apart for God’s use. “Most holy” refers to anything that has been consecrated for the purpose of worship in the Lord’s presence. Once these items were consecrated, the NIV says, “that whatever touched them would be holy.” Now holiness is not contagious. For instance, Aaron, once consecrated and set apart as holy, wouldn’t be able to pass his holiness onto his sons. They needed to be consecrated themselves to be holy. What this phrase means is that now that these items were consecrated and made holy, only holy people and other holy things, who had been consecrated and set apart, could touch them. ​​ 

Next, Moses was to anoint Aaron and his sons using the sacred anointing oil, so they could serve the Lord as priests. Once they were anointed, they were holy and allowed to enter the Tabernacle and use the holy things in the worship of the Lord. Moses was to tell the Israelites that this sacred blend of anointing oil was God’s for the generations to come, meaning it was specially dedicated for use only in the Lord’s house, and that could not be altered for as long as God said it was so. And because the oil was the Lord’s, there were restrictions placed on it. First, it was not to be poured on men’s bodies, meaning it could not be used on ordinary people. It could only be used on those who would be consecrated as priests. Second, the people were not to make any oil with the same formula. Now this didn’t mean that the people couldn’t make oil with the same exact ingredients, it meant that they couldn’t make oil with the same exact ingredients and same exact measurements. They were to respect the sacred anointing oil and the things that God had set apart as holy.

This oil would be the sweetest smelling stuff because it was God’s sacred oil made with his special blend. Because of how sweet it smelled; we can understand why others would want to copy it for themselves. But this was prohibited and could only be used for His purposes. It would have been a serious affront to God to make this sacred oil for personal use, so he warned them that anyone who duplicated it and or put it on anyone other than a priest would suffer the consequences. The consequences were severe because of the lack of proper respect for the commands and Presence of the Lord. The consequences for that person were to be “cut off from his people.” The punishment was up to the Lord’s discretion and could have meant excommunication or even death.

The incense was symbolic of holiness as it was used to set apart the Tabernacle, all its furnishings and their accessories, etc. and Aaron and his sons. We have also been consecrated as holy because of the righteousness of Christ and set apart to be the Lord’s royal priesthood. Being set apart by God should cause us to strive for holiness and living holy lives. So, the question is, when it comes to holiness, do you smell like Jesus? Do you have the aroma of Christ permeating from you? Here is the “sniff test.” First, holiness is expensive. Just like the sacred anointing oil was expensive to make, living holy lives is costly. It means treasuring Christ more than anything else in our lives and surrendering our lives completely to him. It means taking up our cross, dying to self and offering our lives as living sacrifices. And when we as a body of believers all strive for holiness together, the expense is shared among us all, as we exhort and encourage each other in the pursuit of holiness.

Second, holiness is extensive. When the tabernacle and all its furnishings and accessories were anointed, the smell would have permeated the entire place and even outside in the courtyard. The aroma was intentional and was symbolic of the pleasantness that worship was to the Lord. When we all are striving for holiness together, our worship is pleasing to God. And we show the world how beautiful and sweet smelling the aroma of Christ is. And the hope is they want the aroma of Christ in their lives as well. Third, holiness is exclusive. No imitations were allowed and His sacred oil was to be used exclusively for the Tabernacle and the priests officiating there. Anyone who sought to duplicate it and or use it for themselves in any way would be “cut off” from his people. God was and is serious about His holiness and ours as well. When we are living holy lives, our worship of the Lord will be authentic, our worship will be focused on God alone and our worship will be done in Spirit and in truth.

When that happens in our body here at Idaville Church, our fellowship and worship together will be special, we will be humble before the Lord and will have the aroma of Christ permeating from us. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” So, do you pass the holiness ‘sniff’ test? Are you daily taking up your cross and following Jesus and treasuring Christ above all else? Are you doing your part in this body of believers to make sure that the aroma of Christ permeates every square inch of our worship and service? Are you serious about authentic worship and prayer? These are heart and attitude issues that must reflect the mind and heart of Christ. That brings us to our first next step on the back of your communication card which is to Strive for a holiness that is expensive, extensive and exclusive before the Lord.

That brings us to our second point, The Aroma of Prayer, found in Exodus 30:34-38. This is what God’s Word says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.”

Again, we see the phrase, “Then the Lord said to Moses.” This time it is not its own verse, and in the Hebrew, it is a little different from verse 22. The difference is that this section on incense is a continuation of the section on anointing oil. They are connected and we are, again, to listen up because God has something else important to say. Again, Moses is to take another four specific spices and make a fragrant blend of incense through the work of a perfumer. Moses will again supervise Bezalel, Oholiab and the other craftsmen as they prepare the incense, and he will make sure the work is done to God’s exact specifications.

Again, we see the same pattern as the oil. First, there are the preparations to make the incense. Second, the authorized uses for it. And third, the warnings for unauthorized use of it. The four spices, gum resin, onycha, galbanum and pure frankincense were to be blended into a fragrant blend of incense using the same amounts of each spice. It was then to be salted and pure and sacred. We aren’t told how much of each spice was to be used only that the amounts were to be equal. Gum resin or “stacte” refers to resin droplets from a shrub. Onycha was part of a shellfish which gave off a pungent odor when burned. Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin made from several Asian plants. Its own odor is not very pleasant but when mixed with other spices, it enhances their fragrance. Pure frankincense is a fragrant, milky resin made from several related varieties of tree found in southern Arabia.

The use of salt could have been for a couple of reasons. It could have been used as a preservative when making large quantities of incense. It may have been used to make the incense burn quicker and brighter. It could also have been symbolic of the binding and permanent covenant between the Lord and His people. Leviticus 2:13 says, “Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.” Or the reason for the salt could be for all of the above. Once the batch of incense was prepared, a portion of it would be very finely ground and placed in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where God would meet with Moses. The Testimony refers to the Ark of the Testimony or Covenant that sat behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies. If you remember a couple of weeks ago, we studied the altar of incense which was in the Holy Place. In 30:6, we are told that the “altar was in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the Testimony – before the atonement cover that is over the Testimony.” Most scholars agree that this is saying that the very finely ground incense was then put on the altar of incense, probably in a censer on top of it, where it would be burned by the priest, before the Lord.

This incense was to be considered most holy to the Israelites. Interestingly, the anointing oil is only called sacred, even though the Tent of Meeting, the furnishings and their accessories will be “most holy” once they are consecrated. This difference is probably due to the incense itself being closer to the Lord as he dwelt in the Holy of Holies. No one was allowed to make incense using the same formula because it was holy to the Lord and set apart to be used for His purposes alone. Again, we see pretty much the same warning attached to the incense as to the anointing oil. Whoever made incense like the Lord’s must be “cut off from his people.” They weren’t allowed to make this fragrance in order to enjoy it for themselves. ​​ Again, the consequences of being “cut off” was subject to the discretion of the Lord, either excommunication or death. When we studied the altar of incense, we learned that it was the place of prayer. It was where Aaron would go to speak and meet with God and bring the intercessions of God’s people before Him. The incense was symbolic of the sweet-smelling prayers of God’s people as the smoke of the incense rose to heaven. So, the question is, when it comes to your prayer life, do you smell like Jesus? Do you have the aroma of Christ permeating from you? Here is the prayer “sniff test.”

First, our prayers should be pleasurable to the Lord. Are our prayers selfish and self-centered? Or are our prayers saturated with Christ? If they are, they will have a pleasing aroma to the Lord as they rise to heaven, just like the incense burnt on the altar in the Holy Place. We must also pray in Jesus’ name and according to the passion of the Lord. What is the passion of the Lord? The passion of the Lord is that His name will be glorified to all nations. Second, are our prayers costly to us? Again, the incense was expensive and not easily acquired. It is interesting that the place where the incense was burnt, and intercession was made is called an altar. For our prayers to be acceptable to God, sacrifice needs to be made, and a cost needs to be paid. Our acceptable prayers should be a sacrifice. We have already talked about, without Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we could not come into the presence of God in prayer. But we also must sacrifice our time, our desires and our plans for our prayers to be acceptable to the Lord. We must pray according to the will of God, not our own will. We must pray for the desires of God’s heart, not for the desires of our own hearts. And we must spend much time in prayer and pray without ceasing. Our prayer life should have the proper attitude and lifestyle of prayer. Third, our prayers should prioritize God. The priority of our prayers should be for and to God alone. Our prayers must not draw attention to ourselves, and they must be sincere.

So do you pass the prayer “sniff” test? Are your prayers pleasurable to the Lord? Are your prayers acceptable to God through your sacrifice and their costliness? Are your prayers prioritizing God and His glory? That brings us to our second next step on the back of your communication card which is to Strive for my prayers to be pleasurable to the Lord, a costly sacrifice for me and prioritized to and for God alone.

John Currid illustrates the aroma of Christ in an exchange from the life of the famous British general Charles George Gordon, who put down the rebellion at Taiping. As Currid explains, “The government wanted to reward him with money and titles, but he refused all those honors. He was finally persuaded to accept a medal inscribed with his various military engagements. After his death, this medal could not be found. He had had it melted down and the proceeds given to the poor children of Manchester during a particularly severe famine. He wrote in his diary the following words, “The last and only thing I have in this world that I value I have given over to the Lord Jesus Christ.”

What do you have that is of any value? You have your time and talents, you have your money and possessions, your labor and leisure. You have your pursuit of holiness and your prayer life. Whatever you have belongs to Jesus—who bought you by his blood—and it should be consecrated for his use and service. Will you take the last and only things you have in this world and use them for his glory? Will you strive to be holy as God is holy? Will you strive to pray like Jesus prayed? If you will, then you will smell like Jesus and the aroma of Christ will permeate your life. If every one of us in this place this morning will strive for the holiness of God and strive to pray as Jesus prayed, our church will smell like Jesus and the aroma of Christ will permeate this place and our community around us. I hope and pray that it will be so. ​​ 

As Gene and Roxey come to lead us in a final hymn and as the ushers prepare to collect the tithes and offerings, let’s pray: Our Lord and our God, in Jesus’s name, we thank you for being with us this morning as we have gathered to worship you. We give you all honor, glory and praise for who you are and for what you have done for us. Holy Spirit, we ask that you would help us to have the aroma of Christ permeate our lives and spread to those we come in contact with. Help us to strive for a holiness that is expensive, extensive and exclusive before you Lord. And help our prayer life to be pleasurable to you, a costly sacrifice for us and prioritized to and for you alone. We give you all glory, honor and praise. Amen.

Opening: https://gracevalley.org/sermon/the-aroma-of-christ/

Closing: Ryken’s Commentary on Exodus