Why would the aroma of a sacrifice be important to God?

Answer

On sixteen different occasions in the book of Leviticus, an “aroma” is mentioned as something pleasing to the Lord. Specifically, the aroma of a sacrifice is important to God.

The significance of a sacrifice’s aroma is not the scent but what it symbolizes—the substitutionary atonement for sin. The initial reference to God smelling the aroma of a burnt offering is in Genesis 8:21. Noah presented a burnt offering of clean animals and birds after leaving the ark. It was described as a “pleasing” aroma to God. The concept is that Noah’s sacrifice was a propitiation, or satisfaction, of God’s righteous requirement. God was satisfied with the sacrifice and then made the promise to never again destroy every living creature with a flood.

In Leviticus, a pleasing aroma is mentioned in relation to the various offerings of Jewish tabernacle worship. Leviticus 1:9 states, “The priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.” Similar to Noah’s offering, what pleased the Lord was the obedience to offer worship in His name as He commanded. The “pleasing aroma” is also referenced in Leviticus 1:9 and 13, highlighting the act of propitiation rather than the actual smoke of the burnt offering.

The same principle applies in Leviticus 2 concerning the grain offering. Despite involving grain instead of meat, this offering had “an aroma pleasing to the LORD” (verse 2).

Even the larger sacrifice at the annual Feast of Weeks centered on the redemption of sinners as the cause for the pleasing aroma. Leviticus 23:18 declares, “Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the LORD, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.”

Offerings made to false gods were not accepted by the Lord.Gods were also described as having a “pleasing aroma”—to the idols, at least. “Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.”, (Ezekiel 6:13, ESV). The smell of the incense may have been appealing to the idolaters who offered it, but such false worship displeased the Lord, who demanded worship only of Him and sacrifice only to Him.

The New Testament reveals Christ as the final sacrifice for sin, the ultimate propitiation: “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” “and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”, (Ephesians 5:2). Jesus, the Son of God, was the only One who could provide the eternally pleasing sacrifice. He alone is the One of whom the Father says, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” “and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”, (Mark 1:11).