Exodus 30:22-38

²² The LORD told Moses, ²³ “And you, take for yourself the best spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of sweet smelling cane, ²⁴ and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. ²⁵ And you should make of these a sacred anointing oil blended like the perfumer would; it will be a holy anointing oil. ²⁶ With it you should anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, ²⁷ and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, ²⁸ and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. ²⁹ You should consecrate them, so that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them is to be holy. ³⁰ You should anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. ³¹ And you should say to the people of Israel, ‘This should be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. ³² It should not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you should make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it should be holy to you. ³³ Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider should be cut off from his people.'” ³⁴ The LORD said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each there should be an equal part), ³⁵ and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. ³⁶ You should beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I should meet with you. It should be most holy for you. ³⁷ And the incense that you should make according to its composition, you should not make for yourselves. It should be for you holy to the LORD. ³⁸ Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume should be cut off from his people.”

the aroma of worship

While visiting Singapore a few years ago, I was struck by how different the little communities within the city are. My family walked from one section of the city to another, and noticed the differences in architecture, food, and even the way each community smells. It was most noticeable when we entered the Indian community. The smell of sandalwood was prominent, and added to the distinctiveness of the places there.

For the Israelites under Moses, the tabernacle and its worship was designed by the LORD to be a unique experience. Contributing to that uniqueness was the fact that the tabernacle area, the priests and the furniture was to smell unique. The sweet smelling aroma of the spiced oils and incense was to be a marker of the distinctiveness of the place and its purpose. That distinctiveness was to be taken very seriously. Anyone attempting to imitate that prescribed aroma for himself personally would be executed.

The tabernacle does not exist today, so it is not possible to literally obey these instructions as the Mosaic Israelite community could in that time. But I do see a word of warning for believers today in this text. Much of modern worship seeks to be relevant, and seeks to bring popular cultural entertainment practices into the worship experience. There is no problem with being either modern or relevant – and there is no necessary spiritual benefit for worship following the archaic practices of previous centuries or decades. But in our rush to be relevant we must never forget that biblical worship should be unique. The aroma of our worship should be distinct and different. It should not feel like a funeral dirge nor should it feel like a rock concert.

LORD, help us to honor your holiness and uniqueness with our expressions of worship.