In the ancient Israelite sacrificial system, God commanded the Israelites to offer burnt offerings as a “sweet-smelling aroma” to Him. Which works just fine if burning incense, like the priests did inside the tabernacle, on a specific altar for this very purpose. But that’s not what a “burnt offering” was. A burnt offering was where a cow (or some other animal) was burned with fire on the huge altar outside of the tabernacle. And when you burn meat in a fire, it doesn’t smell sweet at all. In fact, it stinks. Clearly, God has lost His marbles…or perhaps not?

Suggested Reading: Leviticus 1-7, 16, 19

Lecture: God’s Law for the Israelites [43 mins]

This lecture was recorded in Apr 2016 at the Zion Evangelical Bible School in Khayelitsha, South Africa.