GENESIS 8:20-21a – And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake ….
(Savour, Stench, Aroma, Smell, Odor, Stink)
What we do in the physical affects both our physical and spiritual environment. When we present or lift up offerings to the Lord (an act of worship), it ascends to heaven and releases a sweet savour or aroma in the atmosphere (both our physical and spiritual environment). The aroma enters His nostrils and attracts His attention and His favor.
Similarly, when we commit (acts of) sin or are leaning to sin (yielding to temptation), an odor is emitted into the atmosphere and certain spirits are attracted. We get their attention and their “favor”. They crouch at our door, waiting for a foothold to enter in, and master/overpower us. (Genesis 4:5-7)
Here are some different Hebrew words that were used to illustrate this principle:
1. Savour (Strong’s H7381- reyach) = scent, fragrance, aroma, odour; odour of soothing (technical term for sacrifice to God)
– This word, reyach, was derived from the verb, ruwach, which means to perceive odour; to smell as is done by drawing the air in and out through the nostrils; to smell with pleasure or delight in; a sweet smell.
– References include, but are not limited to GENESIS 8:21; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; Numbers 15: 3, 7, 10, 13, 14, 24; Jeremiah 48:11; Ezekiel 6:13; 20:41
Jeremiah 48:11(NIV) Moab has been at rest from youth, like wine left on its dregs, not poured from one jar to another— she has not gone into exile. So she tastes as she did, and her aroma is unchanged.
Savour (Strong’s H6709 – tsachanah) = stench, foul odour (from an unused root meaning to putrefy)
– Joel 2:20 (KJV) But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.
Savour (Strong’s H887 – ba’ash) = to have a bad smell, stink, smell bad; to become odious, to make oneself odious; to stink, to cause to stink,to emit a stinking odour; to abhor ( be had in abomination, loathsome, odious)
– References include, but are not limited to GENESIS 34:30; Exodus 5:21; 2 Samuel 10:6
Ecclesiastes 10:1(KJV) – Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
From the verses, we can see that the actions of individuals, nations, and lands can release scents into the atmosphere and others can detect the scents.
- Are you aware of the scent that you give off?
- Are you able to detect or discern the scents of spirits that enter your atmosphere?
- Can you accurately answer the question – What is that smell?
- Take some time out this week and be vigilant concerning your person and your environment.
DIG DEEPER:
Blog Post: Scent Management