Feb 17, 2026 2 min read Devotions

Wholly Holy

The fire on the altar did not destroy the offering; it transformed it into total surrender, a pleasing aroma to YHWH.

As we read through Exodus, we realize how much the altar of sacrifice plays a part in man's relationship with God.

The activity in the temple’s outer court was centered on sacrifice. An animal was killed, the blood used for holy purposes, and the flesh was put on the altar as a burnt offering to the Lord. Let's consider Exodus 29:18 ...

Hebrew (BHS)

וְהִקְטַרְתָּ אֶת־כָּל־הָאַיִל הַמִּזְבֵּחָה עֹלָה הוּא לַיהוָה רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה הוּא׃

Translation (ESV)

"...and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.”

Literal Rendering

“And you shall cause all the ram to go up in smoke on the altar. It is a burnt offering to YHWH — an aroma of soothing, a fire-offering to YHWH.”

God reaffirmed His covenant with man through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. In Him, the need for animal sacrifice is fulfilled; an ordinary animal upon the altar of sacrifice is no longer needed.

What was it that God considered to be a pleasing aroma? When I read this, I immediately think of the aroma in the house when meat and vegetables have been slowly roasting in the oven. I was sure God loves a good roast as much as we do! But, actually, it's not the aroma of roasting meat on the grill that pleases Him; it's the consuming of flesh by fire that pleases our God. Flesh totally surrendered to the fire until there is nothing left but ashes.

Interestingly, the literal rendering makes it explicitly clear that "all the ram" is to be burnt. The LXX (Septuagint) uses the words, "wholly burned". The point is totality. The ram is fully given over to YHWH; it becomes wholly holy, purified by fire.

The ram was not trimmed; it was wholly consumed. The fire did not destroy the offering; it transformed it into total surrender, into something that rose before the Lord as a soothing aroma. What the flames touched was no longer earthly — it became devotion lifted into the presence of our holy God.

Our human nature—our flesh—must become that offering made by fire unto the Lord. Every bit of our flesh (i.e., our will, our likes and dislikes, our habits, and desires) must be laid upon that altar of sacrifice. We must decrease that He might increase. As we partake of Christ’s sufferings—as we surrender and willingly lay down our will, our dreams, our schemes, our desires, on the altar of surrender, and allow them to be consumed by God’s holy fire—we become that pleasing aroma unto Him!

Do you want your life to be fragrant? Lay down your will and allow it to be consumed on the altar. You will be transformed into His likeness as the image of His glory is seen in you, and your life becomes a pleasing, fragrant offering to our God.