I’m not much of an outdoorsy person nor much of a pet/animals person so spending time on an uncles farm as a kid had very clear boundaries of interest/tolerance to me. I was always happy to go see cousins but one of the main functions of the farm was the pig shed which to me had an aromatic ‘do not cross this line’ force-field around it which I neverevereverever could pass though. Even eating bacon (which I love) beyond a certain thickness has associative memories of steak-thick bacon at breakfast on the farm = pig shed smell/bacon origins, that I cannot cross to this day.
Today I’ve been making bread which has nothing to do with bacon but hopefully the tie-in will be clear soon enough.
Yes of course we will eat this bread but it’s main function was the meditative slow-down of the doing, on this specific day for a reason – far more than the eating.
For the last 50 days we’ve transferred a little scoop of grain from one container to another to mark off the days spoken of in Leviticus 23. The beginning of those days of counting was at Passover and the end is at Pentecost. This isn’t a religious exercise – it’s one where I venture through a doorway that Michael Card refers to as biblical imagination. Honing in on an element – not as something I have to do, but as something that the physical experience of will illustrate things otherwise not realised.
So today I’m thinking about fragrance/aroma and its repellent or inviting nature.
The physical structure and laws of the Temple in Jerusalem acted as a kind of filter as to who could progress from the outer areas to the inner places. Each of those progressions had its own rules and resultant experiences which, depending on exposure to, would have been either normal or offensive.
The outer areas, open to all, Jews and gentiles – though the gentiles probably would have needed to fulfil certain regulations to be there and the Jews themselves to have undertaken the ritual full immersion washing (mikveh). This area would have teemed with people and animals and ALL the resultant smells sights and noises.
* some people would be offended by the crowding, or the mixing of races or of genders or of the animal smells.
The next areas saw the gentiles filtered off – and only ritually clean Jews progress.
* some would have been offended by the measure to which they saw others attaining their standards of belonging or at the lacks of poverty resulting in different values of offerings.
The next areas filtered out the women and children.
* maybe some of the women arced at this. Maybe some of the boys resented still having to stay at this place with their mothers.
The next areas only open to men and boys over 12 or 13.
* at some point the intended purpose of the presence of the animals would have been impossible to not see or smell. While cleansing was a ritual part of function, at some point the slaughter of animals, the bleating, the blood, the irony smells would have been around-about, and the offence increasing.
The next areas to Levites only (one of the 12 tribes)
* those not Levites but who longed for a share in the power scene would have been offended by now.
The next areas to priests only (just one of the families of the Levites)
* those not born of Aarons family, or those with infirmities and deformities by now excluded and many offended.
The Holy Place only to the specific priests on their rostered turns.
* those who missed their turn by unexpected events bumping them from their roster would be offended
And the most central, the heart of it – only to the High Priest for very specific duties and likely only once a year.
* and those not the High Priest – ever offended at the Highest honour reserved for a position they will never hold.
Possible offence at every stage.
Actual offence at every stage by some.
Visible filtering of people and place.
Invisible filtering of hearts even more so.
For those who progressed through the stages, something else would have begun being defined = and eventually have overtaken the fragrance of offence.
The temple structure included lesser known rooms and functions. Along with sleeping quarters and storage spaces, and the varied courts and tabernacle layout at is centre there was a bakery and a perfumery -all staffed by Levites.
The further in a person went, the more the offence became replaced by beauty.
The perpetual smell of roasting meat, of baking bread and of many fragrant incenses and would overtake the physical senses – all the way to the heart of the place where the full honour, weight, privilege and saturating, immersive experience of the presence of God became.
The death of Jesus actually ripped the curtain that divided the Father from the people. Recorded in history at the physical temple space but this as the representation of the Spiritual way being opened.
The previous filters – which ultimately Jesus was the ONLY one ever to hold all the qualifications for entering – opened so that all who believe in the Son, may come in.
The degree to which you step through the offense is the degree to which the beauty will begin instead to overtake your experience.
Today the fragrance of baking bread is in our home and meets the outdoors were the breeze carries it away.
Jesus is the bread in every sense.
Bread of Heaven.
Unleavened Sinless Giver and Sustainer of Life.
The Risen Bread.
The Offered Bread.
The Bread of Presence.
The Bread of Life.
As bread is symbolic of food which sustains physical life.
He is Bringer of Spiritual Life – Himself.
Today if you came to our door you’d want some of this baked bread.
Today may the fragrance of His Life be found and formed in His people that others would hunger for and desire to share.
May His fragrance be in us through every space and place that we inhabit.
Thankyou Lord for being The Bread.
Thankyou for coming and opening up the Way.
Thankyou Father for sending your Spirit this day so long ago.
Thankyou that you didn’t leave us orphans.
Thankyou that you’re coming back.
