"My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me… But you profane it by saying, 'The Lord's table is defiled,' and, 'Its food is contemptible.'"
— Malachi 1:11–12 (NIV)
In the Old Testament, incense was not a luxury—it was a symbol of worship, reverence, and holiness. Its fragrance was sacred, offered only in the presence of God, prepared according to His instructions. The scent that rose in the temple was not for show—it was for honor. But by the time of Malachi, the people had grown cold. They began to despise the sacred—scoffing at sacrifices, mocking rituals, and offering God their leftovers.
Today, we may not burn incense in temples, but we still face the same temptation: to mock what is holy, to roll our eyes at worship, to treat the presence of God with casual irreverence.
When we laugh at spiritual things, despise what others call sacred, or view holy offerings—like prayer, communion, or even the Word itself—as boring or foolish, we echo the sin of mocking God's sacred aroma.
Losing Our Sense of the Holy
The Bible warns that in the last days, people will be "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:4–5). We live in a generation quick to parody the sacred and slow to kneel before it. What once made people tremble now gets turned into TikToks and memes.
But when we stop treating sacred things as holy, we lose the fragrance of reverence, and we invite the judgment of the God who is still holy.
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." — Galatians 6:7
Application: Restore Your Awe
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When you approach worship, prayer, or any spiritual practice—remember: God is not casual, even if we are. He is still the same holy God who descended in fire at Sinai and filled the temple with smoke. Our attitude toward sacred things matters deeply to Him.
Ask yourself:
Have I mocked or dismissed holy things?
Do I treat spiritual practices with boredom or sarcasm?
Do I still tremble in God's presence?
Reverence isn't outdated. It's a fragrance heaven still receives.
Prayer for Renewed Reverence
Holy God, forgive me for the times I have treated Your presence lightly. Forgive my jokes, my boredom, my careless attitude toward sacred things. Restore to me the awe of worship. Let me never forget how holy You are. Fill my life with reverence, and let my soul burn like incense before You. In Jesus' name, Amen.