Ooooh that smell, Can't you smell that smell...

But thanks be to YHWY - the God who always leads us in his triumphal procession in the Messiah, and through us reveals everywhere the sweet smell of knowing him. We are the Messiah's fragrance before YHWY, you see to those who are being saved and to those who are being lost. To the latter, it's the smell that comes from death and leads to death; but to the former it's the smell of life which leads to life.

Who can rise to this challenge? We aren't mere pedlars of God's word, as so many people are. We speak with sincerity; we speak from God; we speak in God's presence; we speak in the Messiah.

What would theocracy look like if, rather than a bully who was waiting to come and beat you up or blow you up if you didn't agree with him, you reshaped your idea of what God is like around the poor, suffering servant who looked after the poor, partied with the prostitutes and tax collectors and all the wrong people, cast out demons, healed the sick and restored sight to the blind and ultimately gave up his life that all might have life in His name, promising to ultimately restore all things, to make all things new and that you could participate with God in this, not as a slave, but as a Son or Daughter? What if someone told you that Gospel? What would it look like if that God had become King? What might your response be?

...if you were poor? ...if you were a prostitute? …if you were the least of these? …if you were the blind or lame? ...if you are a rich young ruler? ...if you are 'righteous' in your own eyes? ...if you are in power and already had your rights? ...if you were conservative? ...if you were liberal? ...if you were American? ...if you were African? ...if you were Asian or Mideastern? How would you respond?...does a scenario like that sound like 'good news' to you or does it smell like death?

Oh, the Christian hope of the coming judgment! Come Lord, come!

Sing to YHWY a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
YHWY has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to YHWY, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to YHWY with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before YHWY, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before YHWY,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

...For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.