The service was my first exposure to the OT system of worshiping God through the five senses. As we entered the chapel auditorium, something was different. The only light came from candles. The fragrance of incense filled the room. We watched acts of worship performed on the stage, with music praising God the entire time. We touched our neighbor’s hand or laid our hand on their shoulder several times. The last act of worship came when we received a small piece of raisin bread. The taste was unique. The message explained that the Levitical system physically involved all five senses. Today, in the typical church service, we only utilize sight and sound.
When God created man, he gave us tools to perceive our environment. Everything humans know about their surroundings comes through physical, sensory organs, the five senses—seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. The Lord designed each of the senses for our pleasure and to point us toward His glory. The sense organs also transmit information to our brains in order for us to avoid danger, learn, study, and navigate the world around us. We tend to assume the five senses are just about me and my benefit; however, as we mature in faith, we begin realizing that God also gave them to us to point back to Himself and bring glory to His name.
But Satan saw our senses as an avenue to tempt humanity to sin against their Creator rather than bring Him glory. The devil began by challenging Eve and accusing God of lying. He told Eve that eating fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden would actually open her eyes; she would have greater awareness, and be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil. So when she saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of It — she’d know everything! — she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.
John summed up temptation through our senses this way; For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world (1 Jn 2:16). The lust of the flesh includes tasting, touching, smelling, and hearing. The lust of the eyes is seeing. The pride of life is thinking you are special because of who you are, what you have, what you know, or what you look like. Eve saw that “the tree was good for food” – the lust of the flesh, “it was pleasant to the eyes”– the lust of the eyes, and “a tree to be desired to make one wise”– the pride of life.
Satan used the same tactic with Jesus after He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry (Matt 4:2). The Devil took advantage of in the first test: “Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread” (v3 MSG) – the lust of the flesh. Satan tempted Jesus through the lust of His eyes. He showed Him the kingdoms of the world and said he would give them to Him if He would worship him. Last, he took Him to the pinnacle of the Temple. “Since you are God’s Son, jump. He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you” (v6 MSG). Again, Jesus resisted, this time to the pride of life.
The Levitical system of worship, through the five physical senses, pointed to a spiritual meaning to be fulfilled by Christ. We live under His completed work and do not worship through our five senses. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth (Joh 4:24). Paul even warned those who have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world not to submit to decrees such as “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (Col 2:20, 21). We will always have our five senses and can use them for pleasant and brining glory to God, but with this caveat. Adam and Eve sinned, leaving humanity with a sin nature. Our sense organs transmit information to a carnal mind which Satan can use to tempt us to sin.
For us to walk in Christ’s victory, He gave us the Holy Spirit. Our relationship with Him brings a sixth sense. Our five physical senses aren’t enough; a spiritual sense is required to operate in the spiritual realm. One example is the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corin 12:1-11. A word of knowledge, a word of wisdom, the discernment of spirits, etc. don’t operate through our natural senses. These are spiritual gifts giving us a sense beyond our physical perception.
Our natural sense can be trained. As a hunter, my eyes are trained to see things in the woods others overlook. My son, as a musician, has trained his hearing to distinguish sounds that sound the same to me. Our spiritual senses can also be trained to discern good and evil (Heb 5:14). We must first realize God has given us spiritual abilities and allow the Holy Spirit to train them.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you can still use your physical senses for pleasure and to bring glory to God. Train your spiritual senses to better discern good and evil.