28 February 2024

Lesson: 20
Numbers 28:1-31

Preparing to Enter the Promised Land
Once again, the main outline is from the Open Bible, slightly edited.
Regulations for Offerings and Vows
        These regulations came from God to Moses, and he commanded the people. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, OT, p.248 has a good chart of the Offerings.
Daily offerings (v.1-8).
        They were to make a fire offering each day with two lambs of the first year without spot (v.3). They were to offer the first one in the morning at daybreak. And the other in the evening at sunset (v.4).
        How much was an ephah? Opinions vary, but many think it was about 35 L, so 1/10 part would be 3.5 L. However, I am not sure since the same word is used when Gideon made unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour (Judg 6:19), and Ruth gleaned an ephah of barley in one day of gleaning (Ruth 2:17). A hin was about 4 L, so they used about 1 L of oil with the 3.5 L of fine flour, and 1 L of wine.
        Note that the “meat” offerings were actually grain or flour offerings not animal flesh as one might expect.
Sabbath offerings (v.9-10).
        The Sabbath offerings were in addition to the daily offerings. The contents of this offering are laid out in verse 9.
        This means that every Sabbath day four lambs were sacrificed for the sins of the people.
Monthly offerings (v.11-15).
        These offerings were in addition to the ones above. They were burnt offerings offered at the beginning of every month.
        They consisted of the following:
  • Two spotless young bulls
  • One spotless ram
  • Seven spotless lambs of the first year
  • Each offering included flour, oil, and wine.
  • Lastly, one kid of the goats for a sin offering.
        Remember, this is the monthly ritual that God required Israel to do. It was a constant reminder that they served a holy God who hated sin.
Yearly offerings (28:16-29:40)
        PASSOVER and UNLEAVENED BREAD (v.16-25)
        The Passover was held on the 14th day of the first month of the year. The sacrifice of the Passover lamb is not mentioned here. Years later, Christ presented himself as the ultimate Passover Lamb.
        On the 15th day of that month began the seven-day feast of unleavened bread. During that week, no one was allowed to eat any bread that had yeast in it.
        The first day was a day of no work (a sabbath). The offerings they were to make appear to be identical to the monthly offerings.
        These offerings were to be offered daily for the seven days (v.24). Once again, on the seventh day, they were to do no work (a sabbath).
        FEAST OF WEEKS (Pentecost) (v.26-31). “This festival has a variety of names in the Bible. It is called the “feast of weeks” (Ex. 34:22; Dt. 16:10), the “feast of harvest” (Ex. 23:16), and the “day of the first fruits” (Num. 28:26)… [This] was one of the three festivals on which the Jewish people were commanded to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem (Dt. 16:16).” https://israelmyglory.org/article/shavuot-the-feast-of-weeks/ This feast began with the offering of their firstfruits from harvest (cf., Lev 23:15-21). The first day was to be a day of rest (a sabbath).
        The offering was again identical to the monthly offering. Warren Wiersbe tells us that Pentecost “was celebrated fifty days after Passover, counting from the Feast of Firstfruits, which was the day after the Sabbath following Passover.” The Bible Exposition Commentary, Numbers 28, p.263.
Principles for Us Today
        We ought to praise God often for sending Christ to fulfil the Old Testament Law. These numerous offerings were not only tedious, but they were costly. Christ has paid it all for us. His ultimate atonement has covered all our sin. When we claim 1John 1:9 confessing our sin and seeking God’s cleansing, we must remember that our forgiveness was purchased at a tremendous cost.
        The yearly offerings were also times of celebration and thanksgiving in Israel. We too ought to take time regularly to praise and thank God for His goodness to us.