Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Numbers, chapter 28, comments: sacrifices and offerings

 

Numbers 28:1 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2  Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. 3  And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 4  The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; 5  And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. 6  It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. 7  And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink offering. 8  And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

 

With the way the land would be divided settled a rehash of ritual sacrifices and religious observance begins so as to keep the Israelites from forgetting their obligations to God while they think of the benefits He will bestow on them. We, too, tend to forget our sacrifices of prayer while we receive God’s bounty. Our faith is more secure in times of want and lack than it is in times of plenty.

 

In this passage a daily sacrifice is referred to. They were to remember their God by obeying His ordinances. Canaan was given to them, as Matthew Henry noted, on that condition, that they obey Him.

 

Psalm 105:44  And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people; 45  That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD.

 

The drink offering, it is said by commentators like Henry, is commanded to be strong wine, potent wine, as that represents Christ’s blood for us. This was something the priests were forbidden to take part of.

 

Leviticus 10:8 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 9  Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:10  And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; 11  And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

 

Numbers 28:9 ¶  And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: 10  This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. 11  And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; 12  And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; 13  And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. 14  And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year. 15  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

 

Numbers 28:16 ¶  And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD. 17  And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 18  In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein: 19  But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish: 20  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram; 21  A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 22  And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you. 23  Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 24  After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. 25  And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work. 26  Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: 27  But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year; 28  And their meat offering of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram, 29  A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; 30  And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you. 31  Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.

 

The Passover sacrifices made during the days of unleavened bread after Passover are listed. The first and last days are Sabbaths with no work to be done. Peace offerings are not listed in this chapter but offerings for the honor and respect of God to acknowledge His sovereignty.

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