June 1, 2023

What would you have offered?

Numbers 29

David Gaw
Thursday's Devo

June 1, 2023

Thursday's Devo

June 1, 2023

Thursday's Devo

June 1, 2023

Thursday's Devo

June 1, 2023

Big Idea

God's instruction can always be trusted.

Key Verse | Numbers 29:39

"These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed feasts, in addition to your vow offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings."

Numbers 29

Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets

1 On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, 2 and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 3 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah 1 29:3 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

Offerings for the Day of Atonement

7 On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and afflict yourselves. 2 29:7 Or and fast You shall do no work, 8 but you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: see that they are without blemish. 9 And their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, 10 a tenth for each of the seven lambs: 11 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

Offerings for the Feast of Booths

12 On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days. 13 And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; 14 and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, 15 and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

17 On the second day twelve bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 18 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 19 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

20 On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 21 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 22 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

23 On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 24 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 25 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

26 On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 27 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 28 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

29 On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 30 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 31 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offerings.

32 On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 33 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 34 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

35 On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work, 36 but you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, 37 and the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 38 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

39 These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed feasts, in addition to your vow offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.”

40  3 29:40 Ch 30:1 in Hebrew So Moses told the people of Israel everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Footnotes

[1] 29:3 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
[2] 29:7 Or and fast
[3] 29:40 Ch 30:1 in Hebrew

S2:104 Numbers 29

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Dive Deeper | Numbers 29

Numbers 29 begins as the new generation of Israelites are camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River for their long-awaited entry into the Promised Land of Israel and serves as a continuation of the guidelines for certain festivals and sacrificial standards laid out in the previous chapter. God's chosen people are dwelling in the middle of pagan-worshiping foreigners—the Midianites, Moabites, and Edomites—and the Lord has established certain standards and celebrations to establish His people as set apart and to remind the Israelites of the character of the one true God.

For me, it is easy to get caught up in the numbers (and also wonder how the Israelites had any living animals after one of these days). God, however, states that no number of sacrifices or offerings on their own could ever make the Israelites then (or Christians on the other side of the cross now) right before a holy God: "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering." (Psalm 51:16)

For the Israelites, it was faith in the promised Messiah that God in His grace would send as the ultimate sacrifice to cover their sins. For us, it is faith in the One whom God in His grace sent—Jesus, the perfect sacrificial lamb who takes away the sin of the world. The only offering we can bring before God is complete faith in Christ and His finished payment on the cross. And that sacrifice, the ultimate and superior sacrifice, is wholly sufficient to cover our past, present, and future sins.

Take heart, believer, that it is finished!

This month's memory verse

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

– 1 Corinthians 15:58

Discussion Questions

1. Are you ever tempted to believe that Christ's work is not completely sufficient to cover your sin? If so, what are you tempted to believe instead?

2. In this season, do you have a more Feast of Trumpets attitude in rejoicing or a Day of Atonement mindset in mourning? 

3. In your life, which spiritual practices best remind you of God's character and your standing as a son/daughter in His kingdom? How can you cultivate rhythms that stir your affections for God?

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Hugh Stephenson

Good morning, David. I laughed when I read your opening paragraph. Yes, we too “…are dwelling in the middle of pagan-worshiping foreigners.” I could make up a long list of the “………ites” in our midst. Also love your pull of Psalm 51:16. What a great call for me to focus on. I love your explanation of “the why”: “…the Lord has established certain standards and celebrations to establish His people as set apart and to remind the Israelites of the character of the one true God. As a boy growing up on the coastal salt marshes I learned quickly about tides and currents. You didn’t mess with them. They were way more powerful than you. And, like sin, this statement is true of the tides and currents; “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. –” The tragedy? That quotation is attributed to Ravi Zaccharias. John Piper has great insights on the RZ tragedy: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-have-you-processed-the-sin-of-ravi-zacharias
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Hugh Stephenson

Q1. Short answer is no. But that’s not my challenge. For me, it’s moving more and more to unity in my relationship with Jesus, (John 14:20). The tide and current are not really paganism so much as the cultural pull of “getting-things-done” and “being productive”. Time better spent in confessions and prayer is spent processing through innumerable emails and box-checking my task lists. Q2. This is a great question but one that I find a bit tricky. Being able to have a much deeper understanding of the depths and depravity of my sin has greatly impacted my understanding of who I am, who Jesus is, and what He did for me. This has been a life changing truth. It is THEN that I can celebrate with the Feast of Trumpets. Q3. The core for me is the sequence I learned in re:gen: Confession Repentance Forgiveness Amends The omnipresence of my sins leads me to constant confession to God about every thought, word, and deed that represents every sin that I commit. It is this confession that is the heart of what continues to build my relationship with Jesus. The conviction drives repentance which leads to the ask for forgiveness and then to the joy of amends that create healing. And spiritual growth.
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Hugh Stephenson

James McHenry was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. An anecdote comes from the last day of the convention. In his journal McHenry wrote about a short conversation Ben Franklin had with a Mrs. Powell- “A lady asked Dr. Franklin, ‘Well Doctor what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?’ “ “A republic” replied the Doctor, “If you can keep it.” God gives me innumerable gifts, promises and blessings. Can I keep them? Will I be faithful? The offerings in this chapter give me a clue. My sinful nature will draw me into repeated sins, errors, and mistakes. A heart like David’s gives me the model. Not just Psalm 51:16 but also Psalm 51:10. True repentance can come only from a heart that deeply grieves the sins.
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Michael Sisson

Re: Num 29:12-38 There is a popular misconception widely held in the Church today that with the Cross, Yeshua (Jesus) put an end to animal sacrifice (only the absence of the Temple prevents animal sacrifice today). Num 29:12-38 affords us an opportunity to set the record straight. While Christ’s atoning work ALONE provides salvation, the New Testament itself refutes any notion that He abrogated Levitical worship. In Mt 5:17-19, Yeshua Himself disavows doing away with even the smallest stroke of the Law. Moreover, the New Testament clearly shows Yeshua’s earliest followers continued to express their faith as Torah observant Jews, including participation in animal sacrifices (Acts 15:1-30; 21:20-26). In Num 29:12-38, we see G-d prescribe the offerings for the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles, including the sacrifice of a total of 70 bulls (thus hinting at Israel’s intercessory role on behalf of the gentile nations). We see this echoed by Zechariah when he writes about the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles in our future, during Messiah’s millennial reign on Earth. Zechariah 14:16-19 warns even we gentiles will participate in the Feast of Tabernacles (including its animal sacrifices) or we can expect punishment. Of sacrificial worship in the Millennium, Christian theologian and former chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, John F. Walvoord, wrote: “Some have felt it impossible to have a system of animal sacrifices subsequent to the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross in light of New Testament passages stating that the sacrifice of Christ makes other sacrifices unnecessary. Though varied explanations have been given for Ezekiel 40-48 which unfolds these details, no satisfactory explanation has been made other than that it is a description of millennial worship. In any case, it is clear that the sacrifices are not expiatory, but merely memorials of the one complete sacrifice of Christ. If in the wisdom and sovereign pleasure of God the detailed system of sacrifices in the Old Testament were a suitable foreshadowing of that which would be accomplished by the death of His Son, and if a memorial of Christ’s death is to be enacted, it would not seem unfitting that some sort of sacrificial system would be used.” — John F. Walvoord, Th.D. https://bible.org/seriespage/7-glorious-restoration-israel In his 2013 notes on Ezk 40:38-41, even Watermark favorite Dr. Constable wrote: >>>“The presence of animal sacrifices in the millennial system of worship has troubled many readers.<<< The Book of Hebrews teaches that Jesus Christ was the superior sacrifice who replaced the sacrifices of the Old Covenant (Heb 7—10). >>>The best explanation seems to be that in the Millennium there will be animal sacrifices but they will be memorials of Christ's sacrifice even as the sacrifices of the Old Covenant anticipated His sacrifice. They will be like the Lord's Supper is for Christians, a memorial of Christ's death (1 Cor 11:24, 26).<<< The millennial system of worship will follow the restoration of Israel to her land and the resumption of her prominence in God's plan (Rom 11:25-27). These sacrifices will appropriately reflect Israelite worship (cf. Ezk 45:18-25), though there will not be a reinstitution of the Old Covenant (cf. Rom 10:4). >>>Sacrifices under the Old Covenant never took away sin; they only covered sin temporarily and pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice to come (Heb 10:1-4, 10). The purpose of sacrifices under the Old Covenant was to restore the Israelites to fellowship with God, not to provide salvation. Salvation was always by faith. Even after the church began, Jewish believers did not hesitate to participate in the sacrifices of Israel (cf. Acts 2:46; 3:1; 21:26). They viewed these sacrifices as memorials of Christ's sacrifice. There are several other passages that refer to sacrifices in the Millennium (cf. Isa 56:7; 66:20-23; Jer 33:18; Zech 14:16-21; Mal 3:3-4).”<<< — Thomas L. Constable, Th.D. http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/ezekiel.pdf Why is it so important to correct this misconception? Two reasons: 1) As believers, we’re responsible for bringing unadulterated Truth, and 2) this misconception remains a major stumbling block between Jews and the Gospel.
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Sue Bohlin

Thanks so much, David. As "God's Party Girl," one word jumped out at me in today's chapter: "FESTIVAL." In the midst of all the offering requirements, God tells His people to party for a week! THAT'S the kind of gospel invitation--the good news that is not only an invitation to *life* but to *party*--that can make sharing the gospel so much easier! Yesterday I was in Insight for Living's The Book Shoppe and Coffee up in Frisco and saw Joni Eareckson Tada's children book, "The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party Storybook: A True Story about Heaven, Jesus, and the Best Invitation of All." Today's reference to the festival is a reminder that King Jesus' kingdom is the most awesome super fantastic forever party of ALL!
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Amy Lowther

1. Yes, temptations are everywhere in the world. 2. I am a positive person. I work to help anything and everything be good. When something is wrong, I acknowledge it, accept it, and try to make it good. 3. Sunday Service offers a combination of practices which reflect God’s character. I can strengthen my relationship with God by participating in Sunday Service, reading the Bible, and serving for various ministries with other guests.