Numbers 28:1-31

Introduction:  Numbers 28 and 29 contain instructions concerning the daily, sabbath day, and yearly feasts of the Jews.  These instructions are repeated from Leviticus 23.  The reason for the repeat is that this is a new generation of people.  The feasts days were not observed in the wilderness.  So this new generation have never observed these days.  See Leviticus 23 for more information on these feast days.

I.    Verse 1,2 - The command goes out from the Lord to Moses that he would instruct this new generation concerning the offerings given to the Lord.

A.  It is very important that our young people be taught those things we do at God's command.

1.      They do not understand, so we must teach them.

2.   If we do not teach them, they will not do those things commanded by God.

3.   The blame will be on the parents, not on the young people.

B.   Matt. 28:18-20 - The great commission to the church is:

1.   To reach the lost with the gospel.

2.   To baptize the saved in order to fit them for service.

3.   To teach them to observe all things of the Word of God.

II.   Verse 3-8 - The continual burnt offering.

A.  This will consist of two lambs of the first year without spot.

1.   The lamb represents Christ, the lamb of God.

2.   The first year represents the prime of life, as Jesus was a young man (33 years old) when He died for the sins of the world.

3.      There is to be one lamb offered each morning and one lamb each evening.

4.      This is a constant reminder of daily sins and how Christ died to pay for these daily sins.

B.   Verse 5 - The meal offering.

1.   A tenth part of an ephah of flour, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.

a.   The finely ground flour represents the sufferings of Christ.

b.   The oil represents the Holy Spirit, who leads all to perfection in God.

2.   The meal (meat) offering is to be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour to the Lord.

C.   Verse 7 - The drink offering is a fourth part of a hin of wine.

1.      This wine is not grape juice.

2.   If you drank enough of this you would get drunk.

3.   The wine represents the pure blood of Christ.

4.      This wine is poured out to the Lord, not drunk by the priests.

D.  The procedure is this:

1.      Each morning, a lamb was slain and prepared for burning on the alter, the meat (meal) offering was prepared and burnt on the alter, the wine was poured out to the Lord.

2.      Each evening, the procedure was repeated.

III. Verse 9,10 - the sabbath day offering.

A.  The sabbath day offering is the same as the daily burnt offering except the meal offering is twice as much.

B.   The sabbath day offering is offered in addition to the daily burnt offering.

1.      Therefore on the sabbath day, there are two lambs offered in the morning and two in the evening.

2.      There are three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering.

3.      There is one half part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.

C.   The sabbath day offering is done on the seventh day, not the holy days which are referred to as sabbath days.

IV. The remaining feast days are celebrated annually.

A.  The list of feast days.

1.      Chapter 28:11-15 - The Feast of New Moon.

2.      Chapter 28:16-25 - The Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread.

3.      Chapter 28:26-31 - The Feast of Firstfruits and Pentecost.

4.      Chapter 29:1-6 - The Feast of Trumpets.

5.      Chapter 29:7-11 - The Feast of Atonement.

6.      Chapter 29:12-40 - The Feast of Tabernacles.

B.   These seven feast days are divided into two parts.

1.   The Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of Firstfruits are all celebrated at the same time, in the beginning of the sacred year.

2.   The Feast of Pentecost, Feast of Trumpets, day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles are celebrated at the same time, in the beginning of the civil year.

3.   The sacred year is six months long and the civil year is six months long.

C.   The months of the celebrations corresponds to our March, April, and September.  (In the early spring and after harvest.)  Not in winter because the days are short and the weather is often not fit for traveling.  Not in summer because this is a time of harvest and taking care of crops.  God arranges His worship at a time when it will not put an overmuch hardship on men.  God knows the things of this world that hinder His worship, and will gladly arrange worship around this, but let us beware lest we put things in the way of worship.

D.  Purpose of the feasts shown in the proper order.  A picture of a life from salvation to eternity.

1.      Passover - The declaration of salvation.  (Christ has "passed over" us.)

2.      Feast of Unleavened Bread - the pure life of the saved person.

3.      Feast of First Fruits - (Barley harvest)  The ingathering of a people of the Jews for Christ.  (God working through Israel.)

4.      Feast of Pentecost - (Wheat harvest)  The ingathering of a people of Gentiles.  (God working through the church.)

5.      Feast of Trumpets - The beginning of the civil year.  Living in this world can bring rejoicing if God is in us.

6.      Day of Atonement - Our purchase by blood complete.  Pictures the resurrection.

7.      Feast of Tabernacles - Expecting to dwell in eternity.

V.  The Feast of New Moon.

A.  This offering is given here for the first time.

B.   It contains:

One kid of the goats for a sin offering.

These offerings are in addition to the continual burnt offering.

VI. The Passover - See notes on Leviticus 23.

A.  This feast is in remembrance of the deliverance from Egypt, when the Lord "passed over" and the tenth plague was put upon Egypt.

B.   See the scripture in Ex. 12:6.

VII.      The Feast of Unleavened Bread - See notes on Leviticus 23.

A.  Rules for the feast.

1.   No servile work done on first and last days of the feast.

2.      Servile work - work necessary to make a living.  Can cook, do chores, etc.,

B.   The offerings for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread are:

One kid of the goats for a sin offering.

These offerings are in addition to the continual burnt offering.

VIII.     The Feast of First Fruits (Barley harvest), and the Feast of Pentecost.  Christ is the first fruits.  This feast represents Israel.  See notes on Leviticus 23.

A.  At the time the meat offering is brought in: See notes on Lev. 23.

B.   The burnt offering will be:

One kid of the goats for a sin offering.

These offerings are in addition to the continual burnt offering.