Numbers 28 - Offerings

LINK: Numbers 28

BACKGROUND

Many offerings were required. First, there were the daily burnt offerings that had been commanded at Mount Sinai (Leviticus 1). We will talk about the reasons why they were given tomorrow. They were a tribute to the LORD.

Next, there were the Sabbath offerings. It consisted of the regular burnt offerings above and two lambs a year old, and drink and grain offerings.

Then there was the "enhanced" burnt offering every first of the month. Two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old were given with a grain and drink offering.

In addition, there were the New Moon festival offerings and the offerings for the appointed feasts.

I am going to make this simple and put a chart from The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament that maps out the offerings for Numbers 28 and Numbers 29. (You can magnify the page to read it): 

REFLECTION

Jane, from China, and I met today and discussed Romans 12:1-8. We particularly zeroed in on verses 1 and 2:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

She asked me to explain this whole concept of a "living sacrifice."  I said that in Old Testament times when they offered the animal sacrifices, the animals were already dead; but we are the sacrifices, and we are very much alive with a will of our own.  So, it is a daily choice to surrender our will to His. The good news is that you do not have to go through all that daily ritual with all the killing of animals. The perceived bad news is that WE must be the sacrifices, and you know what they say about living sacrifices: they are always trying to crawl off the altar!  They did not have that kind of problem with the Old Testament sacrifices because they were deader than a doornail.

The challenge is placing us and our will on that altar of fire. It can sometimes be uncomfortable and painful, but in the end, our wills are burned away, and only the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God remains. That is our daily decision, and it is a whole lot easier and less bloody than the Old Testament way!

So hop on that altar and allow God to burn away your will. I guarantee that you will be consumed in the fires of God's love!

APPLICATION

Keep reading and daily offer up your will to Him! I try to pray Romans 12:1-2 daily. It is part of the "Morning Affirmations" found in the book, Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship by Kenneth Boa. I started praying through this three-month cycle of prayer in the late 90s. It is so rich. 

PRAYER

We offer ourselves up as a pleasing sacrifice to You because of the mercy that You have extended to us in Christ. Amen.