Numbers 28:1-15 - Acceptable Sacrifices

Numbers 28:1-15

Daily Offerings (Exodus 29:38–46)

1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.’

3 “And you shall say to them, This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering. 4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, 5 and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil. 6 It is a regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. 7 And its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in a holy place you shall pour out the drink to the LORD as an offering. 8 The other lamb you shall offer in the evening; as the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you shall offer it as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.

Sabbath Offerings

9 ‘And on the Sabbath day two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering— 10 this is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

11 At the beginnings of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish; 12 three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; 13 and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with oil, as a grain offering for each lamb, as a burnt offering of sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. 14 Their drink offering shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering for each month throughout the months of the year. 15 Also one kid of the goats as a sin offering to the LORD shall be offered, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Offerings were made daily, weekly on the sabbath, and monthly, as described here on calendar days of the week and weeks.  There were also other special occasions that follow later in this chapter and the following one.  These here explained how to offer each type with fire at their appointed times for a pleasant aroma to the LORD, much as our prayers which we offer to the throne of grace (Revelation 5:8, 8:4) and our service to others (Philippians 4:18) are likened to sweet-smelling aromas of a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) that please Him.  We offer these daily as well, as well as on our gatherings on the Lord’s Day and when reflecting back at certain times, whether monthly or otherwise.  The specific sacrifices required of Israel included regular ritualistic burnt offerings, drink offerings, and grain offerings of which we are no longer required to offer in those forms.  The drink offerings poured out here do remind us of how we are to be pouring out our own lives as living sacrifices (Philippians 2:17, 2 Timothy 4:6) like Paul gave us the example, however.  The sabbath offerings of old were additional burnt offerings added to the regular daily ones, hinting at our extra worship on Sunday worship services as we meet (Hebrews 10:24-25) together with loves laid down to Him and one another in remembrance (Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25) of all He has done for us in His life, death, and resurrection for our atoning redemption on the cross and out of the grave of death that gives us a certain (1 Timothy 1:1, Titus 1:2, 3:7, Hebrews 6:19, 10:23, 1 Peter 1:3) hope.  We also can imitate the pattern of monthly sacrifices in our reflection and meditation on God’s work in us at times set aside for this purpose that we do not become sluggish (Hebrews 6:11-12) as we diligently seek to follow our Lord as living sacrifices for His glory as we love out and speak forth (Philippians 2:15-16) the gospel of our salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord.  These original sacrifices give us the foundation for our Acceptable Sacrifices in Christ whose sacrifice satisfied the old sacrificial offerings that we may offer ourselves as living sacrifices to Him throughout the day and weeks and years.  These are our acceptable sacrifices, well-pleasing to God in Christ Jesus.