Numbers 28-30 Offerings and Vows

Thoughts

Sadly this is going to be an outline post

Numbers 28

Details of the daily burnt offering:

• Two lambs (one in the morning, one in the evening).
• Grain and drink offerings accompany each lamb.
• A continual offering, pleasing to the Lord.

On Sabbath: two lambs with grain and drink offerings

Monthly (New Moon) Offerings 

• At the beginning of each month:
  • two bulls, one ram, seven lambs, plus grain and drink offerings.
  • a male goat for a sin offering.

Passover Offerings 

• On the 14th day of the first month, the Passover is observed.
• The Feast of Unleavened Bread follows (7 days).
• Each day of the feast:
  • two bulls, one ram, seven lambs, plus grain and drink offerings.
  • a male goat for a sin offering.
• No work is done during the first and seventh days (holy convocations).

Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) Offerings 

• On the day of firstfruits
  • Two bulls, one ram, seven lambs, with grain and drink offerings.
  • A male goat for a sin offering.
• These are in addition to the continual burnt offerings.
• All animals must be without defect.

Numbers 29

On the first day of the seventh month (Feast of Trumpets):

• A sacred assembly, no regular work.
• Offerings:
  • One bull, one ram, seven lambs (all without defect).
  • Grain and drink offerings with each animal.
  • One male goat for a sin offering.
• These are in addition to the daily burnt and new moon offerings.

On the tenth day of the seventh month (Offerings for Day of Atonement)

• A sacred assembly, fasting (“afflict your souls”), no work.
• Offerings:
  • One bull, one ram, seven lambs (all without defect).
  • Grain and drink offerings with each animal.
  • One male goat for a sin offering.
• These are in addition to the daily and atonement offerings.

Feast of Tabernacles (Booths)

First Day 

• On the fifteenth day of the seventh month:
  • Begins a seven-day festival (Feast of Booths/Tabernacles).
  • First day is a sacred assembly, no work.
  • Offerings for Day 1:
    • Thirteen bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs.
    • Grain and drink offerings with each.
    • One male goat for a sin offering.

Days 2–7

• Each day, offerings are similar but the number of bulls decreases by one each day:
  • Day 2: Twelve bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs, one goat.
  • Day 3: Eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs, one goat.
  • Day 4: Ten bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs, one goat.
  • Day 5: Nine bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs, one goat.
  • Day 6: Eight bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs, one goat.
  • Day 7: Seven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs, one goat.
• All animals must be without defect.
• Grain and drink offerings accompany each.

Day 8

• On the eighth day, a sacred assembly (Shemini Atzeret).
• Offerings:
  • One bull, one ram, seven lambs, plus grain and drink offerings.
  • One male goat for a sin offering.
• All are in addition to the daily offerings.

From Guzik:  For Israel to obey what God commanded in Numbers 28-29, it meant that every year, the priests sacrificed at least 1,086 lambs, 113 bulls, 32 rams, more than a ton of flour, and some 1,000 bottles of oil and wine on behalf of the nation. (from https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/numbers-29/)

Numbers 30

Men and Vows: Don’t break your pledge

Women and Vows:

• If she is living under her father’s roof, he can oppose her vow
• If she is married or becomes married after a vow, her husband can oppose her vow
• A widow or divorced woman’s vows are binding

Hebrew for “vow” is נֶדֶר (neder) a promise or dedication to God.

Hebrew for “oath” is שְׁבוּעָה (shevuah) a sworn statement, binding like a contract.

Questions

Why were men always bound by their word, but women’s vows could be annulled?

How do these rules protect women?

What would be the point of making a vow to God? Was it gratitude or was it to receive something in return?

Why are Numbers chapters ordered the way they are? We got this whole story on Balaam and then this in between.

Application

Reading through the offerings I see that God desires for us to have a rhythm of worship. For so long my time spent with God was only during Sundays or times of crisis. I didn’t have a schedule (or sadly a desire) to come to Him daily. Sometimes I read these chapters and think about how much time and effort went into these offerings and realize how lightly I treat my time with God. I don’t have to follow any of these rules and I’m given unlimited access to God. I should be ecstatic with joy knowing I can come to Him whenever I want.