UNROLL
First light on the plains of Moab: the long white linen wall of the tabernacle court, the low dark tent inside, and one thin column of pale smoke rising straight up from within.

The Book of

Numbers 28

Before they had a single field, God gave them a calendar: a lamb at dawn, a lamb at dusk, and feasts through the year.

31 verses≈ 5 min1 personBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–10Ready at SinaiCounted and ordered
  2. 11–14GrumblingTo Kadesh and refusal
  3. 15–21Forty yearsRebellion and mercy
  4. 22–25BalaamA curse turned to blessing
  5. 26–36A new generationReady for the landChapter 28

The Daily Offerings

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to Me at its appointed time the food for My food offerings, as a pleasing aroma to Me.

Numbers 28:1–2

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God
Courtyard · 100 × 50 cubitsNGate · EastTent of MeetingBronze altarBasinThe tent, enlarged · 30 × 10 cubitsArkTableLampstandIncense altarVeilScreenMost Holy PlaceHoly Place

Plan to scale in cubits · north at the top

Where it burned

Morning and evening

The “regular burnt offering” burned on the bronze altar in the court, in front of the tent, just inside the gate. One lamb in the morning, the other at twilight, every day of the year, feast or no feast. It was the offering “established at Mount Sinai,” and every other offering in these chapters was made “in addition to” it.

The Sabbath Offerings

God
God

On the Sabbath day, present two unblemished year-old male lambs, accompanied by a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, as well as a drink offering.

This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

The Monthly Offerings

Dusk over the camp: a very thin new crescent moon hangs low in a clear violet sky above the dark tents and the pale linen wall of the court.

The law

At each new moon

  1. Burnt offering

    Two bulls, a ram, seven lambs

    At the beginning of every month, you are to present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished,

  2. Grain

    Flour and oil with each

    along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with each lamb.

  3. A pleasing aroma to the LORD

    This is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

  4. Drink

    Wine with each

    Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine with each bull, a third of a hin with the ram, and a quarter hin with each lamb.

  5. Every month of the year

    This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon throughout the year.

  6. Sin offering

    One male goat

    In addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.

Reflect

First things

Israel began every day with “one lamb in the morning,” ended it with “the other at twilight,” and opened every month “at each new moon” with an offering to the LORD. God was first, last and in between. Where does He come in your day: first, last, or only when there is time left over? Write down one small way to give Him the start of tomorrow.

Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread

The fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD’s Passover.

Numbers 28:16

God
God

On the fifteenth day of this month, there shall be a feast; for seven days unleavened bread is to be eaten.

The law

Seven days

  1. Rest

    Day one: no regular work

    On the first day there is to be a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work.

  2. Offerings

    Two bulls, a ram, seven lambs

    Present to the LORD a food offering, a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished.

  3. Flour and oil with each

    The grain offering shall consist of fine flour mixed with oil; offer three-tenths of an ephah with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs.

  4. Sin offering

    A goat to make atonement

    Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you.

  5. Besides the morning offering

    You are to present these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering.

  6. The same each day for seven

    Offer the same food each day for seven days as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It is to be offered with its drink offering and the regular burnt offering.

  7. Rest

    Day seven: no regular work

    On the seventh day you shall hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work.

Pray

Our Passover

Every spring Israel kept “the LORD’s Passover” and ate unleavened bread for seven days, remembering the night God brought them out. The New Testament says Christ is our Passover lamb, sacrificed once for all. Thank Him for that, in your own words. Then ask Him to clear out of your life what does not belong there, so that you can live in sincerity and truth.

The Feast of Weeks

Dawn at the edge of a ripe wheat field in the hill country: a farmer seen from behind carries a shallow basket of the first cut heads of wheat on his shoulder along a terrace path.

On the day of firstfruits, when you present an offering of new grain to the LORD during the Feast of Weeks, you are to hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work.

Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, together with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil—three-tenths of an ephah with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah with each of the seven lambs.

0:27

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Include one male goat to make atonement for you.

God
God

Offer them with their drink offerings in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. The animals must be unblemished.

Question

Quick question

Every other offering in this chapter was given “in addition to the regular burnt offering.”

How often was the regular burnt offering made?

You’ve experienced

Numbers 28

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A verse to carry with you

Command the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to Me at its appointed time the food for My food offerings, as a pleasing aroma to Me.

Numbers 28:2

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