Numbers

Numbers 29:1-6

The first day of the seventh month was the most holy month.  This commemoration is significant because of the 7^th new moon.  It was started with the blowing of the trumpet (not the shofar).  This festival continued till the 10^th of the month which was the Day of Atonement.  The trumpet blast also served as a two-week warning for the feast of booths. 

• One bull with 3/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each bull.
  • Drink offering of half a hin of wine for each bull
• One Ram with 2/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil
  • Drink offering of 1/3 of a hin of wine for a ram.
• Seven lambs with 1/10^th of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each lamb.
  • Drink offering of ¼ of a hin of wine for each lamb.
• On kid of goat for a sin offering.
• The regular burnt offering was also made.

.Numbers 29:7-11

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is celebrated on the 10^th day of the seventh month.  This was like an annual reset to restore the purity of the temple, deal with the sins of the people and the nation.  This is the only time anyone entered the holy of holies - the High Priest burned incense and sprinkle blood behind the veil.  The rituals of the day also included the High Priest taking two goats, one was for the Lord and the other a scapegoat.  See Leviticus 16 for the details of the priest work.

Offerings were made:

• One bull with 3/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each bull.
  • Drink offering of half a hin of wine for each bull
• One Ram with 2/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil
  • Drink offering of 1/3 of a hin of wine for a ram.
• Seven lambs with 1/10^th of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each lamb.
  • Drink offering of ¼ of a hin of wine for each lamb.
• On kid of goat for a sin offering – another goat sent away.
• The regular burnt offering was also made.

Numbers 29:12-38

The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Ingathering, lasted eight days.  This took place at the time of the final harvest of the season before the rainy season started.  The feast commemorated the wilderness wandering by building booths (tents) decorated with greenery for the harvesters.  This feast would also be the time of the dedication of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:65).  Zechariah also describes this feast when the Lord reigns on earth

No customary work was done on this day.  The first day started with offerings:

• Thirteen young bulls with 3/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each bull.
  • Drink offering of half a hin of wine for each bull
• Two Rams with 2/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil
  • Drink offering of 1/3 of a hin of wine for a ram.
• Fourteen lambs with 1/10^th of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each lamb.
  • Drink offering of ¼ of a hin of wine for each lamb.
• On kid of goat for a sin offering – another goat sent away.
• The regular burnt offering was also made.

Each successive day, offerings were made with one less bull so that the seventh day offerings were:

• Seven young bulls with 3/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each bull.
  • Drink offering of half a hin of wine for each bull
• Two Rams with 2/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil
  • Drink offering of 1/3 of a hin of wine for a ram.
• Fourteen lambs with 1/10^th of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each lamb.
  • Drink offering of ¼ of a hin of wine for each lamb.
• On kid of goat for a sin offering – another goat sent away.
• The regular burnt offering was also made.

Then, on the eighth day, there was to be a sacred assembly and offerings:

• One bull with 3/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each bull.
  • Drink offering of half a hin of wine for each bull
• One Ram with 2/10^ths of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil
  • Drink offering of 1/3 of a hin of wine for a ram.
• Seven lambs with 1/10^th of an ephah of grain offering mixed with oil, for each lamb.
  • Drink offering of ¼ of a hin of wine for each lamb.
• On kid of goat for a sin offering – another goat sent away.
• The regular burnt offering was also made.

Numbers 29:39-40

The offerings described were those that were made at set times; daily, monthly and annually.  In addition to these were the vowed offerings and freewill offerings of individuals.

Moses recorded these things as the Lord commanded.

© 2023 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater