DAILY DEVOTIONS
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"Honoring God in the Morning"
OUR LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH
READING FROM:
Numbers 29:1-40
KEY VERSE:
“You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish.” –Numbers 29:2
The special feasts described here provided the new nation with important defining traditions that uniquely revealed God to the world. The feasts caused the people to face the need for a sacrificial substitute for the judgment due their sins. They also served as a way to offer up thanksgiving to God for His provision, and defined their new Israelite culture as one centered on the light of the God of Abraham and the Laws of Moses.
These daily, weekly, and monthly sacrifices were constant reminders of people’s need to have the curse of sin removed from their relationship with God. The Passover and the Day of Atonement provided graphic reminders of God’s grace in passing over and covering His people from the just judgment and penalty due for sin. The Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Tabernacles and peace offerings, highlighted the need for forgiveness and were also a way to thank God for both His provisions during the wilderness journey and His ongoing provision of the seasonal harvests.
New Testament believers are no longer required to keep these complex feasts. However, we still need to be aware of the underlying meaning of these feasts. We are still called to be a people who honor God by the sacrifice of praise. The apostle Peter put it this way, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God: once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). For us, worship and thanksgiving to God are to be pervasive and ongoing expressions of our hearts, just as they were an ongoing rhythm in the life of ancient Israel.
How many times a day do we find ourselves falling into unintentional or intentional sin? In those moments we can thank God for the once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins by the Lamb of God—Jesus Christ. How many times a day do we see God’s provision and care in our lives? Consider the very air we breathe, the gifts God has given that make our lives so full and abundant and His provision for both our spiritual and physical needs. God is good! So very, very good. Jesus declared that if we withhold thanksgiving and praise, the very rocks will offer to God what our calloused hearts will not.
These ancient feasts provide us with a wonderful reminder of all that is fulfilled in Christ for those who put faith in Him.
OUR LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH
READING FROM:
Numbers 29:1-40
KEY VERSE:
“You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish.” –Numbers 29:2
The special feasts described here provided the new nation with important defining traditions that uniquely revealed God to the world. The feasts caused the people to face the need for a sacrificial substitute for the judgment due their sins. They also served as a way to offer up thanksgiving to God for His provision, and defined their new Israelite culture as one centered on the light of the God of Abraham and the Laws of Moses.
These daily, weekly, and monthly sacrifices were constant reminders of people’s need to have the curse of sin removed from their relationship with God. The Passover and the Day of Atonement provided graphic reminders of God’s grace in passing over and covering His people from the just judgment and penalty due for sin. The Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Tabernacles and peace offerings, highlighted the need for forgiveness and were also a way to thank God for both His provisions during the wilderness journey and His ongoing provision of the seasonal harvests.
New Testament believers are no longer required to keep these complex feasts. However, we still need to be aware of the underlying meaning of these feasts. We are still called to be a people who honor God by the sacrifice of praise. The apostle Peter put it this way, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God: once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). For us, worship and thanksgiving to God are to be pervasive and ongoing expressions of our hearts, just as they were an ongoing rhythm in the life of ancient Israel.
How many times a day do we find ourselves falling into unintentional or intentional sin? In those moments we can thank God for the once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins by the Lamb of God—Jesus Christ. How many times a day do we see God’s provision and care in our lives? Consider the very air we breathe, the gifts God has given that make our lives so full and abundant and His provision for both our spiritual and physical needs. God is good! So very, very good. Jesus declared that if we withhold thanksgiving and praise, the very rocks will offer to God what our calloused hearts will not.
These ancient feasts provide us with a wonderful reminder of all that is fulfilled in Christ for those who put faith in Him.
BIBLE READING
NUMBERS 29:1-40
OFFERINGS AT THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS
1 ‘And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets. 2 You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram,and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish. 3 Their grain offering shall be fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, 4 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering with its grain offering for the New Moon, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, as a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.
1 ‘And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets. 2 You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram,and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish. 3 Their grain offering shall be fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, 4 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering with its grain offering for the New Moon, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, as a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.
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OFFERINGS ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
7 ‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls; you shall not do any work.8 You shall present a burnt offering to the Lord as a sweet aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year. Be sure they are without blemish. 9 Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 10 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 11 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the sin offering for atonement, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
7 ‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls; you shall not do any work.8 You shall present a burnt offering to the Lord as a sweet aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year. Be sure they are without blemish. 9 Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 10 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 11 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the sin offering for atonement, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
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OFFERINGS AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
12 ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work, and you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days. 13 You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the Lord: thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year. They shall be without blemish. 14 Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams, 15 and one-tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
17 ‘On the second day present twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 18 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance;19 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
20 ‘On the third day present eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 21 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; 22 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
23 ‘On the fourth day present ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year, without blemish, 24 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; 25 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
26 ‘On the fifth day present nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 27 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; 28 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
29 ‘On the sixth day present eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 30 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance;31 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
32 ‘On the seventh day present seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 33 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance;34 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
35 ‘On the eighth day you shall have a sacred assembly. You shall do no customary work. 36 You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one bull, one ram, seven lambs in their first year without blemish, 37 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; 38 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
39 ‘These you shall present to the Lord at your appointed feasts (besides your vowed offerings and your freewill offerings) as your burnt offerings and your grain offerings, as your drink offerings and your peace offerings.’”
40 So Moses told the children of Israel everything, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
12 ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work, and you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days. 13 You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the Lord: thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year. They shall be without blemish. 14 Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams, 15 and one-tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
17 ‘On the second day present twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 18 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance;19 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
20 ‘On the third day present eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 21 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; 22 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
23 ‘On the fourth day present ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year, without blemish, 24 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; 25 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
26 ‘On the fifth day present nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 27 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; 28 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
29 ‘On the sixth day present eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 30 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance;31 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
32 ‘On the seventh day present seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 33 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance;34 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
35 ‘On the eighth day you shall have a sacred assembly. You shall do no customary work. 36 You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one bull, one ram, seven lambs in their first year without blemish, 37 and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; 38 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
39 ‘These you shall present to the Lord at your appointed feasts (besides your vowed offerings and your freewill offerings) as your burnt offerings and your grain offerings, as your drink offerings and your peace offerings.’”
40 So Moses told the children of Israel everything, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
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VERSE-BY-VERSE STUDY NOTES
NUMBERS 29
OFFERINGS AT THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS (VERSES 1-6)
v. 1 The Seventh Month - The month of Tisri on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with September on our calendar. This feast is also known as Rosh Hashanah.
Day of Blowing the Trumpets - This was the feast of Trumpets which leads into the Day of Atonement; a time of confession, repentance, and celebration. It was the one day a year that the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies, and the one day a year to “atone” for the sins of the nation as a whole through blood sacrifice. Confession, repentance, and celebration occurred at the other feasts. (Lev. 16:3-10, 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11)
v. 2 Without Blemish - Every sacrifice unto the Lord was to be without any defects or flaws (Ex. 12:5, 29:1; Lev. 1:3; Num. 28:31). Every Old Testament sacrifice was in some way a picture of Christ who was the fulfillment of every sacrificial requirement: a perfect and complete sacrifice (1 Pet. 1:19).
v. 3 Grain Offering - This is essentially a “food” offering to the Lord. See Leviticus 2:1, 3-11, 13-15 for a full description.
v. 5 Sin Offering - This offering was made to reconcile God and man through proper and sufficient payment for the sins of the people (Lev. 4:3-34; 5:6-12; 6:17, 25, 30).
v. 6 Burnt Offering - The purpose and method of the burnt offering is fully described in Leviticus 1:4-34.
Drink Offerings - Drink offerings consisted of wine (Num. 15:5) poured around the altar (Ex. 30:9), joined with meat offerings (Num. 6:15, 17; 2 Kings 16:13; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:14), and presented daily (Ex. 29:40), on the Sabbath (Num. 28:9), and on feast days (Num 28:14).
According to their Ordinance - This means that these offerings were to be made as previously specified and established by the Lord (Num. 29:18, 21; 9:14; 15:11, 12, 24).
v. 1 The Seventh Month - The month of Tisri on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with September on our calendar. This feast is also known as Rosh Hashanah.
Day of Blowing the Trumpets - This was the feast of Trumpets which leads into the Day of Atonement; a time of confession, repentance, and celebration. It was the one day a year that the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies, and the one day a year to “atone” for the sins of the nation as a whole through blood sacrifice. Confession, repentance, and celebration occurred at the other feasts. (Lev. 16:3-10, 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11)
v. 2 Without Blemish - Every sacrifice unto the Lord was to be without any defects or flaws (Ex. 12:5, 29:1; Lev. 1:3; Num. 28:31). Every Old Testament sacrifice was in some way a picture of Christ who was the fulfillment of every sacrificial requirement: a perfect and complete sacrifice (1 Pet. 1:19).
v. 3 Grain Offering - This is essentially a “food” offering to the Lord. See Leviticus 2:1, 3-11, 13-15 for a full description.
v. 5 Sin Offering - This offering was made to reconcile God and man through proper and sufficient payment for the sins of the people (Lev. 4:3-34; 5:6-12; 6:17, 25, 30).
v. 6 Burnt Offering - The purpose and method of the burnt offering is fully described in Leviticus 1:4-34.
Drink Offerings - Drink offerings consisted of wine (Num. 15:5) poured around the altar (Ex. 30:9), joined with meat offerings (Num. 6:15, 17; 2 Kings 16:13; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:14), and presented daily (Ex. 29:40), on the Sabbath (Num. 28:9), and on feast days (Num 28:14).
According to their Ordinance - This means that these offerings were to be made as previously specified and established by the Lord (Num. 29:18, 21; 9:14; 15:11, 12, 24).
OFFERINGS ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT (VERSES 7-11)
v. 7 Tenth Day of this Seventh Month - This refers to the Day of Atonement, which is also known as Yom Kippur. The Day of Atonement was Israel’s annual cleansing from sin (Lev. 16:3-10, 23:26-32, Num. 29:7-11). It occurred on Tisri, the tenth day of the month, five days before the feast of Tabernacles, and it lasted from sunset to sunset. It has been called the “Good Friday” of the Old Testament. For the Christian today, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross has become our great Day of Atonement (Heb. 9:11-14).
Shall Afflict Your Souls - This refers to fasting as mentioned in Leviticus 16:29, Ezra 8:21, and Psalm 35:13
v. 7 Tenth Day of this Seventh Month - This refers to the Day of Atonement, which is also known as Yom Kippur. The Day of Atonement was Israel’s annual cleansing from sin (Lev. 16:3-10, 23:26-32, Num. 29:7-11). It occurred on Tisri, the tenth day of the month, five days before the feast of Tabernacles, and it lasted from sunset to sunset. It has been called the “Good Friday” of the Old Testament. For the Christian today, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross has become our great Day of Atonement (Heb. 9:11-14).
Shall Afflict Your Souls - This refers to fasting as mentioned in Leviticus 16:29, Ezra 8:21, and Psalm 35:13
OFFERINGS AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES (VERSES 12-40)
v. 12 A Feast to the Lord Seven Days - The Feast of Tabernacles lasted seven days (Lev. 23:33-43). It was a feast to remind God’s people of the time in their history when God cared and provided for them in the wilderness after deliverance from captivity in Egypt. Because they spent their wilderness travels in makeshift tents and booths, this feast is sometimes called “The Feast of Booths.” It was celebrated and remembered by Jewish families annually as they would leave their comfortable homes and live in temporary shelters or booths during the eight days of this commemorative festival (Lev. 23:33-43).
v. 39 Besides - In addition to the offerings detailed in verses 13-38, the Jews also made freewill offerings (voluntary offerings) and peace offerings (a sacrifice made for alliance or friendship) (Ex. 20:24; 24:5).
v. 40 Just as the Lord Commanded - Moses faithfully communicated all of God’s instructions to the children of Israel.
v. 12 A Feast to the Lord Seven Days - The Feast of Tabernacles lasted seven days (Lev. 23:33-43). It was a feast to remind God’s people of the time in their history when God cared and provided for them in the wilderness after deliverance from captivity in Egypt. Because they spent their wilderness travels in makeshift tents and booths, this feast is sometimes called “The Feast of Booths.” It was celebrated and remembered by Jewish families annually as they would leave their comfortable homes and live in temporary shelters or booths during the eight days of this commemorative festival (Lev. 23:33-43).
v. 39 Besides - In addition to the offerings detailed in verses 13-38, the Jews also made freewill offerings (voluntary offerings) and peace offerings (a sacrifice made for alliance or friendship) (Ex. 20:24; 24:5).
v. 40 Just as the Lord Commanded - Moses faithfully communicated all of God’s instructions to the children of Israel.
