Numbers 28

I think there are several things the Jews were to internalize in presenting these offerings. First is the grave nature of sin. Death is serious and for something to die in payment for something makes that thing serious too. And yet the majority of the offerings here are not sin offerings and so the second point would be the value that God has. There are alot of sacrifices here and the people would sacrifice to make them. A one year old male without defect is more valuable than others, and yet God is gracious and doesn’t ask for a female that would be able to bear more young. The point of the offering so often is described as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Now anyone who passes a steak restaurant gets that, but even as we are pleased by the smell….the focus of the Israelites was to please God. Not because He needs to be pleased but because He is worthy of pleasing. And it wasn’t even the offering that truly pleased God, but the faith expressed in the offering. The third lesson was how much of life is to be oriented to God. To sacrifice daily, on the Sabbath, monthly and at special times of the year made the worship of God a central part of their schedule and thereby of their lives. The last point that the Jews were to learn is the picture of the Messiah that is in these sacrifices. He too would be perfect. And He would be the final answer that would make these sacrifices obsolete. And it only makes sense that some day God would free us from the law and provide a final sacrifice that came from grace….