Numbers Chapter 28 details the specific offerings and sacrifices that the Israelites are commanded to present regularly to the LORD. These include daily burnt offerings, Sabbath offerings, monthly off...
31
Verses
~5 min
Read Time
Moses
Author
c. 1446 BC - Wilderness Period after the Exodus
Timeline
Timeline
c. 1446 BC - Wilderness Period after the Exodus
Numbers Chapter 28 details the specific offerings and sacrifices that the Israelites are commanded to present regularly to the LORD. These include daily burnt offerings, Sabbath offerings, monthly offerings, and special sacrifices for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. The chapter emphasizes the importance of obedience in worship, the continual nature of sacrifice as a sweet savor to God, and the detailed instructions given to Moses for the people of Israel. This chapter situates the sacrificial system within the covenant relationship, underscoring God's holiness and the people's need for atonement and fellowship through prescribed offerings.
Verses 1-8: Daily Burnt Offerings. God instructs Moses to command Israel to offer two lambs daily, one in the morning and one at evening, with accompanying flour, oil, and wine as a continual burnt offering, symbolizing constant devotion.
Verses 9-10: Sabbath Offerings. Additional sacrifices are prescribed for the Sabbath, consisting of two lambs and flour mixed with oil, emphasizing the sanctity and special worship on the day of rest.
Verses 11-15: Monthly Offerings. At the beginning of each month, a larger burnt offering is commanded, including bullocks, rams, lambs, flour, oil, wine, and a goat for sin offering, highlighting the renewal and atonement aspects.
Verses 16-31: Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread Offerings. Detailed instructions for the sacrifices during the Passover and seven-day feast are given, including bullocks, rams, lambs, flour, oil, wine, and a goat for sin offering, with holy convocations and prohibitions on servile work, underscoring the solemnity and communal worship during these appointed times.
God speaks directly to Moses, commanding the detailed sacrificial system. His instructions reveal His holiness, desire for worship, and provision for atonement.
The mediator who receives God's commands and is responsible for instructing the children of Israel regarding their offerings and sacrifices.
The recipients of God's commands, called to faithfully observe the prescribed offerings as part of their covenant relationship and worship.
God commands two lambs to be offered daily, morning and evening, with accompanying flour, oil, and wine, establishing a continual burnt offering symbolizing ongoing worship and atonement.
Additional sacrifices are prescribed for the Sabbath, emphasizing the day’s holiness and the special worship required beyond the daily offerings.
At the start of each month, a larger burnt offering including bullocks, rams, lambs, and a sin offering goat is commanded, marking renewal and atonement for the community.
Detailed instructions for sacrifices during the Passover and seven-day feast, including multiple animals and grain offerings, with holy convocations and rest from servile work, highlighting solemn communal worship.
“And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.”
“And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:”
“And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.”
“But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year;”
How well do you know Numbers 28?
Take the QuizCommit to regular, consistent worship and devotion as a continual offering to God in daily life.
Recognize the importance of obedience to God’s commands as an expression of faith and reverence.
Understand the need for atonement and repentance, looking to Christ as the ultimate sacrifice.
Celebrate God’s appointed times with reverence and joy, remembering His faithfulness and provision.
Offer spiritual sacrifices such as prayer, praise, and acts of service as pleasing to God.
Maintain holiness in personal and communal life, reflecting God’s holy character.
This chapter centers on the detailed system of sacrifices that maintain Israel’s fellowship with God, highlighting the necessity of continual worship and atonement.
The precise instructions and regularity of offerings underscore the importance of obedience in the life of God's people as an expression of faith and reverence.
The offerings reflect God's holy nature and the need for atonement to approach Him, prefiguring the ultimate sacrifice of Christ in the New Testament.
The sacrificial system is a tangible expression of the covenant between God and Israel, reinforcing their identity as His chosen people.
Numbers was written during the wilderness period following the Exodus, around the 15th century BC, when Israel was encamped near Mount Sinai and preparing to enter the Promised Land. The sacrificial system was central to Israelite worship, reflecting ancient Near Eastern customs but uniquely commanded by Yahweh to maintain holiness and fellowship. The detailed offerings reflect a theocratic society where religious and civil life were intertwined, and the priesthood mediated between God and the people. Politically, Israel was a nomadic tribal confederation under divine law, distinct from surrounding pagan nations.
Reformed theology sees these sacrifices as types and shadows pointing to Christ’s once-for-all atoning sacrifice, emphasizing the continual burnt offering as a foreshadowing of Christ’s perpetual intercession.
Dispensationalists interpret these offerings as literal commands for Israel under the Mosaic Covenant, with the expectation that such sacrifices will be reinstated during the millennial kingdom.
Early Church Fathers often allegorized these sacrifices as representing Christ’s virtues and the believer’s spiritual sacrifices, seeing the continual offerings as a call to constant prayer and holiness.
Provides foundational instructions for burnt offerings, paralleling the daily sacrifices commanded in Numbers 28.
Describes the continual burnt offering instituted at Sinai, which Numbers 28 reiterates and expands upon.
Explains the insufficiency of repeated animal sacrifices and points to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, fulfilling the sacrificial system outlined in Numbers 28.
Highlights that God desires a broken spirit over burnt offerings, complementing the external sacrifices with internal repentance.
Refers to Christ as our Passover lamb, connecting the Passover sacrifices in Numbers 28 to the New Testament fulfillment.
Numbers 28 provides a profound insight into the sacrificial system that governed Israel’s worship, emphasizing continual devotion, obedience, and the need for atonement. These detailed offerings reveal God’s holiness and His desire for a covenant relationship with His people. For believers today, the chapter points forward to Christ’s perfect sacrifice and calls for a life of consistent worship and holiness, reminding us that our spiritual offerings must be pleasing to God as we live in obedience and faith.
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