Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

How important are offerings? Numbers 28 gives instructions for daily, weekly and monthly sacrifices. These will ultimately be ignored once the settlements have been established. This unfaithful group is no different from modern Christians. We often do not listen to the instructions we are given by our Lord. Jesus gave commands to us just as Jehovah has in the Old Testament of the Bible. We are saved from the law, but the commands of Christ should be obeyed in love.

The Passover and the Festival of Weeks or first fruits are elaborated on. All of this is repetition from previous commands. Honoring God by remembering Sabbaths, Passover and other festivals will remind the Israelites of all the things that He has done for them. Christmas, Resurrection Sunday (Easter) and our weekly worship experiences and Bible studies are similar. The Lord’s Supper and Baptism are ordinances that also serve a similar function in the New Testament Church.  Many denominations have their own list of feasts or festivals.

Numbers 29 reminds us of the Festival of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Festival of Tabernacles. These celebrations are to remind us and the Israelites of God’s grace and favor. The trumpets symbolize the battles that Jehovah wins for the people. The Day of Atonement forecasts the death and resurrection of Christ and our eternal salvation with no further animals being sacrificed. The tabernacles bring to their recollection the forty years in the wilderness due to the unfaithfulness of their ancestors.

Relationships between husbands and wives and fathers and daughters are aided in Numbers 30. Pledges are not something that we are familiar with.  Today a promise is easily forgotten. Even commitments to Christ can be neglected easily.  These verses should be read carefully to see what God wants us to know about making promises to Jehovah and others.

Once again Yahweh is making provisions for women. Wives and daughters are specifically dealt with here. The Lord cares about the females as much as the males. It is tradition and male selfishness that made Jesus teach as much to women as men. Contrary to what some believe, God has always cared about women.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger