This chapter deals with God’s commands regarding offerings. I’m not going to go into them in detail, mainly to outline them. There was a morning offering of a lamb and a similar evening offering (v1-8). The lamb had to be without blemish and there had to be some fine flour and pressed oil. It was to be offered by fire and there was a drink offering, all to the Lord.
Whilst we don’t need to bring these offerings today, they are a reminder to us to start and finish the day with the Lord.
On the sabbath day they were to offer two lambs morning and evening (v9,10). At the beginning of each month they were commanded to present a burnt offering (v11-15) of two young bulls, one ram and seven lambs in their first year all without blemish with fine flour and oil for the ram, fine flour and oil for each bull, fine flour and oil for each lamb, all by fire. Also drink offerings for each animal as laid down by the Lord. This was to be done each month throughout the year. In addition, a kid of the goats as a sin offering.
Then there were seasonal feasts – on the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover and on the following day (the fifteenth) is the feast (v16-25). Unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven days. On the first day of the month a large gathering of the people was to be called, and no customary work was to be done. A burnt offering to the Lord was to be made taking two young bulls, a ram and seven first year lambs, all without blemish. A grain offering of fine flour and oil as apportioned by the Lord, and a goat as a sin offering to make atonement. These were in addition to the regular morning burnt offering and on the seventh day they were to call a large gathering and do no customary work.
Finally, on the day of first fruits when they were to bring a new grain offering to the Lord at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (v26-31) which was thanksgiving for harvest, they were to call a large assembly and do no customary work. They were to present a burnt offering to the Lord – two young bulls, a ram and seven first year lambs with their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil as the Lord apportioned, and a kid of the goats to make atonement for themselves. All without blemish and with their drink offerings. Again, these were in addition to the regular daily offerings.
Whilst we don’t have to make these offerings today, we must never forget what was indicated by them, namely, the atonement made for us by The Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. We must be forever grateful for the enormous, final sacrifice made for us to cleanse us from all our sin.
