Ronald Allen often points out in his commentary on Numbers that this book is about worship. This might seem odd as we read about censuses, land allotments, wars, and tragedies. However, the core message is about how God’s people are taught to worship Him.
They had a daily morning and evening offering at the Tabernacle as part of their worship.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the Israelites, and say to them: My offering, the food for my offerings by fire, my pleasing odor, you shall take care to offer to me at its appointed time.
And you shall say to them: This is the offering by fire that you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs a year old without blemish, daily, as a regular offering.
One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight (Numbers 28:1-4).
When I was a young preacher, I had no formal training. At that time, a collection of sermons by Charles Spurgeon was being released, and I learned how to preach from Spurgeon. I would read his sermons, translate them into my own thoughts, and then preach them on Sunday mornings.
One book by Spurgeon deeply touched my life was called Morning and Evening. Each day included a morning prayer and an evening prayer. Spurgeon based his approach on the Israelites’ practice of making sacrifices both morning and evening.
Over the years, I have found that one of the greatest practices is to engage in both morning and evening prayer. We begin our day with God and end it with Him.
Have you ever walked through a muddy field? With each step, more mud sticks to your shoes, and by the end, you’re trudging with heavy, mud-covered feet.
That’s often how a day in this world feels. Every small incident adds weight to our lives.
Evening prayer provides a moment to release these burdens. As we pray, we cast our worries on the Lord, resting our burdens on the Lord.
When we do this we will experience the truth of the Psalmist’s words: “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you (Psalm 55:22).
The Passover Offering
Rudy Ross often says we can’t grasp Jesus’s crucifixion without knowing about Old Testament sacrifices. The most important sacrifice to understand Jesus’s death on the cross is the Passover.
“On the fourteenth day of the first month there shall be a Passover offering to the Lord.
And on the fifteenth day of this month is a festival; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall not work at your occupations.
You shall offer an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; see that they are without blemish (Numbers 28:16-19).
Passover is a spring festival where people celebrate their miraculous redemption from Egypt. It’s a time to remember God’s great work in freeing them so they could worship Him and enjoy the land He was giving them.
The festivals mentioned in the Bible are Holy Days. Our modern holiday comes from the term Holy Days.
Reflections
One of the key theological concepts to understand is that God gives what He demands. This idea is evident from the beginning of scripture to the end.
Most importantly, when God asks for a sacrifice, He gives us the greatest sacrifice of all—His own Son’s life.
This act frees us from sin and self, allowing us to have a relationship with Him.
If our daily sacrifices of prayer, both morning and evening, are how we worship God, we must remember that Jesus sacrificed himself to make this possible.
His sacrifice allows us to connect with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 