Rudy Ross does a great job covering the offerings from Numbers 29 in today’s YouTube video. For this blog article, I’ll outline the feast days with brief descriptions.
Rosh Hashanah (verses 1-6)
The first offering is during what we now call Rosh Hashanah. It happens at the start of the seventh month. This month was very busy for those who worshiped God and observed all the festivals. Verses 1 through 6 detail the sacrifices that priests must make on this holy day.
The Day of Atonement (verses 7-9)
Verses 7 through 9 discuss the Day of Atonement. The Feast of Trumpets leads into this day, known by Jewish people as Yom Kippur. It occurs on the tenth day of the seventh month.
Yom Kippur is a day of confession, contrition, and celebration. It is Israel’s most solemn holy day. Unlike other celebrations, it is a time for fasting and seriousness rather than feasting and rejoicing.
The Day of Atonement is considered the holiest day of the year by Jewish people. Many fast and lie prostrate in the synagogue, showing repentance for their sins.
In the New Testament, this day is fulfilled by the death of the Savior, who made complete atonement for us.
Feast of Tabernacles (verses 12-38)
The seventh month started with the Feast of Trumpets on the first day. On the tenth day, it moved to the Day of Atonement.
Then, on the fifteenth day, the Feast of Tabernacles began and lasted for seven days. Each day of the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths, had its own specific sacrifices.
The Feast of Tabernacles required the most animals for sacrifice, making it a very busy time for offerings to the Lord.
In the New Testament, this feast is mentioned in John 7:2 and 37. On the last and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood in the temple in Jerusalem and invited those who were spiritually thirsty to come to Him and drink.
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,
*And let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water'” (John 7:37-38).
Reflections
Numbers 29 might seem repetitive, but it was given to a new generation to help them understand their connection with God. Even if it feels repetitive to us, there are valuable lessons to learn.
First, as Ronald Allen points out, the book of Numbers is mainly about worship. Worship isn’t just feeling good from a song or sermon; it’s about giving what we have to God. It means offering all we know of ourselves to all we know about God.
Second, there’s a link between God’s sacrificial system and His work through Jesus. Rudy Ross often says that we couldn’t grasp what Jesus did without first understanding the sacrificial system. He’s absolutely right about that.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 