Numbers 28:2

een considerably interrupted for several years, owing to the unsettled state of the people in the wilderness, and that it was necessary to repeat these laws for two reasons: 1. Because they were now about to enter into the promised land, where these services must be established and constant. 2. Because the former generations being all dead, multitudes of the present might be ignorant of these ordinances. In their due season - Moses divides these offerings into: - 1. Daily. The morning and evening sacrifices: a lamb each time, Num 28:3 , Num 28:4 . 2. Weekly. The Sabbath offerings, two lambs of a year old, Num 28:9 , etc. 3. Monthly. At the beginning of each month two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old, and a kid for a sin-offering, Num 28:11 , etc. 4. Annual.1. The passover to last seven days; the offerings, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of a year old, and a he-goat for a sin-offering, Num 28:16 , etc. 2. The day of First-Fruits. The sacrifices, the same as on the beginning of the month, Num 28:26 , etc. With these sacrifices were offered libations, or drink-offerings of strong wine, Num 28:7 , Num 28:14 , and minchahs, or meat-offerings, composed of fine flour mingled with oil, Num 28:8 , Num 28:12 , etc. For an ample account of all these offerings, see the notes on Leviticus 7 (note) and Exodus 12 (note). Verse 7 Strong wine - Sikera; see the note on Lev 10:9 , where this is largely explained. Verse 26 Day of the first-fruits - Called also the feast of weeks, and the feast of pentecost. See it explained Exo 23:14 (note), and Lev 23:15 (note). Verse 31 Without blemish - This is to be understood as applying, not only to the animals, but also to the flour, wine, and oil; every thing must be perfect in its kind. Introduction The feast of trumpets on the first day of the seventh month, and its sacrifices, Num 29:1-6 . The feast of expiation, or annual atonement, on the tenth day of the same month, with its sacrifices, Num 29:7-11 . The feast of tabernacles, held on the fifteenth day of the same month, with its eight days' offerings, Num 29:12 . The offerings of the first day, thirteen bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, and one kid, Num 29:13-16 . The offerings of the second day, twelve bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, and one kid, Num 29:17-19 . The offerings of the third day, eleven bullocks; the rest as before, Num 29:20-22 . The offerings of the fourth day, ten bullocks; the rest as before, Num 29:23-25 . The offerings of the fifth day, nine bullocks, etc., Num 29:26-28 . The offerings of the sixth day, eight bullocks, etc.,

acrifices. ( b. c. 1452.) 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. 3 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. 4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; 5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. 6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord . 7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering. 8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord . Here is, I. A general order given concerning the offerings of the Lord, which were to be brought in their season, v. 2 . These laws are here given afresh, not because the observance of them was wholly disused during their thirty-eight years' wandering in the wilderness (we cannot think that they were so long without any public worship, but that at least the daily lamb was offered morning and evening, and doubled on the sabbath day; so bishop Patrick conjectures); but that many of the sacrifices were then omitted is plainly intimated, Amos v. 25 , quoted by Stephen, Acts vii. 42 . Did you offer unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? It is implied, "No, you did not." But, whether the course of sacrifices had been interrupted or no, God saw fit now to repeat the law of sacrifices, 1. Because this was a new generation of men, that were most of them unborn when the former laws were given; therefore, that they might be left without excuse, they have not only these laws written, to be read to them, but again repeated from God himself, and put into a less compass and a plainer method. 2. Because they were now entering upon war, and might be tempted to think that while they were engaged in that they should be excused from offering sacrifices. Inter arma silent leges—law is little regarded amidst the clash of arms. No, says God, my bread for my sacrifices even now shall you observe to offer, and that in the due season. They were peculiarly concerned to keep their peace with God when they were at war with their enemies. In the wilderness they were solitary, and quite separate from all other people, and therefore there they needed not so much their distinguishing badges, nor would their omission of sacrifices be so scandalous as when they came into Canaan, when they mingled with other people. 3. Because possession was now to be given them of the land of promise, that land flowing with milk and honey, where they would have plenty of all good things. "Now" (says God), "When you are feasting yourselves, forget not to offer the bread of your God." Canaan was given to them upon this condition, that they should observe God's statutes, Ps. cv. 44, 45 . II. The particular law of the daily sacrifice, a lamb in the morning and a lamb in the evening, which, for the constancy of it as duly as the day came, is called a continual burnt-offering ( v. 3 ), which intimates that when we are bidden to pray always, and to pray without ceasing, it is intended that at least every morning and every evening we offer up our solemn prayers and praises to God. This is said to be ordained in Mount Sinai ( v. 6 ), when the other laws were given. The institution of it we have, Exod. xxix. 38 . Nothing is here added in the repetition of the law, but that the wine to be poured out in the drink-offering is ordered to be strong wine ( v. 7 ), the riches and most generous and best-bodied wine they could get. Though it was to be poured out upon the altar, and not drunk (they therefore might be ready to think the worst would serve to be so thrown away), yet God requires the strongest, to teach us to serve God with the best we have. The wine must be strong (says Ainsworth) because it was a figure of the blood of Christ, the memorial of which is still left to the church in wine, and of the blood of the martyrs, which was poured out as a drink-offering upon the sacrifice and service of our faith, Phil. ii. 17 . 9 And on the sabbath day

Command the children of Israel - God here repeats some of the former laws about sacrifices, not without great reason, partly because they had been generally discontinued for thirty eight years together; partly because the generation to which the former laws had been given about these things was wholly dead, and it was fit the new generation should be instructed about them, as their parents were; partly to renew their testimonies of God's grace and mercy, notwithstanding their frequent forfeitures thereof by their rebellion: and principally because they were now ready to enter into that land, in which they were obliged to put these things in practice.