The Feast of Tabernacles (Num. 29:12-40)

2/20/2009 7:49 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  The Feast of Tabernacles

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Numbers 29:12-40

 

            Message of the verses:  “12 ¶  ‘Then on the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work, and you shall observe a feast to the LORD for seven days.  13  ‘You shall present a burnt offering, an offering by fire as a soothing aroma to the LORD: thirteen bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old, which are without defect; 14  and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams, 15  and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16  and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering. 17  ‘Then on the second day: twelve bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; 18  and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; 19  and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.  20  ‘Then on the third day: eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; 21  and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; 22  and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.  23  ‘Then on the fourth day: ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; 24  their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; 25  and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.  26  ‘Then on the fifth day: nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; 27  and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; 28  and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.  29  ‘Then on the sixth day: eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; 30  and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; 31  and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offerings.  32  ‘Then on the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without defect; 33  and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; 34  and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.  35  ‘On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly; you shall do no laborious work.  36  ‘But you shall present a burnt offering, an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs one year old without defect; 37  their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram and for the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; 38  and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.  39  ‘You shall present these to the LORD at your appointed times, besides your votive offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings and for your grain offerings and for your drink offerings and for your peace offerings.’"  40  Moses spoke to the sons of Israel in accordance with all that the LORD had commanded Moses.”

            In these verses there is found the many sacrifices that were offered during the Feast of Tabernacles.  This feast lasted for seven days and was a picture of the 1000 year kingdom of Jesus Christ on this earth.  There is a slight difference in the number of bulls offered each day in that it goes down by one each day of this feast ending up with seven bulls offered on the seventh day along with all of the other sacrifices listed, which are the same each day.

            In his commentary at the end of this section Dr. Wiersbe points out three practical lessons from all of these offerings.  The first is that all of these offerings were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  The blood of these animals could not take away sin as the blood of Jesus Christ has done but were a picture of what Jesus Christ has done on the cross.  Second the ministry of the priest was very important to the nation of Israel for they could not have functioned without them, and of course the practical application is that Jesus Christ is our high priest who intercedes for believers in heaven.  Jesus Christ is our advocate and mediator in heaven.  Third is that all of these sacrifices that were given each year were very expensive and showed that the people of Israel were willing to give them to the Lord under the Law even thought they were so expensive.  Believers today should be able to give more that Israel did while under the law because we are under grace.  I would like to add another practical reason that these sacrifices or feasts give to believers today and that is their prophetic value.  I have mentioned that these feasts follow a patter not only in the things that pertain to Christ but also they pertain to things that happen in the Church too of which Christ is the Head.  His death burial and resurrection came of different feast days and the Church began on a feast day.  The Church could end as far as it’s life on earth on a feast day, and I know that is not set in stone, but it does make sense and God always things that make sense.  The 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth is also pictured in one of these feasts, so I, along with others believe that there is prophetic significance in these feasts. 

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  One of the things that I take from this SD is that I could be giving more for the cause of Christ than I am giving.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Give myself to the Lord.
2. Have my mind transformed by the Word of God.
3. Put on my spiritual armor.
4. Learn more about Jesus Christ.
5. Learn contentment.

2/20/2009 8:20 AM