Numbers 28: God is the Centre Of Our Lives
Numbers 28: God is the Centre Of Our Lives
Collin Leong. May 5, 2026
(v1-8) Daily Offerings
(v1-2) The LORD spoke to Moses: "Command the people of Israel and say to them: 'My offering, my food for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.'
Exp: Numbers 28 repeats the instructions of the offerings that was already given in Exodus and Leviticus. There are some details that were added in Numbers. This is a liturgical calendar summary: putting daily, weekly, monthly, and festival offerings together in one place. It emphasizes continuity: the second generation (after the wilderness years) is reminded of the covenant obligations before entering Canaan.
(v3-6) And you shall say to them, 'This is the food offering that you shall offer to the LORD: 2 male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering. The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil. It is a regular burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.
Exp: The "food offering" is a general term covering several types of offering. This particular offering can also be called a "burnt offering", specifically because the lambs will "burnt" before God. It was first commanded in Mount Sinai, in Exo 29:38-42.
The lamb symbolize Jesus, their Messiah - who was called the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29). Oil symbolizes richness, consecration, and the Spirit’s presence. On a daily basis, we must remember Jesus' sacrifice and be guided by the Holy Spirit.
God doesn’t literally “smell” the aroma of offering; it’s a metaphor for His acceptance. The phrase signals that the sacrifice fulfills His command and is received favorably. It emphasizes that obedience and devotion - not the physical smell - are what delight God. These offerings are not about God needing food or fragrance. They are about Israel’s daily acknowledgment of dependence, gratitude, and covenant loyalty. And for Christians, it's the faithfulness to Jesus that is important.
(v7-8) Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD. The other lamb you shall offer at twilight. Like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
Exp: For each of the lamb offered in morning and twilight, they shall add a drink offering of "strong drink" to the LORD. The phrase “strong drink” (Hebrew: shekār) refers to an intoxicating beverage, usually understood as fermented drink other than wine. It generally refers to fermented beverages made from grains, dates, or honey, distinct from grape wine (yayin). It doesn’t mean hard liquor in the modern sense, but rather a potent fermented drink. The drink offering symbolized joy and abundance, poured out to God as part of the covenant worship. For Christians, the wine refers to Christ's blood on the cross, which is a new covenant for us (Matt 26:27–28) Again, it is a reminded we must always have daily gratitude to what God has done for us.
(v9-10) Weekly Sabbath Offerings
(v9-10) On the Sabbath day, 2 male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering: this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
Exp: Sabbath offerings are added to the daily offerings on the Jewish Saturday, from sunset Friday till sunset Saturday. The Sabbath offering is exactly the same as the daily offering, except there will be two tenth of ephah of flour, rather than one tenth of ephah of flour for the daily offering. This has been mentioned in Lev 23:3 (Sabbath rest and holy convocation), but the specific lambs and grain offerings are detailed here in v9-10.
(v11-15) Monthly Offerings
(v11-13) "At the beginning of your months, you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD: 2 bulls, 1 ram, 7 male lambs a year old without blemish; also:
- For each bull: three tenths of an ephah of flour mix with oil for a grain offering;
- For each ram: two tenths of an ephah of flour mix with oil for grain offering;
- For each lamb: one tenth of flour mix with oil as grain offering.
for a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD."
Exp: Every month, these animals are to be sacrificed to God. And for each animal, it will be accompanied by grain offering, and the amount of flour is different for each animal.
(v14-15) "Their drink offerings shall be: half a hin of wine for a bull. a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a him for a lamb. This is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year. Also one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
Exp: The amount of drink offerings that accompanied the animals are different based on the animal. In addition, one male goat will also be sacrificed in addition of these other animals. The Monthly offerings (new moon sacrifices) was first outlined in Numbers 10:10 (trumpets at new moons) and Leviticus 23:24 (new moon connection), but the full sacrificial list is spelled out here in v11–15.
(v16-25) Yearly Passover Offerings
(v16-19a) "On the 14th day of the first month is the LORD's Passover, and on the 15th day of this month is a feast. Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. On the 1st day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, but offer a food offering, a burnt offering to the LORD:
Exp: The "first day" in v18 refers to the 1st day of Passover (15th day of the month), which is also known as "Feasts of Unleavened Bread" that lasts for 7 days. They can eat the unleavened bread, which represents body of Jesus - the bread of life (John 6:35). In those 7 days, they are not to do "work", as for Christianity, good works are unable to get us into heaven. We must have faith that Jesus' sacrifice is the only thing that can save us.
(v19b-22) "...but offer a food offering, a burnt offering to the Lord:
- 2 bulls and three tenth of flour mixed with oil for grain offering for each bull
- 1 ram and two tenth of flour mixed with oil
- 7 lambs a year old without blemish and a tenth of flour mixed with oil for each lamb.
- 1 male goat for sin offering, to make atonement for you.
(v26-31) Yearly Feast of Weeks
(v26) "On the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the LORD at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, "
Exp: It is called “the day of the firstfruits” because Israel offered the first produce of the wheat harvest at this festival. Do not confuse this with Feast of Firstfruits; rather, this day is referring to the Feast of Weeks (Lev 23:15-16), celebrated after 50 days from the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev 23:11), which is not mentioned in this chapter. That's why in New Testament Greek, the Feast of Weeks are called "Pentecost", meaning "fiftieth day" from the Feast of Firstfruits.
The Feast of Weeks is to celebrate the first harvest of wheat; whereas Feast of Firstfruits was celebrating the first harvest of barley. Pentecost was when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to believers and the start of the Church (Acts 2:1-4). The Feast of Firstfruit was when Christ resurrected from his death (1 Cor 15:20.) (See Appendix for explanation of the date of the Feast of Firstfruits.)
(v27-30) "but offer a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD:
- 2 bulls with grain offering of three tenth of flour mixed with oil for each bull.
- 1 ram with grain offering of two tenth of flour
- 7 male lambs a year old; and grain offering of one tenth of flour for each lamb.
- 1 male goat, to make atonement for you
Key Messages
Numbers 28 is a detailed recap of the sacrificial system, emphasizing the daily, weekly, monthly, and festival offerings Israel was to present. It does not introduce new laws but consolidates earlier instructions from Exodus and Leviticus. Themes include God’s desire for continual devotion, the rhythm of worship woven into Israel’s calendar, and the reminder that holiness requires consistency and order.
1. Daily Offerings (vv. 1–8)
Two lambs are offered each day, morning and evening, accompanied by grain and drink offerings. This establishes a continual “pleasing aroma” before the Lord.
Application: Worship is not occasional but daily. Believers are reminded to cultivate consistent devotion—morning and evening rhythms of prayer, thanksgiving, and offering themselves to God as “living sacrifices.”
2. Weekly Sabbath Offerings (vv. 9–10)
On the Sabbath, additional lambs are offered beyond the daily sacrifices, marking the day as holy and distinct.
Application: God calls His people to set apart time for rest and worship. Believers today are reminded to honor rhythms of rest, dedicating time to God that interrupts ordinary labor and re-centers life on His presence. Some Christians refuse to do their "normal work/job" on Sunday except to worship the Lord in the church.
3. Monthly New Moon Offerings (vv. 11–15)
At the start of each month, Israel offers bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and drink offerings, plus a goat for sin. This ritual sanctifies the new cycle of time.
Application: Each new beginning is consecrated to God. Believers are encouraged to dedicate fresh seasons—new months, projects, or life stages—to God, acknowledging His sovereignty over time and seeking His cleansing and blessing.
4. Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (vv. 16–25)
In the first month, Israel observes Passover and the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, with daily offerings added to the regular sacrifices.
Application: Redemption is remembered through ritual. Believers are called to continually recall God’s saving acts, especially Christ’s sacrifice, and to live in purity, removing “leaven” (sin) from their lives. Christians practice the communion when they meet at the church, to remember the death of Christ for our sin.
5. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (vv. 26–31)
In the third month, Israel celebrates the Feast of Weeks with offerings of bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and drink, plus a goat for sin. This marks the harvest and God’s provision.
Application: Worship acknowledges God as provider. Believers are reminded to give thanks for material and spiritual harvests, offering back to God the firstfruits of their labor and celebrating the gift of the Spirit poured out at Pentecost.
Numbers 28 underscores the orderly rhythm of worship—daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal offerings that keep Israel’s life centered on God. It teaches that devotion is not sporadic but structured, woven into the calendar of time itself. For believers today, the principle is clear: God desires consistent, intentional worship that sanctifies our days, weeks, and seasons. Life flourishes when time itself is offered back to God in gratitude, holiness, and remembrance.
Appendix
1. A “hin” is a biblical liquid measure equal to about 3.7 liters (≈1 US gallon), about the size of a milk jug. A “quarter of a hin” would be about 0.9 liters.
2. “Ephah” is a dry measure equal to about 22 liters (≈0.6 bushels or 5–6 US gallons) about the size of a small trash bin or 6-gallon container. Used for grain measures (e.g., Exodus 16:36, Ruth 2:17). Boaz giving Ruth “an ephah of barley” meant roughly 10 days’ worth of food—a generous gift.
3. When will Feast of Firstfruits happen?
The Passover happens on 14th of Nissan (1 day), then Feast of Unleavened Bread from 15th to 21st of Nisan (7 days). The Feast of the Firstfruits starts after the Sabbath day (i.e. on Sunday) during the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
For example, if Passover happens on a Monday (14th of Nisan), the Unleavened Bread happens on Tuesday (15th) to Monday (21st). The Sabbath day of that week will be on 19th of Nisan, then the Firstfruits will start on Sunday the 20th of Nisan. Lev 23:11 says the priest shall wave the sheaf “on the day after the Sabbath.” Therefore, Firstfruits is always on a Sunday, no matter which day Passover begins.
Jesus was resurrected on the Feast of Firstfruit, since Passover was on Friday, and the week of Unleavened Bread day starts on Sabbath day, so the Feast of Firstfruit started on Sunday. Jesus represent our firstfruits (1 Cor 15:20). Just as the first sheaf of barley guaranteed the rest of the harvest, Jesus’ resurrection guarantees the resurrection of all believers.
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