Numbers 29: Offerings of Ordinances of the Seventh Month- Part 1
1 ‘And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets. 2 You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish. 3 Their grain offering shall be fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, 4 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering with its grain offering for the New Moon, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, as a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.
7 ‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls; you shall not do any work. 8 You shall present a burnt offering to the Lord as a sweet aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year. Be sure they are without blemish. 9 Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 10 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 11 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the sin offering for atonement, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
While the spring feasts expressed the truthfulness of and thankfulness for the past deliverance from Egypt by the hand of Yahweh, these fall feasts are a looking forward to occupation of the earthly Canaan, but also of the Heavenly Canaan – the ingathering of Israel at the end of this age and the events that will then take place in the new earth, culminating in the Feast of Tabernacles, discussed tomorrow.
“The trumpets drew everyone’s attention, and especially Yahweh’s attention (looking from the people’s point of view) to the fact that this sacred month had now dawned at the end of another hopefully successful agricultural round, when atonement would be made for all Israel for another year. ‘And you shall offer a whole burnt offering for a pleasing odour to Yahweh, one young ox bull, one ram, seven he-lambs a year old without blemish; and their grain offering, milled grain mingled with oil, three tenth parts for the ox bull, two tenth parts for the ram, and one tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs; and one he-goat for a purification for sin offering, to make atonement for you,’ (Num 29:2-5) Again we have a munificent offering. And it was even more munificent because on it would also be offered the continual daily offerings and the new moon offerings. Thus were offered three young ox bulls, two rams, fourteen he-lambs, together with their accompanying offerings, and the two he-lambs of the daily offering. And if it was also a Sabbath, the Sabbath offerings would be offered as well.” (Peter Pett's Commentary)
The deeper meaning is found in the expectation of a future end-time harvest of souls. After the trumpet of God sounds, atonement must be made for Israel and only then will He tabernacle with them. “It is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.—literally, of loud or joyful clang. The silver trumpets were blown at every new moon (Num 10:10), but the first day of the seventh month was emphatically the day for blowing of trumpets—‘a memorial of blowing of trumpets,’ which, according to Jewish writers, was continued from sun-rising to sun-setting.” (Ellicott)
On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls…. until you find atonement. This was the Great Day of Atonement. "Its institution, together with the observance to which that day was devoted, was described (Leviticus 16:29, Leviticus 16:30). But additional offerings seem to be noticed, namely, the large animal sacrifice for a general expiation, which was a sweet savor unto the Lord, and the sin offering to atone for the sins that mingled with that day‘s services. The prescriptions in this passage appear supplementary to the former statement in Leviticus.” (Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown)
"Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to die on the cross to make atonement for our sins (1 Cor 15:3). Through His blood He shed on the cross, we are able to obtain forgiveness (Eph 1:7) and have our conscience cleansed (Hebrews 9:14). Because of this, He is the one and only way to salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself on the cross was different than the animal sacrifices made by the priests under the Old Law. The fundamental difference between these sacrifices was that Jesus’ blood could take away sin (Eph 1:7) while the blood of the animals could not. [It could only In speaking of the animal sacrifices offered under the Old Law, the Hebrew writer said, 'But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins' (Heb 10:3-4).This is why the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ were superior to those under the Law of Moses. Jesus’ sacrifice makes forgiveness possible; animal sacrifices did not. If we want forgiveness of sins today, we must look to Christ (Acts 22:16)" http://www.plainbibleteaching.com/2013/08/14/seated-at-the-right-hand-of-god/
Atonement— In Christian thought, the act by which God and man are brought together in personal relationship. The term is derived from Anglo- Saxon words meaning ‘making at one,’ hence ‘at- one- ment.’ It presupposes a separation or alienation that needs to be overcome if human beings are to know God and have fellowship with him. As a term expressing relationship, atonement is tied closely to such terms as reconciliation and forgiveness.
In the KJV the word ‘atonement’ occurs many times in the OT but only once in the NT (Rom 5:11). Modern translations generally, and more correctly, render the word ‘reconciliation.’ The idea of atonement is ever present in the NT, however, and is one of the fundamental concepts of Scripture. God is seen as taking the initiative in man's salvation; thus atonement is the work of God, who opens the possibility for sinful human beings to receive pardoning grace. For the sinner, who cannot know God, who cannot bridge the gap between himself and God, a "new and living way" is opened up by God.
The need for atonement is bound up with man's thoroughgoing sinfulness. All of Scripture (cited below from the RSV unless otherwise noted) points to the radical nature of that sinfulness. The prophet Isaiah affirmed, ‘All we like sheep have gone astray’(Is 53:6). According to another prophet, Jeremiah, ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?’ (Jer 17:9). David the psalmist cried, ‘There is none that does good, no, not one’ (Ps 14:3). Paul described the degeneracy of man caused by his disobedience and idolatry (Rom 1:18- 32) and summed it up: ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Rom 3:23). Elsewhere Paul described men as enemies of God (Rom 5:10), as ‘hostile to God’ (Rom 8:7), as ‘estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds’ (Col 1:21). Adam's race is just like Adam: ‘Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned’ (Rom 5:12). The problem of the sinfulness of humanity is compounded by the holiness of God, who cannot look upon sin. Isaiah saw the holy God in the temple and drew back because of his own sinfulness (Is 6:1- 5). Not only is man terribly sinful, but God is fearfully holy. Consequently man dreads God and can do nothing to change this situation. He is lost, helpless, standing under the awful judgment of God. He cannot justify himself before God and cannot merit God's concern. The possibility of atonement, then, rests entirely with God. The nature of that atonement, as illustrated in biblical history, affirms simultaneously the nature of both God and man.” (Tyndale Bible Dictionary)
God's Israel has been made one with Him –partially now, but soon fully when, "the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord..." (1 Thes 4:16-17), tabernacling with Him forever.
Numbers 29: Offerings at the Ordinances of the Seventh Month- Part 2
12 ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work, and you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days. 13 You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the Lord: thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year. They shall be without blemish. 14 Their grain offering shall be of 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 one-tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. 17 On the SECOND day present twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 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 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings. 20 On the THIRD day present eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 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 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. 23 On the FOURTH day present ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year, without blemish, 24 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; 25 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. 26 On the FIFTH day present nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 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 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. 29 On the SIXTH day present eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 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 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. 32 On the SEVENTH day present seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish, 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 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. 35 On the EIGHTH day you shall have a sacred assembly. You shall do no customary work. 36 You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one bull, one ram, seven lambs in their first year without blemish, 37 and 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 also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. 39 These you shall present to the Lord at your appointed feasts (besides your vowed offerings and your freewill offerings) as your burnt offerings and your grain offerings, as your drink offerings and your peace offerings.’” 40 So Moses told the children of Israel everything,
just as the Lord commanded Moses.
"This festival, known variously as the Feast of Booths, Tabernacles, Shelters (Lv 23:34; Dt 16:13), or Ingathering (Ex 34:22),... began on the 15th day of the seventh month (Tishri), shortly after the observance of the Day of Atonement, which fell on the 10th day. The Feast of Booths lasted for one week and involved pilgrimage. It was associated initially with the end of the year (Ex 34:22), when the agricultural work had been completed. The first day was marked by a symbolic cessation from all activity, after which burnt offerings were presented to the Lord. The eighth day was also one on which the congregation of Israel abstained from manual work and again offered burnt sacrifices. Leviticus 23:39- 43 furnished details for the rituals that gave the festival its special name of booths or shelters or tabernacles. The fruit of 'goodly trees' was to be gathered on the first day of the feast, along with palm fronds, willow branches, and boughs from trees in full leaf. From these, rough shelters or booths were to be constructed in which the people lived for the week of the feast [to remind them of the wilderness stay]. Every seventh year the observances were marked by a public recital of the covenant provisions to which the Israelites under Moses had committed themselves, a procedure designed to keep fresh in their minds the obligations as well as the blessings of the covenant relationship." (Tyndale Bible Dictionary)
"The sacrifices proper to this feast are unusually numerous, a feature expressive of its joyous nature, as the Feast of Harvest Thanksgiving: see Leviticus 23:33-43.” (Dummelow) "All the days of dwelling in booths they must offer sacrifices; while we are here in a tabernacle state, it is our interest, as well as our duty, constantly to keep up communion with God…” (Henry) By the precepts of the sacrificial system, let us behold the sacrifice of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
The voice of one crying in the wilderness said, "O Zion, you who bring good tidings, get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, who bring good tidings, lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold your God!'" (Isaiah 41:9) Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of lords, even Yahweh of Hosts. "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles." (Zach 14:16–19) No rain-- no Spirit, only death.
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’
Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’
And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:1-8)
A Greater David to Come-- "My Servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one Shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children shall dwell there forever, and David My Servant shall be their Prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” (Ezekiel 37:24–28)
So Moses told the children of Israel everything, just as the Lord commanded Moses... He was faithful in all of his house. "The life that we live in the flesh must be by the faith of the Son of God; until we go to be with him, to behold his glory, and praise his mercy, who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. To whom be honour and glory for ever. Amen." (Matthew Henry Commentary)