Numbers 28:16–31

In Numbers 28 and Numbers 29, we have very full instructions about the various sacrifices Israel had to offer. They came day by day, both morning and evening; on the sabbaths; at the start of the months; and at the great feasts that marked the Israelite year. In verse 2 they are spoken of as "My offering," "My bread," "My sacrifices." So God claimed them as His right. They were not optional but compulsory.

These two chapters (28 and 29) give us what God calls "My bread." They do not present what Christ is for us, or what Christ did for us. It is quite true that in these two chapters the sin-offering comes in no less than thirteen times. But it only comes in along the way. The sin-offering is not the point here. It is what Christ is to God. It is Christ in all the sweet fragrance of His life, and in the devotedness of His death, going up to God.

Nothing was left to the choice or feelings of the people. They were to acknowledge and honour God according to His pleasure. In this we see a principle of importance. We draw near to God today and worship Him in another order of things... Today, those who worship God "must worship Him in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). And 1 Corinthians 12–14 prescribes the way to offer spiritual worship in public. It is not left for us to prescribe for ourselves.

Here, then, we have the first of the seven regular solemn occasions: the offering of that passover lamb. Its blood screened the Israel of God from the sword of the destroying angel, on that terrible night when Egypt's firstborn died. This is the acknowledged type of the death of Christ; and so its place in this chapter is divinely fitting. It forms the foundation of all. We can know nothing of rest, nothing of holiness, nothing of fellowship, except on the ground of the death of Christ.

The Passover pointed to the very start of Israel's relationship with the Lord. They could have no true relationship with Him apart from the blood of the lamb, shed and sprinkled on their doorposts. Just as it took place at the beginning of Israel's year, so the sacrifice of Christ is the beginning of all true blessing for mankind.

Get it clear in your minds that the passover and the feast of unleavened bread are two distinct things. The passover is Christ's work. The unleavened bread is connected with your walk. The two things are as distinct as possible, though they are coupled and go together. "On the fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of this month is a feast. Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten" (Num. 28:16-17). And in the New Testament we have "Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival" (1 Cor. 5:7-8).

It is considered one feast, for sometimes it is called "the feast of the Passover" (Ex. 34:25; Luke 2:41; John 13:1). Unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven days. The Passover speaks of two things: sins forgiven by the blood of the sacrifice, and sin condemned by the death of Christ. For leaven is a symbol of sin, and the seven days speak of its complete judgment by the death of the Lord Jesus.

In a word, throughout the entire range of feasts, the leading idea is Christ as a sweet savour. The sin offering is never lacking; but the sweet savour offerings get the prominent place... The former is only spoken of as "one kid of the goats," while the latter comes before us as "fourteen lambs," "thirteen bullocks" and such like.

"A calling together," and always called "holy." The occasions called "holy convocations" are set out in Leviticus 23, which records the Feasts. They included the Sabbath, and ended with the Feast of Tabernacles.

They are also "holy convocations" — gathering times, when the voice of God stirs His people and brings them together. His voice unites those who listen to it in obedience, and calls also to Himself.

On the first day there was to be a holy convocation. The people gathered to give honour to the Lord. They were to do no work, because they were celebrating God's work (vv. 17-18). They were to present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven lambs in their first year. All of these pictured Christ, so they had to be inspected closely to make sure they had no blemish. The young bulls speak of the strength of the offering of Christ. The ram speaks of His devotion to God. The lambs picture His lowly obedience, submitting to the will of His Father.

We must weigh the contrast between "servile work" and the outflow of the life of Christ. The type is very vivid. Across the whole assembly, manual labour stopped completely. But the sweet savour of the burnt offering went up to God… What a triumphant answer this is to the legalist on one side, and to the man who despises holiness on the other! The words "no servile work" silence the first. The second has no answer to the words "You shall offer an offering made by fire." The most elaborate works of man's hands are "servile." But the smallest cluster of the fruits of righteousness is to the glory and praise of God.

Leaven stands for sin, and unleavened bread for holiness. So the feast of unleavened bread pictures the result of the work of Christ on the cross, which is holiness. Again we meet the great truth that the LORD has redeemed His people to be separated to Himself. They were not to do servile work, but to bring an offering by fire to the LORD. On the first day and on the seventh they were to do no servile work. It pictures this: in redemption there is no servile work, but a joyful display of Christ, the sweet savour, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

So also at the start of their months (v. 11), in the feast of the Passover and unleavened bread (vv. 16-25), and in the feast of firstfruits (vv. 26-31)… Throughout the entire range of feasts, the leading idea is Christ as a sweet savour. The sin offering is never missing. But the sweet savour offerings get the prominent place, as even the most casual reader can see. The sin offering is only named as "one kid of the goats," while the others come before us as "fourteen lambs," "thirteen bullocks" and the like.

What a privilege it is to be free from ordinary, lawful things — servile work — and to come together to enjoy the circle of blessing that is ours in Christ. We are not to take up service for Christ as servile work, nor to try to worship God in a servile way. Instead, in the liberty of sonship by the Spirit, we praise and worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.

"My offering," "My bread," "My sacrifices," "A pleasing aroma to Me." All of this stands out clearly. We can learn here, without any effort, that the great leading thought is Christ presented to God. It is not so much Christ meeting our need — though He does meet it wonderfully — as Christ feeding and delighting the heart of God. It is God's bread. That is a wonderful phrase, and one we rarely think about or understand. We are all far too ready to see Christ only as the cause that obtains our salvation. We see Him as the One through whom we are forgiven and saved from hell, the channel through which every blessing flows to us.

The same holds at the beginning of each month, at the feast of Passover and unleavened bread, and at the feast of firstfruits. Throughout the entire range of feasts, the leading idea is Christ as a pleasing aroma. The sin offering is never missing, but the pleasing aroma offerings get the prominent place. The sin offering is mentioned only as "one male goat." The pleasing aroma offerings come before us as "fourteen lambs," "thirteen bulls" and the like.

All of them picture Christ, so they had to be inspected with care to make sure they had no blemish. The young bulls speak of the strength of Christ's offering. The ram speaks of His devotion to God. The lambs picture His lowly obedience, submitting to His Father's will.

To me the bulls stand more for the energy of devotion in people as they value that sacrifice. The bull was the largest thing anyone could offer, and it still has in view the sacrifice of Christ and the price set upon it.

Numbers 28 shows us what filled up those seven days of unleavened bread. Every day, in perfect number, they presented to God the pleasing aroma of Christ in the burnt offerings. Yet the sin offering was not missing on any one day either. God never leaves that out. God would never let us forget it. He will always keep fresh in our souls what we were, where we were, and what we have been delivered from.

The instruction to eat unleavened bread for seven days comes with a direction to offer an offering by fire for seven days. This is a presentation of Christ to God. Why do we only think of offering once a week? Our God desires Christ to be presented every day. That happens not only in what we are able to say, but also in what we are, as we show Him in this dark world. If we feed upon Christ daily, something of His perfection is sure to come to light in us.

We may learn here, without an effort, that the grand leading thought is Christ to Godward. It is not so much Christ meeting our need — though He does meet it, and wonderfully so — as Christ feeding and delighting the heart of God. It is God's bread — a truly wonderful expression, and one that few people think about or understand.

The grain offering again speaks of the person of the Lord Jesus in His lowly humanity. Mixed with oil, it shows that the Spirit of God filled His every action from birth.

The meal offering is the type of Christ in His perfect humanity and holy, devoted character. It was not for atonement, just as the holy humanity of Christ and the devotedness of His life could not atone for sins. The fine flour, sifted and pure, from the grain of wheat, is the fitting and beautiful type of His perfect humanity. The oil, so prominent in this offering, is the type of the Holy Spirit. The fine flour was mixed with oil. This pictures the incarnation — His conception by the Holy Spirit, His whole being filled with the Spirit. Leaven was completely absent. God states again and again, "unleavened fine flour" and "no leaven." Leaven had to be left out, because leaven is a type of evil, and no evil was in Him.

The general rule for the Meal offering came under the rule for the Burnt offering, of which it was the regular supplement... First and last they were bound together. We should honour the Lord Jesus in our faith the same way. Not only His devotedness in giving Himself up to a sacrificial death, but also all the holy and obedient activities of His life.

This was the rule to guide the offerer... and this rule held good for the daily, the weekly, the monthly, and the yearly celebrations. Christ in His death and Christ in His life were both to be remembered before God... The grain offering went with the burnt offering. People can only take up Christ's life before God in connection with His death. They read His history, as it were, in reverse order.

The ordinary measure was the ephah, one tenth of which was an omer, the food of one man. The measure of fine flour that went with the burnt offering matched the size and importance of the animal offered. So a lamb had one tenth, that is, one omer; a ram had two tenths, or one fifth; and a bull had three tenths, "three measures of fine flour," which speak of the fullness of Christ.

These offerings go with us through the whole double series... The meal offering that goes with them always stands in the same proportion to them. Our grasp of Christ's person grows with our grasp of His work, if this is real.

God delights in Christ; and it should be our constant aim, to present to God that in which He delights. Christ should always be the material of our worship... We are occupied with self instead of with Christ. The Holy Spirit's own proper work is to take the things of Christ and show them to us. Instead, He is forced to occupy us with ourselves in self-judgement, because our ways have not been right.

Here the reader is given a key to unlock the whole of this portion of the Book of Numbers. It is as plain and simple as possible. "My offering," "My bread," "My sacrifices," "a sweet savour to Me." All this is strongly marked. We may learn here, without effort, that the great leading thought is Christ to Godward. It is not so much Christ as meeting our need — though He does most blessedly meet that — as Christ feeding and delighting the heart of God. It is God's bread — a truly wonderful expression, and one little thought of or understood. … Thirteen times these chapters mention the sin offering of atonement; and yet sin, or atonement for sin, is plainly not the great prominent subject.

A grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil went with the burnt offering. The grain offering again speaks of the person of the Lord Jesus in His lowly humanity. Mixed with oil, it suggests that the Spirit of God ran through His every action from birth.

Now nothing is softer, more even and less gritty than fine flour. So it is a most fitting picture of the smooth and flawless perfection of the life on earth of "the Man Christ Jesus." The oil here, as elsewhere, stands for the Holy Spirit of God. In His power the Lord Jesus went out on His unmatched path of service, as we see in Luke 3:22 and Luke 4:1, 14.

We read in Numbers 15:4, 6, 9 that grain offerings had to go with the offerings made by fire (compare Num. 28:5). This shows that Christ's sacrifice would not have been possible without His perfect life on earth. The two belonged together, and so it was with the continual morning and evening burnt offering.

The grain offering came with the burnt offering or the peace offering. Men can only take up Christ's life before God in connection with His death. They read, as it were, His history in reverse order. Thank God, we may speak of that holy, spotless life when we own and share in the rich results of His atoning death.

The ordinary measure was the ephah, one tenth of which was an omer, the food of one man (Ex. 16:16, 36). In the grain offering, the fine flour that went with the burnt offering rose with the size and importance of the animal offered. So a lamb took one tenth, that is one omer; a ram took two tenths, or one fifth; and a bullock took three tenths, "three measures of fine flour," which speak of the fulness of Christ.

These offerings go with us through the whole double series. The only change is in the number of each kind of animal, and the grain offering that goes with it stays in constant proportion. The grasp of Christ's person grows along with the grasp of His work, if this is real.

At the new moons, all through the Passover feast, at the feast of weeks, and again at the feast of tabernacles, atonement was to be made for the congregation. The same was true at the feast of trumpets, and on that solemn day in their religious calendar, the day of atonement. So Israel could never come to their yearly festivals before the Lord without being reminded, as a people, of their need of it. In this way they were warned again and again how defiling sin is.

The ram of consecration sets out the value of Christ's sacrifice in full. But man is still down here, and sin is not out of the question. So the goat was added as an offering for sin.

They picture the excellence of Christ in His sacrifice, which is such a delight to the heart of God. But along with these there was also an offering for sin. This shows that the sinful state of the people was never forgotten. It was met by sacrifice.

One goat was also to be offered as a sin offering (v.22). The goat stood as a substitute for the people. It reminded them again of the sin that lived inside them — sin that must be judged, and it is judged through the sacrifice of Christ, our Substitute.

In verse 22 — "also one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you" — God brings in what is tied to the death of Christ for us. He knows very well how prone our souls are to circle round ourselves, so He presents the one goat. But notice: one goat is enough to meet the question of what we have been. The two young bulls, the one ram and the seven year-old lambs present the fulness of Christ as the burnt offering.

Do we need to say that the sin offering is essential, since man is in question, and man is a sinner? You could not deal with man's approach to God, his worship, or his communion, without bringing in the atoning death of Christ as the necessary foundation.

Is there something in Christ and in His precious death beyond the bearing of our sins and the meeting of our needs? We believe there is. Look at one simple fact that a child might notice. There are seventy-one verses in the whole section. Thirteen of them refer to the sin offering. The other fifty-eight are taken up with sweet-smelling offerings.

Every morning and evening the blood of a spotless lamb was to be poured out at the foot of the altar. All its pieces were to be offered up as a whole burnt offering, and the sweet fragrance of that propitiatory sacrifice went up from the altar to God. There was a clear command never to let the fire of the altar go out. It was a perpetual ordinance for the children of Israel. The book of Leviticus gives detailed instructions for many different sacrifices on this altar. Yet the daily morning and evening burnt offering was never to be left out... God appointed special sacrifices for the Sabbath and for the other feasts. But these were never to replace or exclude "the continual burnt offering."

From dawn to dusk and from dusk to dawn all the year round, the sweet fragrance rose to heaven. On the altar of burnt offering, the fire of acceptance was never to go out. A constant witness went up from it, an unchanging testimony to Jehovah of the worth of the freewill offering. Whether Israel brought offerings to God or not, He kept the constant burnt offering for Himself. This daily offering was the foundation of Israel's sacrifices. And we may apply this law of the offerings to eternity, for the fire of acceptance that brings up the sweet fragrance to God will always be burning; it will never go out.

In a word, then, the special theme here is God's delight in Christ. Morning and evening, day by day, week after week, from one new moon to another, from the opening to the close of the year, it is Christ in His fragrance and preciousness to God. It is true that our sin is atoned for, judged, and put away for ever, and our trespasses forgiven and guilt cancelled. But above and beyond this, the heart of God is fed, refreshed, and delighted by Christ.

This is the special point in the burnt offering. The sin offering is Christ toward us. In the sin offering, the question is the hatefulness of sin. In the burnt offering, the question is the preciousness and excellency of Christ.

Numbers 28 shows us what filled up those seven days of unleavened bread. Every day, in perfect number, the burnt offerings presented to God the sweet fragrance of Christ. Yet the sin offering was not missing on any one day. God never leaves that out. God would never let us forget it. He will always keep fresh in the soul what we were and where we were, and out of what we have been delivered... It keeps the soul lowly and humble.

Nothing was left to the choice or feelings of the people; instead God was to be acknowledged and honoured according to His pleasure. In this we see an important principle. We draw near to God today and worship Him in another order of things... Today, those who worship God "must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). 1 Corinthians 12-14 lays down the way spiritual worship is to be offered publicly. It is not left for us to decide for ourselves.

It is as clear and simple as possible. "My offering," "My bread," "My sacrifices," "A sweet savour to Me." All of this stands out. We may learn here without any effort that the great leading thought is Christ presented to God. It is not so much Christ meeting our need — though He does meet it, and wonderfully so — as Christ feeding and delighting the heart of God. It is God's bread — a wonderful expression, and one few people think about or understand. We all too easily see Christ only as the cause of our salvation: the One through whom God forgives us and saves us from hell, the channel through which all blessing comes to us.

Throughout the entire range of feasts, the leading idea is Christ as a sweet savour. The sin offering is never missing. But the sweet savour offerings get the prominent place, as even a quick reader can see... The sin offering appears only as "one kid of the goats," while the burnt offering comes before us as "fourteen lambs," "thirteen bullocks" and the like. Such is the large place the sweet savour offerings get in this scripture.

Along with this instruction to eat unleavened bread seven days is the direction to offer an offering by fire seven days. This is a presentation of Christ to God. Why do we only think of offering once a week? Our God desires to have Christ presented every day. That happens not only in what we may be able to say, but also in what we are, as we show Him in this dark world. If we feed on Christ daily, something of His perfection is sure to come to light in us. This becomes "to Jehovah an offering by fire seven days."

God gave a clear command never to let the fire of the altar go out. It was a lasting rule for the children of Israel. The book of Leviticus gives detailed instructions for many other sacrifices on this altar. Even so, the daily morning and evening burnt offering was never to be left out... God appointed special sacrifices for the Sabbath and for the other feasts. But these were never to replace or exclude "the continual burnt offering." (Num. 28, 29.)

Numbers 28 shows us what filled up those seven days of unleavened bread. Day by day, in perfect number, the burnt offerings presented to God the sweet savour of Christ. And the sin offering was not missing on any one day. God never leaves that out. God would never let us forget it. He will always keep fresh in the soul what we were and where we were, and what we have been delivered out of... It keeps the soul lowly and humble.

Verse 24 shows that the food of the offering was to be brought each day for the seven days, as a sweet aroma to the Lord. It does not seem that the sin offering was included for the six days following the first, for the sin offering is not "a sweet aroma," as the burnt offering is.

First of all you have the general arrangement of what was to be daily, weekly, and monthly. And then come the seven annual feasts, of which the Passover was the first... on the fifteenth day we come to the feast of unleavened bread. This is what the apostle refers to when he says, "Let us keep the feast." ... How long are we to keep the feast? Seven days. For all of those seven days, in practice, you present Christ before God.

These are set times, times of His own appointment. All times belong to Him as the Eternal, and He can fit them to His purpose... They are "holy convocations" also, gathering times, when the voice of God stirs and assembles His people. His voice unites those who listen to it in obedience, and calls also to Himself.

No work and no leaven were the divine rules for the Passover week. No work, because this pictured the great Calvary work of Christ, and no human effort must stand alongside it. Christ is not a mere helper of sinners, making up for what they lack; He is Saviour, doing all that it takes to save us from eternal ruin.

The practical holiness of God's people is not servile labour. It is the living unfolding of Christ through them, by the power of the Holy Spirit... All manual labour stopped right across the assembly, but the sweet aroma of the burnt offering rose to God... What a triumphant answer this gives to the legalist on one side, and to the person who treats grace as licence on the other! The words "no servile work" silence the first; the words "You shall offer an offering made by fire" confound the second.

"My offering," "My bread," "My sacrifices," "A sweet aroma to Me." All of this is emphasised. We can learn here, without any effort, that the great leading thought is Christ presented to God. It is not so much Christ meeting our need — though He does meet it, and wonderfully so — as Christ feeding and delighting the heart of God.

Verse 24 shows that the food of the offering was to be presented each day for the seven days, as a sweet aroma to the Lord. The sin offering does not seem to have been included for the six days after the first. The sin offering is not "a sweet aroma," as the burnt offering is. The seventh day also called for a holy convocation, and no work was to be done.

In Numbers 28 and 29 we have the worship of the people — the sacrifices that are the food of God. These chapters are not about the ways of God, or about God gathering the people to Himself, as in Leviticus 23. They are about the offerings themselves, as offered to God, and above all the sweet savour offerings made by fire.

These two chapters give us what God calls "My bread." They do not present what Christ is for us, or what Christ did for us. It is quite true that the sin offering comes into these two chapters no less than thirteen times. But it only comes in by the way. The sin offering is not the point here. It is what Christ is to God.

Notice that "the Feast of Firstfruits" (Lev. 23:9-14) is not the same as "the day of the firstfruits" in Numbers 28:26. The first followed the Passover; the second came 50 days later. The Feast of Firstfruits pictures the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 15:20). The day of firstfruits pictures the Church and the firstfruits of Christ's work of redemption, so that the Church is identified with Him as "a kind of firstfruits" (James 1:18). Does this not remind us that the birth of the Church is the result of the sacrifice of Christ?

Then comes another picture of great significance: "you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD." What does this mean? Almost everyone here knows, by the clear light of the New Testament, that it was Pentecost... It is the beautiful picture, not of Christ, but of those who are Christ's — of those called according to the name that was given to Himself, the true sheaf of firstfruits.

Here is a new grain offering. It does not picture Christ, but those who are one with Him, His believing people. The oil is the Holy Spirit, who came upon them on the day of Pentecost, just as oil was poured on the grain offering.

On the day of the firstfruits they offered ears of grain without leaven. But seven weeks later, when they offered the firstfruits, they put leaven in the two cakes. There the Church was offered to God in picture.

They are baked with leaven, and so they can stand for nothing but people in the condition the fall has brought them into. But the fire has stopped the leaven from working — that is, the holiness of God, which has its effect in self-judgment... The leaven is met by a sin offering. Then come two lambs for a peace offering, with seven lambs, a bull, and two rams, for a burnt offering. There is enough witness here to peace accomplished, and to a full sense of acceptance with God — the work of Christ in its completeness for the soul.

Whatever we go through in our own life in this world, we must never forget the pleasure God has in gathering His people together... What a privilege it is to be free from ordinary duties — servile work — and to come together to enjoy the circle of blessing that is ours in Christ. We are not to take up that service for Christ as servile work, nor to worship God in a servile way. We are to praise and worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, in the liberty of Sonship by the Spirit.

It is the same at the start of their months, at the feast of the Passover and unleavened bread, at the feast of firstfruits (vv. 26-31), and at the feast of trumpets. Through the whole range of feasts, the leading idea is Christ as a sweet savour. The sin offering is never missing, but the sweet savour offerings get the prominent place... The sin offering appears only as "one male goat," while the burnt offerings appear as "fourteen lambs," "thirteen bulls" and the like.

If Leviticus 1-7 speaks of man approaching God only on the basis of Christ's work on the cross, then Numbers 28-29 speaks of Christ's work toward God. It speaks of the delight God has in Christ's work, and of worship from man on that basis... This is also why these chapters leave out the peace offering, which is broadly a work toward man, and why the drink offering is so prominent.

The Feast of Weeks came 50 days (or seven weeks) after the Passover, when Israel was to bring a new grain offering as the firstfruits of its harvest... This pictures the birth of the Church of God at Pentecost (Acts 2), when the Spirit of God came to begin forming one body made up of both Jewish and (a little later) Gentile believers. "A new grain offering" implies that the Lord Jesus is identified with His saints in the new period of God's dealings.

Note that "the Feast of Firstfruits" (Lev. 23:9-14) is not the same as "the day of the firstfruits" in Numbers 28:26. The first followed the Passover; the second came 50 days later. The Feast of Firstfruits pictures the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 15:20), but the day of firstfruits pictures the Church... Does this not remind us that the birth of the Church is the result of the sacrifice of Christ?

The bull here stands for the largest way of setting forth Christ offered to God, with the thought of energy of devotedness to God, and with the adequate testimony that "two" stands for... The bull is the fullest appreciation of Christ... The ram is a picture of Christ as an offering of consecration to God; here the testimony is only a weak one — "one ram." The "seven lambs" mean the completeness of Christ's sweet savour before God.

Here the difference is very clear, for only "one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish" is asked for. It lacks the full testimony to grace that went out to the Gentile as well as the Jew... There is only one bull — not the two found in the earlier case.

If the worship of the people was connected with the resurrection of Christ (Num. 28:17), it was the same thing; and so with the work of the Spirit in gathering together (v. 26). God's exercise of power made the opportunity for worship, and the people's answer was the same.

The truth is, we need a fuller and more constant occupation of heart with Christ as a sweet savour to God. This does not mean we should value the sin offering less — never! But let us remember that there is more in our precious Lord Jesus Christ than the pardon of our sins and the salvation of our souls... Are we not apt to limit our thoughts of Christ to what He did for us, and so all but leave out what He is to God?

These words give the reader a key to unlock this whole portion of the book of Numbers. It is as clear and simple as possible. "My offering," "My bread," "My sacrifices," "a sweet savour to Me." All of this stands out clearly. We can learn here, without any effort, that the great leading thought is Christ toward God. It is not so much Christ meeting our need — though He surely does meet it, and wonderfully — as Christ feeding and delighting the heart of God.

The grain offering is the type of Christ in His perfect humanity and holy, devoted character. It was not for atonement, just as the holy humanity of Christ and the devotedness of His life could not atone for sins. It is called "most holy," for in His humanity He was "that holy thing." The fine flour is sifted and pure, and it comes from the grain of wheat. It is a fitting and beautiful type of His perfect humanity. The oil, so prominent in this offering, is the type of the Holy Spirit... The fine flour was mixed with oil. This pictures how He became man — His conception by the Holy Spirit, His whole being filled with the Spirit. Leaven was entirely absent. The Lord repeatedly says "unleavened fine flour" and "no leaven." It had to be kept out, for leaven is a type of evil, and no evil was in Him.

These offerings go with us through the whole double series. The only change is in the number of any of the first three. With those, the grain offering that goes along stands in constant proportion: one tenth of an ephah for a lamb, two tenths for a ram, three for a bull. The grasp of Christ's person grows along with the grasp of His work, if that grasp is real.

The ordinary measure was the ephah, one tenth of which was an omer, the food of one man (Ex. 16:16, 36). ...for a bull, three tenths, "three measures of fine flour," which speak of the fulness of Christ.

For both Christ in His death and Christ in His life were to be brought to remembrance before God. The offering was to foreshadow His death as a sacrifice of sweet savour, and His life just as much. It could not picture the first without the second. The order, though, is suggestive. The grain offering went with the burnt offering or the peace offering. Men can only take up Christ's life before God in connection with His death. They read His history, as it were, in reverse order.

The Feast of Weeks was 50 days (or seven weeks) after the Passover, when a new grain offering was to be brought as the firstfruits of Israel's harvest. On this day there was another holy gathering when no work was to be done. This pictures the birth of the Church of God at Pentecost (Acts 2). The Spirit of God came then to begin forming one body, made up of both Jewish and (a little later) Gentile believers. "A new grain offering" implies that the Lord Jesus is joined with His saints in God's new era, the time of the Church.

Note that "the Feast of Firstfruits" (Lev. 23:9-14) is not the same as "the day of the firstfruits" in Numbers 28:26. The first one came after the Passover; the second came 50 days later. The Feast of Firstfruits pictures the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 15:20). But the day of firstfruits pictures the Church and the firstfruits of Christ's work of redemption, so that the Church is identified with Him as "a kind of firstfruits" (James 1:18). Does this not remind us that the birth of the Church is the result of the sacrifice of Christ?

The bullock here sets out Christ offered to God in the fullest way, with the thought of energetic devotion to God… The sheep, or the lower forms, show, I think, Christ appreciated in a smaller measure. The bullock is the fullest appreciation of Christ… The ram is a picture of Christ as an offering of consecration to God… The "seven lambs" mean the completeness of Christ's sweet aroma before God.

The usual measure was the ephah. One tenth of an ephah was an omer, the food of one man (Ex. 16:16, 36). In the grain offering, the amount of fine flour that went with the burnt offering matched the size and importance of the animal offered. So a lamb had one tenth, that is one omer; a ram had two tenths, or one fifth; and a bullock had three tenths, "three measures of fine flour," which speak of the fullness of Christ.

These offerings run through the whole double series of feasts. Only the number of the first three animals changes. The grain offering that goes with them always keeps the same proportion: one tenth of an ephah for a lamb, two tenths for a ram, three for a bullock. So our grasp of Christ's Person grows with our grasp of His work, if that grasp is real. The measures themselves still need someone to explain them.

This grain offering speaks of the perfection of the Humanity of the Lord Jesus expressed in all His life on earth, energized by the Spirit of God (the oil). As we keep Him in affectionate memory before God, we are truly offering the grain offering.

…the same rule held good for Israel at all their solemn feasts (Num. 28:29)… For the voluntary grain offering, the law gave no measure for size or quality. But for the offerings the people were commanded to bring, the law set a fixed measure, according to whether the animal sacrificed was a bullock, a ram, or a lamb.

In verse 2 God speaks of them as "My offering," "My bread," "My sacrifices." So God claimed them as His right. They were not optional. They were required.

Right through the two chapters open in front of us, every separate paragraph brings in the sin offering. (See Num. 28:15, 22, 30; Num. 29:5, 11, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 38.) Thirteen times over these chapters mention the sin offering of atonement. Yet even so, it stays true and obvious that sin, or atonement for sin, is not the great prominent subject at all.

The character of the offering is as plain as possible. It was Christ toward God. That is the special point in the burnt offering. The sin offering is Christ toward us. In the sin offering it is a question of how hateful sin is; in the burnt offering it is a question of the preciousness and excellence of Christ.

The two loaves are an adequate witness, as I understand it. The point here is the church: a witness presented, an offering to God with leaven. But along with it, and because of it, comes one young goat for a sin offering. We find nothing like this with the firstfruits that represented Christ, but here the sin offering meets the leaven.

It is Pentecost with its two wave loaves of fine flour, but with leaven: not Christ now, but those who are His, and therefore the leaven. So here we not only have a burnt offering, with its grain offering and drink offering, but a sin offering. For it is short-sighted to deny the old man in believers; it is their joy that by Christ's death the evil is annulled to faith.

Further, at the return of every feast, and on each day of their feasts, the people were to offer on God's altar a sin offering to make atonement, along with the appointed burnt offering (Num. 28:29). And with the offering of the two wave loaves God appointed a sacrifice for sin (Lev. 23:19), in addition, it seems, to the special sin offering commanded for that festival day (Num. 28:30). Nor could any month begin its course unless a sacrifice for sin was brought for the people (Num. 28:15). On the Sabbath day, however, God required no such offering. That day spoke of rest — God's rest in creation — before sin had defiled the scene.

The feasts of the Lord were listed in Leviticus 23 and the offering of sacrifices mentioned, but now we have them given in full detail. Nothing was left to the discretion or the feelings of the people; rather, God was to be acknowledged and honoured according to His pleasure. In this we see a principle of importance. We draw near to God today and worship Him in another order of things. Today, those who worship God "must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). And 1 Corinthians 12 - 14 prescribes how spiritual worship is to be offered in public. We do not prescribe it for ourselves.

The Feast of Weeks came 50 days (or seven weeks) after the Passover. Israel was to bring a new grain offering then, as the firstfruits of their harvest. This day was another holy gathering, and no work was to be done. It pictures the birth of the Church of God at Pentecost (Acts 2), when the Spirit of God came to begin forming one body made up of both Jewish and (a little later) Gentile believers. "A new grain offering" implies that the Lord Jesus is seen as joined with His saints in God's new era, the Church period.

It is the same at the start of each month (v. 11), at the feast of Passover and unleavened bread (v. 16-25), at the feast of firstfruits (v. 26-31), at the feast of trumpets... In short, all through the range of feasts, the leading idea is Christ as a sweet aroma. The sin offering is never missing. But the sweet aroma offerings get the prominent place, as even a quick reader can see. The sin offering is only named as "one kid of the goats," while the burnt offerings appear as "fourteen lambs," "thirteen bullocks" and the like.

Many different sacrifices might be offered on this altar, following the detailed instructions in the book of Leviticus. Yet Israel was never to leave out the daily morning and evening burnt offering... God appointed special sacrifices for the Sabbath and for the other feasts, but these were never to replace or crowd out "the continual burnt-offering." (Num. 28, 29.)

Since the offering before us was perpetual, God laid a foundation on which Israel could stand accepted in all its fragrance and sweetness. So it becomes no small picture of the believer's position. It shows the ground of his acceptance in the Beloved. Just as the sweet aroma of the continual burnt offering always went up to God for Israel, so Christ in all His acceptability is always before His eyes for His own.

Wine is a symbol of joy for both God and man (Judges 9:13, Psalm 104:15), and that marks the drink offering. It does not speak of Christ's death itself. If it did, the offering would have been blood, which was poured out in the animal sacrifices... Instead the drink offering speaks of God's joy at the finished work of Christ at Calvary.

Again the command insists that the offerings must be without blemish (v.31). The perfection of purity in the Lord Jesus must never be compromised.

God makes sure that the sacrifices which speak of His Son keep stressing His perfection. That perfection is not only freedom from defilement (spotless), but also 'without blemish'. No good trait of character was missing in Christ, and none fell short of the right measure.

The truth is, we need our hearts taken up far more fully and steadily with Christ as a sweet aroma to God. This does not mean we should value the sin offering less — never! But remember: there is more in our precious Lord Jesus Christ than the pardon of our sins and the salvation of our souls... Are we not inclined to limit our thoughts of Christ to what He did for us, and so leave out almost entirely what He is to God?