Num 28-29 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Num 28:1-29:40: 28:1–29:40 These two chapters contain information about Israel’s ritual calendar, including a list of required daily, weekly, and monthly offerings and a list of annual religious events. Thus Israel was instructed to worship God “properly and in order” (1 Cor 14:40 ). The annual cycle of sacrifices involved a tremendous investment of animals, grain, oil, and wine. Israel marked these special days by stopping their normal work, a kind of sacrifice that recognized the importance of these holy days. This annual cycle included eight different occasions for worship, all of which recalled Israel’s relationship with the Lord. Each worship event included a different combination of burnt, grain, liquid, and/or sin offerings. • For details on the grain and liquid offerings, see Num 15:1-16 . For explanations of the different types of offerings, see Lev 1:1–7:38 . For a description of Israel’s festivals, see Lev 23:1-44 . For the New Testament perspective on the Old Testament sacrificial system, see John 1:29 ; Rom 12:1 ; Heb 9:9-15 ; 10:1-2 ; 1 Pet 2:5 . Summary for Num 28:1-2: 28:1-2 The Lord accepted special gifts (cp. 15:3 ) as a pleasing aroma , a figurative expression describing God’s acceptance and enjoyment of these gifts (see also Gen 8:21 ; Lev 1:9 ; Eph 5:2 ; Phil 4:18 ). Offerings were made at appointed times according to specific instructions (see Num 28:3

Summary for Num 28:1-29:40: 28:1–29:40 ^a These two chapters contain information about Israel’s ritual calendar, including a list of required daily, weekly, and monthly offerings and a list of annual religious events. Thus Israel was instructed to worship God “properly and in order” (1 Cor 14:40 ^b). The annual cycle of sacrifices involved a tremendous investment of animals, grain, oil, and wine. Israel marked these special days by stopping their normal work, a kind of sacrifice that recognized the importance of these holy days. This annual cycle included eight different occasions for worship, all of which recalled Israel’s relationship with the Lord. Each worship event included a different combination of burnt, grain, liquid, and/or sin offerings.

• For details on the grain and liquid offerings, see Num 15:1-16 ^c. For explanations of the different types of offerings, see Lev 1:1–7:38 ^d. For a description of Israel’s festivals, see Lev 23:1-44 ^e. For the New Testament perspective on the Old Testament sacrificial system, see John 1:29 ^f; Rom 12:1 ^g; Heb 9:9-15 ^h; 10:1-2 ⁱ; 1 Pet 2:5 ^j.
Summary for Num 28:1-2: 28:1-2 ^k The Lord accepted special gifts (cp. 15:3 ^l) as a pleasing aroma, a figurative expression describing God’s acceptance and enjoyment of these gifts (see also Gen 8:21 ^m; Lev 1:9 ⁿ; Eph 5:2 ^o; Phil 4:18 ^p). Offerings were made at appointed times according to specific instructions (see Num 28:3–29:39 ^q).
28:2 ^r they are my food: See study notes on Exod 29:18; Deut 8:2.
Summary for Num 28:3-8: 28:3-8 ^s The daily offering was the foundation of the sacrificial system. Its practice was instituted at Mount Sinai (see Exod 29:38-46 ^t).

• alcoholic drink: Cp. Num 6:3 ^u; Lev 10:9 ^v; Deut 14:26 ^w.
Summary for Num 28:9-10: 28:9-10 ^x Special days called for additional offerings. The Sabbath day required a sacrifice over and above the regular burnt offering and its accompanying liquid offering. Other passages highlight the importance of the Sabbath (e.g., Exod 20:8-11 ^y; Lev 23:3 ^z; Deut 5:12-15 ^aa).
Summary for Num 28:11-15: 28:11-15 ^ab The offering of the first day of each month—the New Moon—called for the sacrifice of bulls, rams, and lambs as burnt offerings, along with a male goat as a sin offering.
Summary for Num 28:16-25: 28:16-25 ^ac The Passover, followed by the Festival of Unleavened Bread, was the first of five great annual festivals; it was held in early spring (March~April). The Passover required no public sacrifices—it was a family occasion celebrated at home (see also 9:1-4 ^ad; Exod 12:1–13:10 ^ae; Lev 23:5-8 ^af; Deut 16:1-8 ^ag). This festival played a special role in the background of the Last Supper (see Matt 26:17-19 ^ah, 26-27 ^ai; Mark 14:12 ^aj; John 11:55 ^ak; 12:1 ^al; 13:1 ^am; 18:28 ^an, 39 ^ao; 19:14 ^ap, 31 ^aq; cp. 1 Cor 5:7 ^ar).
Summary for Num 28:26-31: 28:26-31 ^as The Festival of Harvest was later called the Festival of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1 ^at); see also Lev 23:15-22 ^au. It celebrated the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest in early summer (May~June). The Greek name Pentecost means “fiftieth day” (i.e., after Passover; see Acts 20:16 ^av; 1 Cor 16:8 ^aw).

‏ Numbers 29

Summary for Num 29:1-6: 29:1-6 ^ax the Festival of Trumpets: See also Lev 23:23-25 ^ay.
Summary for Num 29:7-11: 29:7-11 ^az The Day of Atonement was a solemn occasion, a day of fasting (see also Lev 16 ^ba; 23:26-32 ^bb; Rom 3:23-25 ^bc; Heb 9:7-12 ^bd, 23-28 ^be). 29:7 ^bf Ten days later, on the tenth day of the same month: It is celebrated today as Yom Kippur (from Hebrew yom hakkippurim, Lev 23:27 ^bg).
Summary for Num 29:12-38: 29:12-38 ^bh The Festival of Shelters began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. It was an eight-day harvest celebration (29:12 ^bi, 35 ^bj; Exod 34:22 ^bk) that required an enormous number of offerings. This harvest festival was an especially joyous occasion and a time for thanksgiving (see Neh 8:13-18 ^bl). The shelters also reminded the Israelites of dwelling in tents during their wilderness sojourn (see also Lev 23:33-43 ^bm; 1 Kgs 8:1-2 ^bn).
29:39 ^bo Public offerings were supplemented by a variety of voluntary individual gifts (cp. Lev 23:38 ^bp).