In what ways does Numbers 28:21 connect to Jesus' teaching on sacrifice? Text of Numbers 28:21 “and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.” What the Original Instruction Teaches • Precise measure —one-tenth of an ephah—shows that God sets the standard of what is acceptable. • Fine flour —sifted, pure, unleavened—symbolizes a flawless offering. • Mixed with oil —oil often pictures the Holy Spirit’s anointing. • Presented with every lamb —no exception, underscoring constant, total devotion. Echoes in Jesus’ Teaching on Sacrifice • Matthew 5:17-18 —Jesus fulfills “all” the Law, including its exact measurements; nothing is random or discarded. • John 6:35 —He calls Himself “the Bread of Life,” the living counterpart to the grain offering. • Luke 22:19 —“This is My body, given for you”; the bread points to His own self-offering. • Mark 12:33 —Love for God and neighbor “is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices,” revealing the heart behind the measurements. • Luke 9:23 —“Take up your cross daily”; the continual lamb-plus-grain pattern becomes daily self-sacrifice in Christ. Key Connections • Precision → Fulfillment – Numbers: fixed portion of flour. – Jesus: fulfills every “jot and tittle” (Matthew 5:18), proving the Law’s accuracy. • Purity → Sinlessness – Fine, sifted flour without leaven mirrors Christ’s sinless body (Hebrews 4:15). • Oil → Spirit-anointed Messiah – Grain mixed with oil foreshadows the Spirit descending on Jesus at His baptism (Luke 3:22). • Daily Provision → Ongoing Grace – The lambs and grain were offered every day of the Feast; Jesus offers continual cleansing (1 John 1:7). • Shared Table → Communion – Israelites ate unleavened bread during Passover; believers partake of the Lord’s Supper, proclaiming His death “until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Living the Lesson • Trust Christ’s complete, flawless sacrifice rather than partial, self-made offerings (Hebrews 10:14). • Offer yourself daily—body, mind, resources—as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1), mirroring the consistent one-tenth grain. • Rely on the Spirit’s anointing (Galatians 5:16), just as the oil saturated every portion of flour. |
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