Connect Numbers 28:1 with Jesus' teaching on sacrifice and obedience in the Gospels. The Lord’s Invitation to Consistent Worship “Then the LORD said to Moses” (Numbers 28:1). One short sentence, yet it opens an entire chapter on daily, weekly, and monthly offerings. God initiates; His people respond. What the Daily Offerings Taught Israel • Regular rhythm—morning and evening (28:3–4). • Undivided loyalty—nothing shared with idols (Exodus 20:3). • Costly surrender—flawless lambs, fine flour, pure oil (28:5). • Continual aroma—“a pleasing aroma to the LORD” (28:2). Jesus Reframes Sacrifice • Priority of the heart: “To love Him … is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). • Mercy over ritual: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). • Total obedience: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me” (John 4:34). • Self-offering: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus as the Once-for-All Daily Offering • Constant access—no gap between morning and evening; He lives forever to intercede (Hebrews 7:25). • Perfect Lamb—“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). • Finished work—“It is finished” (John 19:30), fulfilling the continual burnt offering with a single, decisive act (Hebrews 10:10). Living Sacrifice: Obedience After the Cross • Loving obedience proves discipleship (John 14:15). • Daily cross—“If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily” (Luke 9:23). • Whole-life worship—our bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). • Generous surrender—the widow’s two coins (Luke 21:1-4) echo the costly lambs of Numbers 28. Connecting the Threads Numbers 28:1 begins a schedule of offerings that kept Israel mindful of God’s presence. Jesus’ teaching—and His own sacrifice—moves that rhythm from altar to heart. As Israel once rose each morning to place a lamb on the fire, we rise to present ourselves, trusting the Lamb who has already secured our acceptance and empowering us to walk in obedient love. |
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