How does Numbers 28:15 emphasize the importance of regular atonement for sin? The setting of Numbers 28:15 The Lord is giving Moses a calendar of sacrifices—daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Each layer adds fresh reminders of His holiness and Israel’s constant need for cleansing. The verse itself (Numbers 28:15) “Also one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.” Immediate observations • “Also… in addition to” signals something extra, not optional. • “One male goat” points to substitution—an innocent life in place of the guilty. • “Sin offering” (ḥaṭṭâʾt) focuses specifically on atonement, not fellowship or praise. • The placement in the “new moon” section (vv. 11–15) ties it to the first day of every month. Why a monthly sin offering matters • Fresh start: Every new month begins with a clean slate, teaching that time itself belongs to God and must be consecrated. • Unseen sins: Even without a known transgression, sacrifice is required (cf. Leviticus 4:27-31), underscoring the reality of hidden guilt. • Continual rhythm: Daily sacrifices cover each day (28:3-8); weekly Sabbaths cover each week (28:9-10); the new-moon goat covers each month. Sin’s presence is constant, so atonement must be regular. Patterns of time and holiness Daily → Weekly → Monthly → Yearly (Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16) This escalating pattern teaches: • Holiness permeates every segment of life. • The need for cleansing never lapses—sin does not “time-out.” • God graciously provides continual means of reconciliation. Sin never takes a holiday • Romans 3:23—“all have sinned.” • Hebrews 9:22—“without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” The monthly goat reminds Israel that accumulated, unconfessed sin still demands blood. Skipping a month would ignore spiritual debt. Foreshadowing a greater sacrifice • Hebrews 10:3-4—“in these sacrifices there is an annual reminder of sins, for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” • John 1:29—Jesus, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” The repetition prepares hearts to long for the once-for-all offering of Christ (Hebrews 10:10, 14). Just as the goat stood in monthly, Christ stands in eternally. Living the truth today • Recognize the ongoing reality of sin (1 John 1:8). • Rely on Christ’s finished work for complete atonement (Hebrews 9:12). • Practice regular confession and repentance, maintaining fellowship (1 John 1:9). • Begin each new “cycle”—day, week, month—with gratitude for the blood that cleanses continually (1 John 1:7). Numbers 28:15, in its simple directive about a single goat every month, quietly but powerfully underlines the necessity of regular atonement and points ahead to the perfect, perpetual atonement provided in Jesus Christ. |
    |