How does Numbers 29:4 emphasize the importance of specific offerings to God? The Verse “with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you, in addition to the burnt offering with its grain offering and regular drink offering.” (Numbers 29:4) Setting the Scene • Numbers 29 records God’s instructions for the offerings during the seventh-month festivals. • Each day God lists exact animals, quantities, and accompanying grain and drink offerings. • Verse 4 highlights the single male goat required for a sin offering on that first-day celebration. What Makes This Verse Stand Out • Specific animal: “one male goat” — not any goat, and not more or fewer. • Defined purpose: “for a sin offering, to make atonement for you.” • Added layer: “in addition to” the regular daily burnt, grain, and drink offerings. • Divine authorship: God Himself dictates every detail, leaving nothing to personal preference. Why the Sin Offering Matters 1. Atonement is essential • Leviticus 17:11 — “it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” • Hebrews 9:22 — “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” 2. Sin is personal and communal • One goat covers the gathered people, stressing collective responsibility (Leviticus 4:27-31). 3. Symbol of substitution • The goat dies in place of the worshipers, foreshadowing Christ, “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). Why the Added Offerings? • Burnt offering — total surrender (Leviticus 1:9). • Grain offering — gratitude for provision (Leviticus 2:1-2). • Drink offering — poured-out devotion (Numbers 15:5). • Stacking them together shows worship is multifaceted: cleansing first, then dedication, thanks, and joy. Principles We Can Draw Today • God values precise obedience (1 Samuel 15:22). He defines worship; we do not improvise it. • Holiness requires atonement before fellowship. Cleansing comes first, then celebration (Hebrews 10:19-22). • Details matter because they point to deeper truths fulfilled in Christ (Colossians 2:16-17). • Regularity does not replace specificity. Daily burnt offerings continued, yet this unique sin offering still had to be made. God honors both rhythm and detail. Living It Out • Approach God through the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 10:11-14). • Offer yourself as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1), keeping confession and surrender central. • Guard against casual worship; let reverence shape every song, prayer, and act of service. |
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