What is the meaning of Numbers 28:14? Their drink offerings “Drink offerings” in Scripture accompany grain and animal sacrifices, completing the gift set before the LORD (Exodus 29:40–41; Leviticus 23:13). The wine is poured out, symbolizing joyous fellowship and total surrender—later echoed when Paul says, “I am already being poured out like a drink offering” (2 Timothy 4:6). Each new-moon service in Numbers 28:14 is therefore not a dry ritual; it is a living statement that God’s people gladly give back what He has first provided. Half a hin of wine with each bull A hin is roughly six quarts; “half a hin” (about three quarts) accompanies the largest animal. God sets the measure, tying the generosity of the drink offering to the size of the burnt offering (compare Exodus 29:40). In the same way, the one who has been entrusted with much is expected to present much (Luke 12:48), reminding worshipers that scale matters in stewardship. A third of a hin with the ram The ram stands between the bull and the lamb in size and significance. Its proportionate offering—“a third of a hin”—shows that worship is never one-size-fits-all; God prescribes what is right for each circumstance (Leviticus 5:6–7). Precision guards against both stinginess and excess, keeping devotion anchored in obedience rather than personal whim. A quarter hin with each lamb Even the smallest animal is not overlooked. A “quarter hin” (about one and a half quarts) still costs something, demonstrating that every person—rich or poor, powerful or humble—has a part to play (Leviticus 12:8). The widow’s two mites are as precious as the rich man’s larger gifts when both are offered in faith (Mark 12:41–44). This is the monthly burnt offering Burnt offerings are wholly consumed on the altar (Leviticus 1:3–9), portraying complete consecration. By tying the drink offering to the burnt offering each month, the Lord reinforces that wholehearted surrender and joyful fellowship always belong together (1 Chronicles 23:31). To be made at each new moon The new moon marked the start of Israel’s calendar months (Psalm 81:3). Setting worship at the very beginning of each cycle ensured that every fresh start was dedicated to God (Isaiah 66:23). Though believers today are not bound to observe lunar festivals (Colossians 2:16), the principle remains: first things—time, income, decisions—belong to the Lord. Throughout the year God commands regularity, not occasional enthusiasm. Just as the manna fell daily (Exodus 16:4) and the lamp in the tabernacle burned continually (Leviticus 24:2), these offerings keep faith from drifting into sporadic duty. The constancy of worship mirrors the constancy of the One worshiped (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). summary Numbers 28:14 prescribes precise, proportionate drink offerings—half, third, and quarter hins—paired with bulls, rams, and lambs at every new moon. The passage teaches that true worship is joyful, obedient, proportionate, inclusive, and regular. By anchoring each month in sacrifice and celebration, God invites His people into continual, wholehearted fellowship with Himself all year long. |
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