What is the meaning of Numbers 28:20? The grain offering shall consist of fine flour mixed with oil Numbers 28:20 opens by reminding Israel of the constant, fragrant offering that was to accompany every animal sacrifice. Fine flour points to purity—no chaff, no lumps, simply the best of the harvest (Leviticus 2:1-3). Mixing it with oil kept it from being dry, and throughout Scripture oil pictures the presence and enabling of the Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13; Zechariah 4:6). Together they tell a story: God desires worship that is both pure and Spirit-empowered. The grain offering was eaten by the priests (Leviticus 6:16-18), underscoring fellowship between God and His servants. By requiring this offering on the first day of the Passover week, the Lord wove gratitude for daily provision right into the nation’s most significant redemption celebration (Exodus 12:17). Offer three-tenths of an ephah with each bull A bull was the costliest animal in Israel’s herds (Leviticus 4:3-4). Matching that higher value, the Lord commanded the largest grain measure—three-tenths of an ephah (about eleven quarts). The proportion teaches: • Greater blessing calls for greater gratitude (Luke 12:48). • Abundance is meant to be turned back to God in worship (2 Corinthians 9:10-11). The bull often symbolized strength and leadership, so the sizeable grain portion emphasizes that even the strongest among God’s people depend entirely on His daily provision (Psalm 50:10-15). Each bull’s accompanying grain offering declared, “All I possess, even my strength, comes from You.” Two-tenths of an ephah with the ram Stepping down to a ram, the grain measure also steps down—yet not by half, only by a third (Numbers 15:6). The Lord never reduces worship to a token gesture. • A ram was used for fellowship offerings (Leviticus 9:4) and consecration (Exodus 29:19-22); pairing it with two-tenths of fine flour reminded Israel that fellowship and consecration require ongoing sustenance from God. • The smaller but still generous portion shows God values willing hearts more than sheer volume (Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:41-44). Even lesser sacrifices were not second-class; they still carried rich symbolism pointing forward to the ultimate, once-for-all offering of Christ, whose perfect life fulfilled every type and shadow (Hebrews 10:1-14). summary Numbers 28:20 teaches that every level of worship—whether involving a costly bull or a lesser ram—must be accompanied by a wholehearted, Spirit-empowered acknowledgment of God’s provision. Fine flour signals purity, oil signifies the Spirit, and the measured portions call each worshiper to respond proportionately to God’s goodness. The passage invites believers today to bring the best, mix it with reliance on the Spirit, and offer it gratefully to the One who supplies all things. |
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