What is the meaning of Numbers 29:15? Context and Setting Numbers 29 unfolds the offerings for the seventh-month festivals. Verses 12-16 describe the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths), called a “sacred assembly” in Leviticus 23:34-36. The Lord prescribes: - Thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs, all without blemish (Numbers 29:13-14). - Burnt offerings, grain offerings mixed with oil, and drink offerings—echoing Exodus 29:38-41, where daily sacrifices are first detailed. Verse 15 zooms in on the grain portion that must accompany each lamb: “and a tenth of an ephah with each of the fourteen lambs”. The Fourteen Lambs Why fourteen? - It signals double perfection (7 × 2). Seven days of the feast (Numbers 29:12) multiplied by two underscores fullness and abundance. - Offering the same number of lambs every day (see Numbers 29:17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32) contrasts with the diminishing number of bulls, stressing constancy. Revelation 5:12 portrays the Lamb as “worthy” in eternal constancy; the daily repetition here foreshadows that unchanging worth. The Tenth of an Ephah A “tenth of an ephah” is roughly 2.2 liters of fine flour. The portion matters: - Leviticus 2:1-2 says grain offerings symbolize grateful dependence on God’s provision. - Tied to each lamb, the flour highlights that worship involves both life (the lamb) and livelihood (the grain). Romans 12:1 links sacrifice and daily living, calling believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices. God’s Mathematical Precision The exactness of “a tenth…with each” shows the Lord’s care for detail. - Deuteronomy 12:32 warns against adding or subtracting from His commands. - John 19:36 notes that none of Jesus’ bones were broken to fulfill precise prophecy; the God of Numbers 29 keeps every detail. Foreshadowing the Lamb of God The spotless lambs anticipate Christ. - John 1:29 announces, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” - Hebrews 10:1-10 explains that repeated animal sacrifices pointed to the single perfect offering of Jesus’ body. The grain alongside the lambs pictures the fullness found in Him: life given, sustenance provided (John 6:35). Living It Out Believers can glean practical truths: - Regularity: The feast lasted seven days; worship is to be habitual (Acts 2:46). - Wholeness: Offerings combined animal and grain; discipleship involves heart, mind, strength, and possessions (Mark 12:30). - Precision: God deserves careful obedience, not vague good intentions (James 1:22-25). summary Numbers 29:15, “and a tenth of an ephah with each of the fourteen lambs,” underscores God’s exact instructions for Tabernacles. Each blemish-free lamb required a precise grain measure, teaching that true worship blends life-surrender and thankful provision. The fourteen lambs point to complete, unchanging sacrifice, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the once-for-all Lamb who nourishes and redeems those who trust Him. |
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