What is the meaning of Numbers 29:30? Context and Placement Numbers 29 describes the offerings for the Feast of Tabernacles. Verse 30 falls in the pattern that repeats for each of the seven days: “along with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, according to the number prescribed”. This short line serves as God’s reminder that every burnt animal must be matched with specific grain and drink portions, just as He had already detailed in Numbers 28:12–14 and Leviticus 23:37–38. Grain Offering • The grain (or “meal”) offering represents the fruit of human labor surrendered to God (Leviticus 2:1-3). • For each bull, three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil was required; for each ram, two-tenths; for each lamb, one-tenth (Numbers 29:14, 18, 21, 24, 27). • By tying the grain to the burnt animals, God wove everyday provision into corporate worship, echoing His call in Deuteronomy 8:10 to bless Him “for the good land He has given you.” • In New-Covenant light we see a picture of offering ourselves—our work, resources, and thanks—“as a living sacrifice” in Romans 12:1. Drink Offering • A quarter-hin of wine accompanied each lamb, a third-hin each ram, and a half-hin each bull (Numbers 28:14). • Wine symbolized joy and covenant fellowship (Psalm 104:15; Matthew 26:27-29). • Poured out beside the altar (Exodus 29:40-41), it foreshadowed Christ’s blood “poured out for many” (Mark 14:24), linking the daily joy of the feast to the ultimate atonement. For the Bulls • Bulls were the largest and costliest animals, underscoring the greatness of God’s provision (Psalm 50:10). • Their numbers decreased each day (13 down to 7, Numbers 29:13-32), creating a visual countdown that kept worshipers focused on God’s ongoing care. • Corporate sin offerings elsewhere used a bull (Leviticus 4:14), so the bulls here point to community-wide dedication and cleansing fulfilled in Hebrews 10:10. For the Rams • Rams often marked covenant confirmation (Genesis 22:13) and priestly consecration (Leviticus 8:18-29). • Their steady “two per day” count (Numbers 29:14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32) emphasizes consistent leadership commitment—no shortcuts, no days off—mirroring Paul’s call that overseers be “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2). For the Lambs • Fourteen lambs each day (Numbers 29:13, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32) kept spotless innocence in front of the people, a daily reminder that only perfect purity satisfies God (Exodus 12:5; 1 Peter 1:19). • The unvarying number displays God’s unchanging moral standard (Malachi 3:6). • These lambs ultimately point to “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). According to the Number Prescribed • God’s precision mattered: each offering had its own exact measure (Numbers 28:14). • Obedience to detail demonstrated Israel’s trust that God’s way is best (1 Samuel 15:22). • The pattern rebukes any casual attitude toward worship and foreshadows the perfect obedience of Christ, “who committed no sin” yet fulfilled every requirement (1 Peter 2:22). summary Numbers 29:30 sums up the day-by-day offerings of Tabernacles by highlighting the matching grain and drink portions for every bull, ram, and lamb. Each element—grain, wine, and animal—teaches distinct truths: God provides daily bread, fills His people with joy, demands spotless sacrifice, and cares about precise obedience. Together they anticipate the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus, inviting believers today to dedicate work, joy, and lives wholly to the faithful God who orchestrated every detail. |
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