What is the meaning of Numbers 7:64? One • The single goat highlights that God required just one substitutionary sacrifice for this portion of the dedication (Numbers 7:11-17). • “One” underscores completeness—nothing more was needed at that moment to satisfy God’s stated requirement (Leviticus 4:28). • It foreshadows the sufficiency of Christ’s solitary, once-for-all work on the cross (Hebrews 10:12-14). Male • God specified a male animal for most sin offerings (Leviticus 4:23), pointing to headship and representation. • As Adam’s fall introduced sin (Romans 5:12), a male sacrifice prefigures the Second Adam, Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:22). • The requirement prevents arbitrary substitutions; obedience means following God’s pattern exactly (1 Samuel 15:22). Goat • Goats were commonly used for sin offerings (Leviticus 16:15); their rugged nature pictures sin bearing. • On the Day of Atonement, one goat was slain and another released, together portraying removal of guilt (Leviticus 16:21-22). • Christ fulfilled both aspects—He died for sin and carried it away (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:13-14). For • The preposition marks purpose: the goat’s life was given on behalf of the people. • Substitution is at the heart of atonement (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). • The death of an innocent stands in place of the guilty, displaying both God’s justice and mercy (Romans 3:25-26). A • An indefinite article suggests that while this goat was specific, it also belonged to an ongoing series of sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1). • Each individual sacrifice pointed beyond itself to a greater reality yet maintained personal relevance for those present (Hebrews 9:23-24). Sin • Sin is any violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4), and it separates humanity from Him (Isaiah 59:2). • Blood sacrifices were necessary “for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). • The dedication offerings in Numbers 7 remind Israel that even joyful occasions require acknowledgment of sin. Offering • An offering is something set apart for God’s use (Exodus 29:18). • This sin offering cleansed and consecrated the altar so fellowship could continue (Numbers 7:88). • Ultimately, all offerings culminate in Christ, who “offered Himself once for all” (Hebrews 7:27). summary Numbers 7:64 records “one male goat for a sin offering” to show that God required a precise, substitutionary sacrifice to address sin even during a celebratory dedication. The singular male goat, offered for the people’s sin, prefigures the flawless, sufficient, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who fully satisfies God’s justice and opens the way for ongoing fellowship with Him. |
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