Numbers 28:13
and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with each lamb. This is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour

A tenth of an ephah was about 2.2 liters, or nearly two quarts. The measured portion for each lamb showed that Israel’s worship was ordered according to God’s command. Fine flour represented an offering of value and purity, given from the produce God had provided.

Num 15:4 then the one presenting his offering to the LORD…
Exo 29:40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah…

mixed with oil

Olive oil enriched the grain offering and was a fitting gift from the land of promise. Throughout Scripture, oil is associated with consecration, joy, and the gracious work of God’s Spirit. The flour and oil accompanied the sacrifice, declaring dependence upon the Lord for both daily provision and spiritual blessing.

Lev 2:4 Now if you bring an offering of grain baked in an oven…
Lev 2:5 If your offering is a grain offering prepared on a griddle,…

as a grain offering with each lamb.

Each lamb in the monthly offering received its appointed grain offering. The sacrifice was not presented carelessly or as a mere animal offering; it included the fruit of Israel’s labor and acknowledged that all harvests belonged to God. The lambs also foreshadowed the spotless sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God who removes sin.

Exo 29:41 And offer the second lamb at twilight, with the same grain…
Lev 23:18 Along with the bread you are to present…

This is a burnt offering,

The animals were wholly offered to the Lord, expressing complete consecration and the need for atonement. At the beginning of each month, Israel was reminded that time itself belonged to God and that fellowship with Him required sacrifice.

Lev 1:3 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd,…
Exo 29:18 Then burn the entire ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering…

a pleasing aroma,

God accepted the offering when it was brought in faith and obedience to His revealed will. The sacrifice anticipated Christ, who gave Himself to the Father as an offering and sacrifice of a pleasing aroma.

Lev 1:17 He shall tear it open by its wings, without dividing……
Gen 8:21 When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma,…

a food offering to the LORD.

The offering was presented by fire as an act of covenant worship. God did not need food from His people, but He graciously appointed sacrifices as a means by which Israel could draw near to Him.

Lev 2:2 and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests.…
Lev 1:9 The entrails and legs must be washed with water,…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who received the laws and instructions from God, including the sacrificial system outlined in Numbers.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were given specific instructions on how to worship and offer sacrifices to maintain their covenant relationship with Him.

3. Tabernacle
The portable dwelling place for the divine presence among the Israelites, where sacrifices and offerings were made.

4. Burnt Offering
A type of sacrifice in which the entire offering is consumed by fire, symbolizing complete dedication to God.

5. Grain Offering
An offering made of fine flour mixed with oil, symbolizing the fruits of human labor and dedication to God.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Obedience
The Israelites were required to follow specific instructions for offerings, demonstrating the importance of obedience in worship.

Symbolism of Sacrifice
The burnt offering as a "pleasing aroma" signifies total surrender and dedication to God, reminding us of the need for wholehearted devotion.

The Role of Offerings in Worship
Offerings were a central part of Israelite worship, teaching us the value of giving our best to God in our own worship practices.

Christ as the Fulfillment
The sacrificial system points to Christ, whose sacrifice was the ultimate pleasing aroma to God, encouraging us to live lives that reflect His sacrifice.

Daily Dedication
Just as the Israelites offered daily sacrifices, we are called to daily dedicate our lives to God, offering our time, talents, and resources.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of a "pleasing aroma" in Numbers 28:13 relate to our personal worship and dedication to God today?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of giving our best to God, as seen in the grain offering, in our daily lives?

3. How does understanding the Old Testament sacrificial system enhance our appreciation of Christ's sacrifice as described in Hebrews 10?

4. What are some practical ways we can demonstrate obedience to God in our modern context, similar to the Israelites' obedience in their offerings?

5. How can we incorporate the idea of daily dedication, as seen in the daily offerings, into our spiritual disciplines and routines?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 2
Provides detailed instructions on grain offerings, emphasizing the use of fine flour and oil, which parallels the instructions in Numbers 28:13.

Exodus 29
Describes the consecration of priests and the offerings required, highlighting the importance of offerings as a means of sanctification and dedication to God.

Hebrews 10
Discusses the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which fulfills and surpasses the Old Testament sacrificial system, including burnt offerings.
Of the Daily SacrificesW. Attersoll.Numbers 28:1-31
The New Moon FestivalW. Seaton.Numbers 28:1-31
The Offering At the New MoonD. Young Numbers 28:11-15
People
Ephah, Israelites, Moses
Places
Jericho, Mount Sinai
Topics
Aroma, Best, Burned, Burnt, Burnt-offering, Cereal, Deal, Ephah, Fine, Fire, Fire-offering, Flour, Fragrance, Grain, Lamb, Meal, Meal-offering, Meat, Meat-offering, Mingled, Mixed, Oblation, Odor, Odour, Offering, Oil, Pleasant, Pleasing, Present, Sacrifice, Savor, Savour, Separate, Several, Smell, Soothing, Sweet, Tenth, Tenth-part
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Numbers 28:3-13

     7422   ritual

Numbers 28:9-14

     7322   burnt offering

Numbers 28:11-14

     4951   month

Numbers 28:11-15

     7398   New Moon festival

Library
Whether the Third Precept of the Decalogue, Concerning the Hallowing of the Sabbath, is Fittingly Expressed?
Objection 1: It seems that the third precept of the decalogue, concerning the hallowing of the Sabbath, is unfittingly expressed. For this, understood spiritually, is a general precept: since Bede in commenting on Lk. 13:14, "The ruler of the synagogue being angry that He had healed on the Sabbath," says (Comment. iv): "The Law forbids, not to heal man on the Sabbath, but to do servile works," i.e. "to burden oneself with sin." Taken literally it is a ceremonial precept, for it is written (Ex. 31:13):
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jesus Defends Disciples who Pluck Grain on the Sabbath.
(Probably While on the Way from Jerusalem to Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 1-8; ^B Mark II. 23-28; ^C Luke VI. 1-5. ^b 23 And ^c 1 Now it came to pass ^a 1 At that season ^b that he ^a Jesus went { ^b was going} on the { ^c a} ^b sabbath day through the grainfields; ^a and his disciples were hungry and began ^b as they went, to pluck the ears. ^a and to eat, ^c and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. [This lesson fits in chronological order with the last, if the Bethesda
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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