Road Map To Calvary

In Numbers 28, God reemphasizes the sacrifices required of His people to dwell with Him. One this is abundantly clear, there will be a major amount of sacrifice required.

Numbers 28:1–5 (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.’ 3 And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering. 4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; 5 also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil.

Think of this. Every day two lambs would be sacrificed. It was God once again making clear, there will be blood required for man to dwell with Him. Through the sacrifices Israel was to learn how much sin cost and how important atonement was. The weight of sin was to be felt by Israel. 

Why would the lambs be sacrifices in the morning and the evening? Why not get them out of the way together? It is for that very question why. The Lord did not want sacrifice for sin to be something we "get over with" or try to accomplish on our time. God wanted Israel to wake up with sacrifice and go to bed with sacrifice, they were to remember throughout every day, this day required a sacrifice. They were also to keep the Lord's provision on their mind daily. Israel was blessed to be reminded that God was with them and they were not alone, through the life of that lamb, they had His presence among them. 

Finally, these regular sacrificial lambs would remind the Israelites of the first lamb slain for their freedom and life in God. Every morning and evening they were reminded that what brought them to God, keeps them in connection with God - the blood of a lamb. Israel lived every day between two lambs - the first lamb (passover) was slain so they might be free from slavery, the second lamb (Christ) was slain so they might be free from sin. 

What if we Christians considered every day made possible for us to walk with God by the blood of the final lamb of God - Jesus Christ? Because that is what we have. Every day we have access to God at the cost of His Son. We must not take this flippantly or get our time with God "over with". It is in His presence we find fulness of Joy. 

Coincidently, Jesus died at the exact time of the evening sacrifice. While the priests were offering their lambs, God was offering His final lamb. Within 40 years of that moment the temple would be destroyed and the sacrifices would cease even unto this day. History testifies to the fact that since Jesus died and rose, no further sacrifice for sin is required.

Along with the offering of a lamb, the people were to bring grain and oil - the symbols of the bread of life and the Holy Spirit. Because Jesus died and rose, we get to feed on Him and receive the Holy Spirit!

Now think of these last two chapters in Numbers. God has succeeded Moses, the law giver, with Joshua - the Lord saves. He has also reemphasized the sacrifices to be offered for sin which are accompanied by bread and oil - symbols of New Covenant realities. 

This chapter is a road map to calvary. If you don't see the message of Jesus even here in these strangely diverting passages in Numbers, you must look closer and let it speak to you. Jesus is being preached. He is being preached throughout the Old Testament so that we might truly know how to be ready for Him and how we receive Him. 

His blood has made it possible for us to experience the presence of the Lord, the food of His Word and the power of His Spirit. 

Amen.