Numbers 28-30

Have you ever wondered how far the divide between God’s holiness and our sinfulness? Read Numbers 28-29. For Israel, the blood of bulls and goats, though it could not remove sin, covered sin so they might remain in temporary “right” fellowship with God. But reading through this “summary” of daily, monthly, and annual sacrifices I just wonder how they ever had enough “one-year-old” livestock remaining to keep the offerings going! The scariest thing to be in the camp of Israel was a one-year-old animal! If you could just make it past that, you might have smooth sailing, but judging by the demands, your odds weren’t too good!

The sacrificial system was no simple task. God’s holiness demanded continual observance of rituals! There was no rest for the priests who ministered before the Tabernacle. This list of specific offerings was “besides your votive offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings and for your grain offerings and for your peace offerings!” (Numbers 29:39)

Our God is holy… set apart, different and distinct and the sacrificial system is that stark reminder. Only through continual appeasement were the Israelites granted life in His presence! What about us?

We take the cross of Christ too lightly; we will never be able to comprehend all that it has done for us. For not only did it put an end to these sacrifices, it fulfilled God’s righteous expectations of His people. Christ’s very blood brings near and sustains every believer at the throne of God. It is not that the requirements are no longer demanded, but it is that they have been paid and performed on our behalf by Another.

The book of Hebrews, one of the most Christological of all books in Scripture, tries over and over again to magnify the name, position, and sacrifice of our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. The writer knew all too well the weakness of sacrificial law, its inherent impotence to justify the sinner. Hence the writer glories in the richness and fullness of Christ and His shed blood. It is not another attempt at atonement; it was its fulfillment.

And now we stand before God changed, with a new righteous… Christ’s righteousness, completely forgiveness, completely accepted, never more to cower in fear of judgment. No wonder the prophets looked forward with such yearning to the day of Christ.

May we be reminded of the great sacrifice of Christ. May w praise Him and ascribe to Him as best we can the glory He deserves as our perfect High Priest! Praise God for Jesus Christ!