A cursory glance of the scripture below may make one’s head spin. Lot’s of words, referring to celebrations and sacrifices that we no longer celebrate in the same way make this a difficult reading to apply to 2020. However, each annual celebration was an essential part of the rhythm of Israelite life. God shared his desire for His people to remember Him often as a community throughout the calendar year in Leviticus 23 and again in Numbers 28-29.

God graciously reminds the younger generation that the ordinances given to the previous generations still applied to them as they entered the promised land in Numbers. In Leviticus 23:14, 21, 31, and 41 God said, “This (the annual feast/offering) is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” In Numbers, the people are reminded on the eve of the conquest of Canaan, how they should live as a “settled” people.

How are we to remember God in our daily and annual rhythms as “settled” people in the land and under the new promise Jesus has given us?

Numbers 29

“On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, 2 and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the Lord: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 3 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.

Offerings for the Day of Atonement

7 “On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and afflict yourselves. You shall do no work, 8 but you shall offer a burnt offering to the Lord, a pleasing aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: see that they are without blemish. 9 And their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, 10 a tenth for each of the seven lambs: 11 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

Offerings for the Feast of Booths

12 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days. 13 And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; 14 and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, 15 and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

17 “On the second day twelve bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 18 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 19 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

20 “On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 21 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 22 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

23 “On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 24 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 25 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

26 “On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 27 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 28 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

29 “On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 30 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 31 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offerings.

32 “On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 33 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 34 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

35 “On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work, 36 but you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, 37 and the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 38 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

39 “These you shall offer to the Lord at your appointed feasts, in addition to your vow offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.”

40 So Moses told the people of Israel everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ In verses 1-6, what is being remembered/offered/celebrated? How is it being celebrated in verse 1

+ How might you define “holy convocation?”

+ What might Christians today offer to the Lord as they start the new year?

+ How might these “offerings” be a pleasing aroma to the Lord? Verse 2 and 6

+ In verse 7-11, what is being remembered/offered/celebrated?

+ What does atonement mean?

+ What was being atoned for in Verse 4 and verse 11.

+ How does Hebrews 2:17 show Jesus’s work in atonement for believers? “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”

+ In verses 12-39 what is being remembered/offered/celebrated?

+ How long was the feast? Verse 12

+ What was the recurring trait of all of the sacrifices? Verses 13, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32

+ How does 1 Peter 1:18-19 show this trait in Jesus as a sin offering? “18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

+ What were the people to abstain from during each of the feasts? Verse 1, 7, 12

+ How does stopping this activity honor God?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ How do I intentionally remember God throughout the year? How often do I assemble in a holy convocation to celebrate and remember God’s faithfulness?

+ How could understanding the OT feasts/offerings help each of us understand more fully what Jesus has done on our behalf?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?

+ Who can I ask to join in a “holy convocation?” How might inviting another to be in God’s presence with God’s people plant gospel seeds?

+ How can you take steps to develop trusting relationships so that truth can be shared, heard, and valued?