Phinehas (Pinchas) is rewarded for his bravery. A census of the Israelites is taken. The daughters of Zelophehad successfully argue for a portion in the land of Israel. Joshua is ordained Moses’ successor. God relays to Moses the details of all the holiday sacrifices.
Let’s read from the parsha:
Num 28:1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Num 28:2 “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.’
Num 28:3 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.
Num 28:4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;
Num 28:5 also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil.
Num 28:6 It is a regular burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.
Ordinarily, the Torah speaks of Sabbaths and holy days as appointed times (mo’adeem), but the priestly calendar of Numbers 28 and 29 begins its list of mo’adeem with the daily appointed times for offering the continual burnt offering.
The continual offering consisted of two lambs, one offered in the morning as the first sacrifice of the day. The other one was offered in the evening as the last sacrifice of the day and remained burning on the altar all night. The first lamb ‘in the morning’ was offered between dawn and the third hour of the day. The second lamb was offered at the ninth hour of the day. These times have a great significance as we will see in a minute.
As we read in verse 6 above, the meaning of these two sacrifices relates to the giving of the covenant at Mount Sinai. According to the sages, the continual offering is understood as a daily memorial of the offerings made in Exodus 24. In that chapter, the Torah relates how Moses read the book of the covenant to the people. Then he offered offerings on the altar, sprinkling the blood on the altar and on the people. The people of Israel officially became the people of God as a result of that ceremony. The daily offering recreates this initial covenant ceremony.
For believers, the daily continual offering draws a line of connection between the covenant at Mount Sinai and the covenant instituted when The Lamb of God took bread and wine on the night before he was sacrificed. He is the Lamb of God who is continually before God on our behalf.
In addition, these daily appointed times also should carry extra significance for us. The times of prayer correspond to the Master’s ultimate sacrifice. According to the Gospel writer Mark, he was crucified at the time of the morning sacrifice (the third hour) and he died at the time of the evening sacrifice (the ninth hour).
I am suggesting that we all join Israel (the Jewish people) in prayer at these appointed times. In doing so, we align ourselves with an ancient tradition of our Jewish brothers and sisters, and more importantly, the atoning work of Messiah Yeshua.
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