Controversy, controversy...and this is not a Prince album! In this chapter, God continues to provide instructions for the people regarding offerings. He highlights the Festival of Trumpets offering, Day of Atonement offering, and the Festival of Shelters offering. In each of those offerings, the Lord indicates that on those days, the people of Israel must present a burnt offering, meaning cooked on the altar, and that it is very pleasing to the Lord. As you can see, chapter 29 is a continuation of 28, and all of these burnt offerings are happening, sometimes, one day after another.
Now something that may raise some eyebrows and questions in this chapter, is when God gives instructions about the offerings for the Day of Atonement. Following the Festival of Trumpets offering, God says to Moses, “Ten days later, you must call another holy assembly of all the people. On that day, the Day of Atonement, the people must go without food, and no regular work may be done. You must present a burnt offering, very pleasing to the Lord. It will consist of one young bull, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all with no physical defects.” (Numbers 29:7-8)
Now we already know, if it’s a burnt offering...it’s being cooked. And it’s already been noted that all burnt offerings are pleasing to the Lord. Now the question becomes, if the people must go without food on that day...who’s eating all of this food that’s being cooked??? Why would they cook all of this meat and it not be eaten by the people? All meat has to be eaten that day; they can’t store or save it for the next day. Not to mention that God just told us in the previous chapter that “offerings presented by fire are God’s food”. Is God, actually, eating??? This language of burnt offerings and being very pleasing to the Lord is plastered throughout this bible, and I never even considered the questions I’m raising right now.
What is going on??? Since reading chapter 28, I’ve been in prayer! I’ve been telling God, “I don’t know what you look like and I don’t care. I don’t know who you are in this bible, but I know who you are to me! I love you and that is not going to change!”
Wow...this is some heavy stuff!
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Help us know that you are our God and that will never change, no matter what revelations you reveal to us. We love you!
“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
Me too!
Wow, Lan, great question! I need to know.