Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 28:16-25
The Set Feasts of Israel (Numbers 28:16 to Numbers 29:39).
Information is now given about the offerings at the set feasts of Israel. There were three major feasts to which all the men of Israel of over twenty (the congregation of Israel) were expected to come: the feast of Passover and unleavened bread, the feast of firstfruits or sevens or harvest, and the feast of tabernacles or ingathering (see Exodus 23:14; Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16). Two of these, the first and the last, were seven day feasts, (to each of which was connected an extra day which was different from the seven). And then there were two extra one day feasts in the sacred seventh month. On every day of those feasts munificent offerings were to be made to Yahweh. These were over and above the continual daily whole burnt offerings, the Sabbath whole burnt offerings and the new moon whole burnt offerings. The day of the full moon (the fifteenth day, fourteen days after the new moon day) was also a solemn sabbath in the first and seventh months. The seven day feasts commenced and ended the cycle of feasts, occurring on the first and the seventh months, except that the day for sacrificing the Passover preceded the first seven day feast and the eighth day of Tabernacles came the day after the second seven day feast.
Note the divine pattern. Three one day feasts (the threeness signifying completeness) sandwiched between the two seven day feasts indication divine perfection.
Seven was especially significant. It was a number recognised as sacred by all surrounding nations. And the whole system of time in Israel was in fact mainly based on sevens, demonstrating that their time was in His hands. The Sabbath occurred every seventh day (Exodus 20:8), there was a sabbath year every seven years (Exodus 23:10; Leviticus 25:1), the year of Yubile occurred after seven sevens of years, and did not interrupt the cycle, for the Yubile year was made up of the last six moon periods of the forty ninth year and the first six moon periods of the first year of the new cycle (see Leviticus 25:9). And while it was the new moon that determined the beginning of each moon period, the main feasts were fixed by sevens dating from that beginning. Thus unleavened bread began twice seven days after the first day of the first moon period, and tabernacles began twice seven days after the first day of the seventh moon period, while the feast of firstfruits was seven times seven days after the first day of unleavened bread. There were seven special holy days, the first and seventh of Unleavened Bread, the Firstfruits, Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the first and eighth days of Tabernacles. Furthermore the seventh month was seen as especially holy and was crowded with feasts; Trumpets, Day of Atonement, seven days of Tabernacles, and the solemn sabbath following those seven days. So were the people made aware that the advance of time, both short and long, was under His hand, something which had to be recognised once each ‘seven' arrived.
The main feasts in the first half of the cycle began on the tenth day of the first month with the setting aside of the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:3). The main feast in the second half of the cycle began with the Day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month. Each was a day of preparation. So the whole was carefully balanced.
It will be noted from this point on that Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits (with their offerings of two young ox bulls, a ram and seven he-lambs per day of each), and Blowing of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement (although with only one young ox bull, a ram and seven he-lambs at each) all follow the same general pattern, while maintaining their distinctive features. While at the feast of Tabernacles seventy young bulls, fourteen (seven times two) rams and ninety eight (seven times seven times two) he-lambs were offered during the feast. These were all extra to the continual daily offerings, the Sabbath offerings and the new moon offerings.
From the eighth to the twelfth month there were no feasts, although some were added in later centuries, for in these months there were no significant harvests. But it will be noted that the two seven day feasts, and passover or atonement, occurred six ‘monthly', and while the former were agricultural feasts, neither of the latter are ever said to be so. Yet even the former were given a new significance, along with the other feasts, in terms of Israel's salvation history, with Passover and Unleavened Bread celebrating the deliverance from Egypt, and Tabernacles celebrating that deliverance in terms of their dwelling in tents in the wilderness period (Leviticus 23:42).
Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Numbers 28:16).
Here the assumption is made that the details of the Passover sacrifices are known. But the Passover sacrifices were not whole burnt offerings. They could be partaken of. The concern is therefore with the priestly offerings on behalf of Israel for the whole nation throughout the feast of Unleavened Bread. Other offerings are dealt with elsewhere. In the future the term Passover would come to include the Feast of Unleavened Bread (e.g. Ezekiel 45:21) so that in the New Testament ‘the Feast of the Passover' could mean the whole eight days of the feast, but at this stage the two, while conjoined, were seen separately.
a On the fourteenth day of the month is Yahweh's Passover, from the fifteenth day unleavened bread to be eaten for seven days, on the first day, a convocation, ‘you shall do no servile work' (Numbers 28:16).
b Whole burnt offerings of two young ox bulls and a ram and seven he-lambs to be offered as an offering made by fire (Numbers 28:19).
c Grain offerings to be offered with the whole burnt offerings (Numbers 28:20).
b A he-goat to be offered as a purification for sin offering to make atonement (Numbers 28:22).
a These to be offered as well as the continual whole burnt offering of the morning. This is the way that offerings shall be offered for seven days, on the seventh day a holy convocation, ‘you shall do no servile work' (Numbers 28:23).
“ And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh's passover.”
The actual Passover was sacrificed on the fourteenth day of the first month. This was everywhere stated (Numbers 9:5; Exodus 12:2; Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:5). It was the month of Abib (Exodus 13:4; Deuteronomy 16:1), which later became Nisan (around March/April). On that day the Passover lamb (or goat - Exodus 12:5 - although the lamb seems to have been preferred) was sacrificed ready for the feast that night after sunset which would be on the fifteenth day of the month.
This feast was a yearly reminder of their great deliverance from Egypt, and of how when Yahweh had exacted His vengeance on the firstborn sons of Egypt, their sons had been spared because of the protecting hand of Yahweh, and the shed blood of the Passover lambs sprinkled on their doorposts (see Exodus 12).
For us it is a reminder of Christ our Passover Who was sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7), the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
“ And on the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast. Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.”
This was then followed by the feast of unleavened bread commencing on the morning of the fifteenth day, and lasting for seven days. During this period many offerings would be offered, including peace offerings of various kinds. But this passage deals only with the central offerings made by the priests on behalf of the people. During the feast only unleavened bread could be eaten.
At these great feasts all the men of Israel (at least) were to be present, and as daily they assembled around the Sanctuary they would see the smoke of the offerings rising to the heavens again and again, and their hearts were to respond and also go upwards in loving dedication to Yahweh and His covenant and recognition of His mercy.
The fact that only unleavened bread was to be found in all their tents in the camp, and, when they arrived and were settled in the land, in all their houses throughout the land, was to be a reminder of the haste with which they had fled from Egypt (Exodus 13:8; Deuteronomy 16:3), and a permanent reminder that nothing corrupt must be allowed in their lives. Not all would be at the feasts, but all must put away unleavened bread.
“ In the first day shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no servile work,”
The first day of the feast (the fifteenth day) was a ‘holy convocation (calling together)'. It was a kind of sabbath although without the full restrictions of the seven day Sabbath. But on it no servile work must be performed. Work necessary for the feast would, however, be allowed (Exodus 12:16).
“ But you shall offer an offering made by fire, a whole burnt offering to Yahweh, two young ox bulls, and one ram, and seven he-lambs a year old. They shall be to you without blemish,”
Each day of the seven day feast whole burnt offerings would be made of two young ox bulls, one ram and seven he-lambs. Thus during the seven days fourteen young ox bulls, seven rams, and seven times seven he-lambs. This gave thanks for the mighty ox, the productive rams and the he-lambs that were the result of that productivity. But with that thanksgiving was to be a wholehearted dedication to Yahweh as they recognised what they owed Him.
“ And their grain offering, milled grain mingled with oil, three tenth parts shall you offer for an ox bull, and two tenth parts for the ram, a tenth part shall you offer for every lamb of the seven lambs.”
With each of those offerings came the offerings of grain mingled with oil, the two products which were the basic stuff of life, proportioned according to the level of the sacrifice. Yahweh had given it to them through their labours and they brought a portion back to Him.
“ And one he-goat for a purification for sin offering, to make atonement for you.”
But it could never be forgotten that in all their enthusiasm expressed in other offerings they were also a sinful nation, and so there had to be offered moon period by moon period, and on every feast day, the goat of the purification for sin offering, a reminder of those goats offered yearly on the great Day of Atonement. Its blood would be applied to the horns of the altar, with the remainder thrown at its base. The whole aim was to draw Yahweh's attention to it, and to call on Him to accept it for atonement and forgiveness (Numbers 15:25), in order to purify them and to maintain the purity of that holy place (compare the original purification of the altar (Numbers 7:84)).
“ You shall offer these besides the whole burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual whole burnt offering.”
And all these were to be offered as well as the continual daily offerings which were for a continual daily offering up to God in dedication and worship.
“ After this manner you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, of a pleasing odour to Yahweh. It shall be offered besides the continual whole burnt offering, and its drink offerings.”
So this was the way that for seven days throughout the feast of unleavened bread they should make their offerings as a pleasing odour to Yahweh, offering the food of their offering made by fire and consumed in the flames, as a pleasing odour to Yahweh. Yahweh was fed, not literally, but by the flames of their dedication. And again it is emphasised that they were additional to the continual daily offering, with its drink offerings.
“ And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no servile work.”
And like the first day, the seventh also would be a holy convocation, and no servile work of any kind was to be done on it. Thus in this period of seven days there would regularly be three days of rest, the first, the seventh and the seven day Sabbath. Peace and rest and contemplation of Him was at the heart of all that Yahweh had come to bring. For the servants among them this would be a double blessing.
We note in all this that unleavened bread is not mentioned except in the name of the feast. The concentration here is not on the Feast, but on the dedication that it represents.