Seeing It Is The First Step To Understanding It

On the seventh day of the festival, sacrifice seven young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one-year-old male lambs, all with no defects. Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering. You must also sacrifice one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering. [Numbers 29.32-34]

On the Festival of Shelters there is an interesting use of numbers. I should first point out that I have no idea what these numbers all mean...

On the first day of the festival, you must present a burnt offering as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It will consist of thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one-year-old male lambs, all with no defects. Each of these offerings must be accompanied by a grain offering of choice flour moistened with olive oil—six quarts for each of the thirteen bulls, four quarts for each of the two rams, and two quarts for each of the fourteen lambs. You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering. [Numbers 29.13-16]

While the first day of this Festival of Shelters sets a precedent for the quantities of rams, male lambs, and grain offerings moistened with olive oil used in the burnt offering, the quantity of young bulls decreases each subsequent day of the festival. It should be noted that the quantity of young bulls begins at thirteen.

On day seven, all the quantities remain the same except for the number of young bulls. On that seventh day, the quantity of young bulls included in the burnt offering matches the number of the day.

It should be pointed out that, in addition to the burnt offering every day, a sin offering is prescribed that also remains consistent at a single male goat.

Interestingly enough, this seven-day festival includes an eighth day.

On the eighth day of the festival, proclaim another holy day. You must do no ordinary work on that day. You must present a burnt offering as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It will consist of one young bull, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all with no defects. Each of these offerings must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and liquid offering. You must also sacrifice one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and liquid offering. [Numbers 29.35-38]

On this anomalous eighth day of a seven-day festival, the number of young bulls inconsistently drops to only one. Likewise, the number of rams and one year old male lambs inconsistently both decrease by fifty percent (one-half their previously consistent quantity). The accompanying grain and liquid offerings remain proportionate to the sacrificial animals.

The one requirement that remains consistent all the way through this festival is the quantity of one male goat for a sin offering.

I believe there must be some mathematical formula demonstrated in the quantities of young bulls, rams, and one year old male lambs that points to Jesus (the "countdown" of young bulls sets my mind to this supposition). The number "thirteen" as the beginning of the "countdown" is intriguing. Then, to jump from "seven" to "one" is also intriguing - I can only suppose that quantity of "one" refers to the singularity of Christ as the only way to God.

Then, the one consistent offering made on all eight days is the sin offering. For all the unknowns of the other offerings, it should come as no surprise to God's people that the sin offering remains consistent because it is the one thing that man remains needful of - from Old Testament times to New Testament times. Jesus' message to repent and believe bears this out. Faith in God through Christ is a daily matter and so is repentance.

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” [Mark 1.15]

Even though I don't really understand all that I am seeing, I am thankful that at least I am seeing it. Seeing it is the first step to understanding it.

Father, thank You for the way You have provided Your Word to us. Thank You that You have hidden the meaning of Your Word to the world so that knowledge is not only commensurate with reading Your Word, but most importantly, that revelation is also commensurate with reading Your Word ...and builds faith. Regardless the level of knowledge and revelation, may Your genuine followers never lose sight of the obvious inescapable need for daily repentance in their journey of faith. Help us first to "see it" then occupy the rest of our lives understanding it - and living it out. So be it.