March 8th

Numbers 27:1-29:40

The Lord gave instructions regarding the laws of inheritance or property rights, after the daughters of Zelophehad petitioned Moses for land in Canaan. Also Joshua was commissioned by the people to follow Moses as the new leader of the nation. Then, God gave His statutes regarding the required offerings for each day, each Sabbath, each month, and each of the festivals.

As I read today, I was dumbfounded by all of the animals that were sacrificed in these fixed offerings. Just for the daily offering alone, two lambs were sacrificed, which means that for a given year over 700 lambs were slaughtered. Every Sabbath day, two more lambs were to be offered, which means 114 lambs for the year. Then, each month, two bulls, one ram, and seven lambs were to be sacrificed, for a total of 120 animals for the year. Altogether then, nearly 1000 animals were offered annually.

For the festivals, I counted 21 rams, 79 bulls, and 144 lambs to be sacrificed. All said, just for festivals, the required sacrifices totaled 1178 animals; and, of course, this number does not include offerings and sacrifices given by individuals, families, tribes, etc., for sins, intentional and unintentional, and for other reasons. It’s a wonder that the Israelites did not run out of animals!

It would be an understatement to say that the priests and Levites were busy, constantly killing, carving, or cooking an animal, around the clock perhaps. The altar would have been in use at all times, because the sacrifices were endless. Considering these things makes me thankful that we do not use the sacrificial system anymore, but that it was replaced by the blood of Jesus. Because of His sinless sacrifice on the cross, all was finished. The system is now and will always be unnecessary!

Daily Reflection

Another thing that struck me today was that the people of God were constantly making offerings to the Lord, sacrificing something in His name. How would that relate to you today? What do you have to offer to the Lord?

Paul wrote “to present your body as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1). What do you think Paul meant by a living sacrifice? Isn’t that impossible?

There is nothing you have to do to become acceptable. Because of Christ, you are acceptable to God. All you need to do now is surrender all that you have, all that you do, and all that you are to be used by Him for His service. Are you willing to be an offering to Him?

BiAY.org | Daily Reflections Day 67 — 298 Days to Go