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I see God in a different way in my old age than I did when I was younger. This entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is about God and His Son, not about people. It’s all about the Messiah.
“Now on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it with all its furnishings and the altar and all its utensils; he anointed them and consecrated them also.” (Numbers 7:1 NASB)
This happened right after the LORD said this:
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.'” (Exodus 40:1–2 NASB)
The book of Numbers is not in chronological order. The topics are what’s important, not the chronology.
Each tribal leader had a different job and function based on how they were placed around the tabernacle. Even the tribe of Levi were divided by clan around the tabernacle. The LORD had planned from the beginning for the tribe of Levi to be sprinkled throughout the land of Israel.
We have these 12 tribal leaders or “princes,” who we have met before, bringing their offerings one day at a time, over the course of 12 days. Each of these princes had to come before the Tabernacle of Appointments and present themselves. They aren’t there to stand guard but they were there to get their anointing from the Lord. They had to go through a ceremonial pattern in order to be “ordained” to the job God was calling them to do. Every prince accepted their anointing. They gave the gifts they were appointed to give and they accepted the call that God was placing on their lives.
“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Let them present their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.'” (Numbers 7:11 NASB)
The Bible spends the most time talking about Jacob and his sons, not about Abraham and his sons or Isaac and his sons. Abraham was a much greater man than Jacob and Isaac was a greater man than Jacob yet it was Jacob and every one of his sons who became the tribe called by God’s name. One of the titles that God gave Himself is “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Each of these men, these princes, were required to come on their particular day and present their offering. We don’t know what day this process started on but that is not what matters here. The first prince to present an offering was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah and they presented themselves to God one day at a time according to their encampment around the tabernacle. The names listed here are son, father, tribe while previously, it was tribe, son, father.
All the names listed here are a play on words that teach us about God’s love and the Messiah’s sacrifice.
What did these men offer up?
“This was the dedication offering for the altar from the leaders of Israel when it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, twelve gold pans, each silver dish weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and each bowl seventy; all the silver of the utensils was 2,400 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; the twelve gold pans, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the pans 120 shekels; all the oxen for the burnt offering twelve bulls, all the rams twelve, the male lambs one year old with their grain offering twelve, and the male goats for a sin offering twelve; and all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings 24 bulls, all the rams 60, the male goats 60, the male lambs one year old 60. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.” (Numbers 7:84–88 NASB)
They gave God exactly what He commanded them to give. These gifts were not random. They gave these gifts for a reason. The bull is strength, the ram is power, the lamb is humility. The goat is the covering for sin. The shalom offering is the offering that shows that you are in a place of favor with God. You are safe with Him. These offerings are so awesome, He provided everything we needed, even the offerings that we give to Him. He gives us the gifts we give to Him.
Reader: Jeff. Speaker: Richard Agee. Summary: Tammy.