The Expositor's Bible: The Book of NumbersWatson, Robert A. (Robert Alexander)
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Numbers
Watson, Robert A. (Robert Alexander)
Bible. Numbers -- Commentaries
The special oblations to be presented on the Sabbath were added to
those of the other days of the week. Two lambs of the first year in
the morning and two in the evening were to be offered with their
appropriate meal and drink offerings. It may be noted that in Ezekiel
where the Sabbath ordinances are detailed the sacrifices are more
numerous. After declaring that the eastern gate of the inner court
of the temple, which is to be shut on the six working days, shall be
opened on the Sabbath and in the day of the new moon, the prophet
goes on to say that the prince, as representing the people, shall
offer unto the Lord in the Sabbath day six lambs without blemish and
a ram without blemish. In the legislation of Numbers, however, the
higher consecration of the Sabbath as compared with the other days
of the week did not require so great a difference as Ezekiel saw it
needful to make. And, indeed, the law of Sabbath observance assumes
in Ezekiel an importance on various grounds which passes beyond the
high distinction given it in the Pentateuch. Again and again in
chapter xx. the prophet declares that one of the great sins of which
the Israelites were guilty in the wilderness was that of polluting
the Sabbath which God had given to be a sign between Himself and
them. The keeping holy of the seventh day had become one of the chief
safeguards of religion, and for this reason Ezekiel was moved to
prescribe additional sacrifices for that day.
We find as we go on that the week of seven days, ended by the recurring
day of rest, is an element in the regulations for all the great feasts.
Unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven days. Seven weeks were then
to be counted to the day of the firstfruits and the feast of weeks.
The feast of tabernacles, again, ran for seven days and ended on the
eighth with a solemn assembly. The whole ritual was in this way made to
emphasise the division of time based on the fourth commandment.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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