Numbers 29:14, commentary and pictures

Numbers 29:14 prescribes the grain offering that accompanied the burnt offerings, flour mixed with oil at three tenth-deals for each of the thirteen bullocks and two tenth-deals for each of the two rams. It belongs to the offerings commanded for the Feast of Tabernacles beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, with daily offerings through its seven days and holy convocations without servile work at its opening and close. That feast was Israel's great seven-day thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and remembrance of the wilderness wandering, in which all were to rejoice before God. It was typical of God's great harvest home when the pilgrims to Zion wander no more and the ingathering has taken place. As part of the appointed additional offerings of the yearly round, this work belonged to the continual daily ministration in the holy place by the Levitical priesthood, which serves unto the example and shadow of a like work in heaven.

Feast Setting and Wording

The grain offering of the verse accompanied the burnt offerings and consisted of flour mingled with oil, with three tenth-deals appointed for every bullock of the thirteen bullocks and two tenth-deals for each ram of the two rams.
It belongs to the offerings commanded for the Feast of Tabernacles, which begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.
That feast opens with the sixth annual sabbath and closes with the seventh annual sabbath on the twenty-second day of the same month, both days being holy convocations on which servile work was forbidden.
The verse gives part of the various kinds of offerings brought to the Lord on those sabbaths and on the intervening days of the feast.

It is part of the instructions for the daily offerings during the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, in which its flour-and-oil grain offerings accompanied the animal sacrifices.
The verse also belongs to the account of the offerings for the tenth day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement.
It stands in the list in Numbers 29 showing the great number of burnt offerings sacrificed.
Since there was a drink-offering for every burnt offering, that great number explains why wine is mentioned so often in connection with the sanctuary service.

Sanctuary Service and Shadow

The verse belongs to the appointed additional offerings for Israel's annual feasts, which formed part of the regular yearly ministration of the earthly sanctuary alongside the daily offerings, the Sabbath and new-moon offerings, and the individual offerings. It specifies the flour mingled with oil to accompany each bull and each ram, and these feast offerings were among the regular services performed at the sanctuary during the year alongside daily, weekly, and other yearly offerings. It is included among the special offerings appointed for annual Sabbaths and feasts in the regular priestly service of the earthly sanctuary.

This additional service appointed for the annual feasts belongs to the regular cycle of daily ministration rather than to the yearly cleansing in the most holy place. It belongs to the first grand division of the earthly sanctuary ministration, the daily service in the holy place carried on continually by the priests together with the regular morning and evening burnt offering, the burning of sweet incense, and the particular offerings for individuals. This additional work appointed for the Sabbaths of the Lord, the annual sabbaths, new moons, and feasts was accomplished by the Levitical order of priesthood, which serves unto the example and shadow of a like work in heaven.

The verse shows part of the continual service ordained by God, in which the morning and evening sacrifices offered for the whole congregation every day of the year, never omitted because of any other offerings, are about sixteen times in Numbers 28 and 29 called the continual burnt offering. Before Christ's first advent nothing pertaining to sin and its cleansing lacked its solution in and through the wilderness sanctuary, and to accomplish this its services were continual, including the showbread, the lamps, the incense, and the high priest bearing judgment continually. The continual in Daniel 8 comprehends the entire service of the earthly sanctuary, and since the earthly sanctuary with all its appointments and services is a type or figure of the heavenly sanctuary which is its pattern, the term continual applies with equal force to the sanctuary above. The entire force of that prophecy applies there because the earthly sanctuary and priesthood had ended before the power in Daniel 8 began its work.

The flour-and-oil grain offerings that accompanied the animal sacrifices in the instructions for daily offerings during the Feast of Tabernacles were typical of Christ. Their presence on feast days did not make every day a Sabbath or make the weekly Sabbath a shadow. The verse also belongs to the account of offerings for the tenth day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement, specifying three-tenths of an ephah for each bull and two-tenths for each ram to accompany the burnt offerings. The account does not say whether these offerings were made before or after the high priest's work in the most holy place, so their order cannot establish that they preceded the sanctuary's cleansing. As the seasonal types fulfilled at Christ's first advent show that accompanying offerings did not prevent the main event from beginning on the type's appointed day, the antitypical Day of Atonement work began at its appointed time though it could continue afterward.

Thanksgiving and Final Harvest

The Feast of Tabernacles to which the grain offering belongs, beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, was the great thanksgiving feast of Israel and the first national thanksgiving day. It was kept seven days as a time to rejoice before God with son and daughter, manservant and maidservant, Levite and stranger, fatherless and widow. It commemorated the wanderings in the wilderness and gave thanksgiving to God for the fruits of the earth.

It was typical of the great harvest home of God, when the weary pilgrims to Zion will wander no more and the ingathering of God will have taken place. On every seventh year the law was read at this feast, and this national feast was really the feast of the church, for the nation was the church. The wine of the drink-offerings connected with these many burnt offerings was always poured out upon the burnt offerings and was not drunk freely by priests and worshipers.