Having examined the profound
meaning of the command to be careful to offer to the Lord the food for His
offerings, let us now examine the appointed times which one is required to
offer to the Lord the food for His offerings whether they are current or
obsolete.
1.
Daily
offerings
The command Moses was given to give
to the children of Israel was;” This is the offering made by fire which you
shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs in their first year without blemish,
day by day, as a regular burnt offering. The one lamb you shall offer in the
morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening” (Numbers 28:3-4).
As one can clearly see, the
rationale for this regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai it
was for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. The term sweet
smelling aroma is an acceptable sacrifice that is well pleasing to God and made
by fire denotes “with zeal.” In our New Testament dispensation this sweet
smelling aroma that is well pleasing to God is Jesus Christ as we have been
duly instructed saying; “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and
given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling
aroma” (Ephesians 5:2).
Now according to King David‘s
last words the Levites (priests) were to stand every morning to thank and
praise the LORD, and likewise at evening; and the rationale is; “It is good to
give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To
declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night”
(1 Chronicles 23:30; Psalms 92 2).
But the pertinent question is,
the status of this command is it current or obsolete in our New Testament
dispensation?
Well according to biblical record
of the early church we read the following, “So continuing daily with one accord
in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with
gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the
people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved”
(Acts 2:46-47).
Now with reference to the
breaking of bread the apostle Paul admonished us by saying; “Therefore, my
beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for your-selves what
I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood
of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of
Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of
that one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:14-17).
One can conclude therefore that,
the regular or daily breaking of bread by the church is not obsolete and it is
relevant to us today as it was in the early church.
2.
Sabbath
offerings
The food for the Lord’s offerings
is for every Sabbath and it is besides or in addition to that of the regular
daily offering, for we have been duly instructed saying; “this is the burnt
offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink
offering” (Numbers 28:10).
Furthermore, offering the Lord
the food for His offerings is the main reason for having a holy convocation,
for we have been duly instructed saying; “These are the feasts of the LORD
which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt
offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on
its day ---
Offering the Lord the food for
His offerings is besides or in addition to observing the Sabbaths of the LORD,
besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings
which you give to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:37-38).
Here again we come to the
pertinent question, is this practice relevant or has it been made obsolete? Let
us again allow the apostle Paul to clarify this matter and this is the
admonition he gave; “For first of all, when you come together as a church, I
hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there
must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized
among you.’
“Therefore when you come together
in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes
his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What!
Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God
and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you
in this? I do not praise you” (1Corinthians 11:18-22).
But after chastising and rebuking
the church for their improper use of the Lord’s supper the apostle Paul reiterated
the terms of the New Covenant and said to them; “Therefore, my brethren, when
you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let
him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set
in order when I come” (1Corinthians 11:33-34).
Here again one can conclude that
the practice of partaking of the Lord’s supper when we come together as a
church was a practice of the early new testament church and therefore, is still
relevant and is not obsolete and this is applicable not only to the weekly
Sabbath but to the annual Sabbaths as well thus ascribing to the Lord the glory
due to His name by commemorating what the Lord did for humanity on that
particular day.
3.
Monthly
offerings
'The biblical admonition for this
monthly offering is; “At the beginnings of your months you shall present a
burnt offering to the LORD:; this
is the burnt offering for each month throughout the months of the year”
(Numbers 28:11,14).
This monthly offering is every
New Moon and the rationale for this offering is to commemorate the beginning of
a new month. And so, the relevant question is, is this practice relevant or is
it obsolete? The logical answer to this question is simply this, The Lord God; who
instructed Moses is the same Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever
and this is what He says regarding the future.
He says; “For as the new heavens
and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me," says the
LORD, "So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come
to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all
flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD” (Isaiah 66:22-23).
And so, the logical question is,
since this was a requirement in the past and will be a requirement in the
future why should it not be relevant and a requirement for today?
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Truly these times of ignorance God has overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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