Offerings from the Leaders

INTRO

You’ve made it through a whole week of finishing with Leviticus and beginning Numbers. God has a plan with names and numbers. In Numbers 6, we talked about the Nazirite vow. In Numbers 1, God raised up 12 men to count the number of males 20 years and up in each tribe as they prepared to fight in the first Israeli army. God took this Levite tribe, the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites, and the priests, Moses and Aaron, to allow Israel to experience the presence of God in the tabernacle.

TEACHING

Numbers 7:1–3: When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, along with the altar and utensils. Referring back to Exodus 40:17 gives us more details: “The tabernacle was set up in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month.” At this time, the leaders of Israel, the heads of their ancestral houses, presented an offering. They were the tribal leaders who supervised the registration (vv. 1-2). They brought six covered carts and 12 oxen, a cart from every two leaders and an ox from each and presented them in front of the tabernacle, on the east side.

Numbers 7:4–6: At God’s command, Moses accepted these offerings to be used in the work of the tent of meeting. He distributed them to the Levites according to their needs for serving the tent of meeting.

Numbers 7:7–9: Moses gave the Gershonites two carts and four oxen. The Gershonites transported the fabrics and the coverings. They needed the covered wagons and oxen to carry this stuff. Moses gave the Merarites four carts and eight oxen. They transported all the framework. They probably moved a lot more stuff, so they needed more carts and oxen. Moses didn’t give any to the Kohathites. They took care of the holy objects, and those were to be carried on their shoulders. God provided what the Levites needed to take care of the tabernacle.

Numbers 7:10–11: The leaders also presented the dedication gift for the altar when it was anointed. Each day one leader from each tribe presented his offering for the dedication of the altar. Since there were 12 tribal leaders, there were 12 days of presenting offerings.

Numbers 7:12–17: On the first day, Nahshon, son of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah, presented his offering. In Numbers 2:3, Judah was the first tribe to be assigned a place around the tabernacle. Nahshon brought one silver dish weighing three-and-one-quarter pounds and one silver basin weighing one-and-three-quarters pounds, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering (v. 13). He brought one gold bowl weighing four ounces, full of incense (v. 14); one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering (v. 15); one male goat for a sin offering (v. 16); and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old for a fellowship sacrifice (v. 17). In total, Nahshon brought 21 animals. This was only the first day of the offerings from the tribal leaders.

Numbers 7:18–83: The remaining 11 tribal leaders presented the same offerings on these days. This was the same progression Moses described in Numbers 2 as the 12 tribes were placed around the tabernacle.

• Day 2: Nethanel, the leader of Issachar, presented his offering.
• Day 3: Eliab, the leader of the Zebulunites, presented his offering.
• Day 4: Elizur, the leader of the Reubenites, presented his offering.
• Day 5: Shelumiel, the leader of the Simeonites, presented his offering.
• Day 6: Eliasaph, the leader of the Gadites, presented his offering.
• Day 7: Elishama, the leader of the Ephraimites, presented his offering.
• Day 8: Gamaliel, the leader of the Manassites, presented his offering.
• Day 9: Abidan, the leader of the Benjaminites, presented his offering.
• Day 10: Ahiezer, the leader of the Danites, presented his offering.
• Day 11: Pagiel, the leader of the Asherites, presented his offering.
• Day 12: Ahira, the leader of the Naphtalites, presented his offering.

The names were incredibly important because they indicated that God knew every Israelite’s name. In the same way, God knows the name of every believer today. Consider the support of these Scripture verses:

John 10:3: “The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” I believe God knows your name.

Luke 10:20: “However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Our names are listed in the heavenly register.

Philippians 4:3: “Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.” Our names are written in the book of life.

1 Corinthians 10:4: “and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.” That Rock is what gets us into the book of life.

In 2 Samuel 23, David listed the names of his mighty men because each was important to him.

In Romans 16, the Apostle Paul listed 26 names of people who helped him in his ministry.

Each person is important to God and to His work. If you don’t remember someone’s name, ask them. Names are important, and calling someone by their name makes them feel valued.

Numbers 7:84–88: When you take all 12 days, the dedication gifts from the Israeli leaders equaled:

12 silver basins – each weighing 1¾ pounds

12 gold bowls – each weighing 4 ounces

The total weight of the silver articles was 60 pounds, measured by the standard sanctuary shekel.

The total weight of the gold bowls was three pounds.

All the livestock for burnt offerings totaled 12 bulls, 12 rams, 12 male lambs a year old with their grain offering

12 male goats for sin offerings

All livestock for the fellowship sacrifices totaled 24 bulls, 60 rams, 60 male breeding goats, and 60 male lambs a year old. This was the dedication gift for the altar after it was anointed.

Numbers 7:89: When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the Mercy Seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim. This was how God approved of what Moses had done.

CLOSING

Mark 12:42–44 says, “And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning His disciples, He said to them, ‘I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed—all she had to live on.’”

You can never out give God. Second Corinthians 9:7 said, “Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.” I see a generous people who saw that God had gotten them to this point, and they were so grateful. In Numbers 7, I see a generous nation that said, “Yes Lord, it’s Yours.”

12 silver dishes – each weighing 3¼ pounds