Read Numbers 7:1–88
Questions from the Scripture text: To what time, a month before chapters 1–6, does Numbers 7:1 now take us (cf. Exodus 40:1, Exodus 40:17)? What had Moses finished? What did he do to it? Then who brought something near (Numbers 7:2)? What did they bring near in total (Numbers 7:3)? How did this divide up? Where did they bring them near? Who spoke to whom in Numbers 7:4? What was Moses to do (Numbers 7:5)? For what use? Given to whom? What summary of this does Numbers 7:6 give? What does Moses give to whom in Numbers 7:7? What does he give to whom in Numbers 7:8? To be used under whose authority? Whom doesn’t he give anything (Numbers 7:9)? Why don’t they need oxen or carts? What else did the leaders bring near (Numbers 7:10)? In dedication of what? Who had commanded this (Numbers 7:11)? Who offered on the first day (Numbers 7:12)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:13? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:14? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:15? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:16? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:17? Who offered on the second day (Numbers 7:18)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:19? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:20? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:21? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:22? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:23? Who offered on the third day (Who offered on the third day (Numbers 7:24)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:25? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:26? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:27? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:28? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:29? Who offered on the fourth day (Numbers 7:30)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:31? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:32? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:33? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:34? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:35? Who offered on the fifth day (Numbers 7:36)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:37? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:38? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:39? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:40? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:41? Who offered on the sixth day (Numbers 7:42)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:43? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:44? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:45? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:46? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:47? Who offered on the seventh day (Numbers 7:48)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:49? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:50? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:51? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:52? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:53? Who offered on the eighth day (Numbers 7:54)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:55? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:56? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:57? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:58? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:59? Who offered on the ninth day (Numbers 7:60)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:61? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:62? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:63? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:64? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:65? Who offered on the tenth day (Numbers 7:66)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:67? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:68? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:69? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:70? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:71? Who offered on the eleventh day (Numbers 7:72)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:73? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:74? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:75? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:76? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:77? Who offered on the twelfth day (Numbers 7:78)? Son of whom? From what tribe? What two things did he bring near in Numbers 7:79? Of what weight? Filled with what? What in Numbers 7:80? Of what weight? Filled with what? What three things for an ascension in Numbers 7:81? What for a sin offering in Numbers 7:82? What seventeen animals for the peace in Numbers 7:83? What did this bring the totals to in Numbers 7:84-88?
How does the Scripture prepare us to hear about departure from Sinai (chapters 9–10)? Numbers 7 prepares us for the evening sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these eighty-eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, Scripture prepares us to hear about departure from Sinai by reemphasizing the preparation of the tabernacle service.
The tabernacle service consecrated. The repetition of the consecration of the tabernacle actually takes us back to Exodus and Leviticus. Numbers 7:1 is a month before Numbers 1:1, and the event that it mentions took place in Exodus 40:1, Exodus 40:17. It is good for us to remember that the Lord has consecrated the tabernacle service, through which He brings His people near and communicates His blessing.
The tabernacle transportation supplied. It also prepares us for Numbers 7:2, which almost certainly occurs after chapters 3–4. Bringing near (“offering,” NKJ) is the primary idea in the chapter. By their bringing near, the people of Israel are employed by God to furnish the carts and oxen for those Levites who were permitted their use for transport (Numbers 7:2-8). Of course, the Kohathites must not use these things (Numbers 7:9).
The tabernacle service furnished. Then, there is the bulk of the chapter: a bringing-near (“offering”) by which Israel are employed by God to furnish silver and gold articles for the tabernacle service, in addition to the tribute, the ascension, the sin, and the peace.
Leadership. In the giving of the contribution, YHWH highlights the importance of leadership under His authority. It was YHWH Who insisted upon the leaders bringing the offerings in behalf of each tribe (Numbers 7:11). Each leader is named, and his father named, in connection with his tribe.
Tribal identity and cooperation. YHYH also emphasizes each tribe’s distinctiveness, giving each its own day. The phrase in the middle of the English of Numbers 7:11 literally reads, “one leader, one day; one leader, one day.” It is a way of saying “one leader each day,” and it is emphatic about the individuality of each day. Each particular tribe, and therefore each particular Israelite, is thus encouraged to take ownership of and identify with the offering that is on his behalf. Each would have not only its own offering and its own leader but its own day of bringing it near. (Additionally, this would make the ceremony take quite a while).
Individual contribution. It seems improbable that any tribe’s single leader could afford to give so much by himself. So, the collection of the particular tribe for its particular day would then involve each particular Israelite giving whatever his portion was to help the tribe’s part in it. Thus, each one, according to his capacity, would have a vested interest in the tabernacle and its service. He would know that God wasn’t only bringing the people near generally, and his own tribe near specifically, but even he himself personally.
Cumulative effect. Numbers 7:84-88 finally give us the great summary of the tremendous provision that God has made for His worship, through His people. But it does so only after the repetitive description of the previous 72 verses. As we have seen, there was even implied there how each individual would have contributed his own share.
There are many things that are small by themselves but have a tremendous cumulative effect, instrumentally, under the providence and design of God: daily secret worship, meditation upon the word, the training of a child, weekly worship on the Lord’s Day, each individual’s heart/voice in that worship, the weekly stirring one another up to love and good deeds, households in a congregation, congregations in a nation.
There are so many ways in which God takes persistent, conscientious, contributions by His people that are individually small and accumulates them into something great that He is doing. No service under the Lord of history is lost in His work in that history of redemption. Truly, it’s greatest value is in glorifying Him in His Son, in union with Whom alone any good work can ever be done. But even in terms of His work in the earth, it all participates in the whole of His work. Take heart, dear saint, as you live in Him and unto Him and under Him!
Getting ready to depart. With the furnishing of the tabernacle established, there is only the specific arrangement of the lampstand (Numbers 7:89–8:4) and the consecration of the Levites to their service under the sons of Aaron (Numbers 8:5–26). Then, we will be ready for the events and instructions attending the departure from Sinai (chapters 9–10). This contribution begins that housekeeping, having taken us back to Exodus 40 and reminded us that the greatest thing about this nation that is about to go on the march is not where they have come from or where they are going, but Who tabernacles in the midst of them!
What do you do, day by day, that seems small in your life? What are your contributions to the public worship of God? Why are none of these actually small? What is the greatest thing about the church?
Sample prayer: Lord, we thank You that You have made Your dwelling with us in Christ. And we thank You for giving to each of us a part in what You are doing in the whole of redemption. Please help those leaders that You have placed over us on the earth. And thank You for giving to us Christ to be our Tabernacle, our Priest, and our King in glory. Hear us, and help us, we ask through Him, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP110B “The LORD Has Spoken to My Lord?” or TPH131B “Not Haughty Is My Heart”
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