Timely Sacrifice

Would you like to travel back to a different time? I started watching a tv series where a small group of people travel back in time and meet historic figures that changed their world. Of course, in meeting them they change the course of history and everything goes wrong … I have to say I gave up on the series as I got a bit frustrated with it.

If you could go to any time in history when would it be? Perhaps you might like to go back and say goodbye to a loved one because you didn’t know what was coming, perhaps you’d want to meet a hero that has inspired you and tell them to keep going as the breakthrough is just around the corner, perhaps you would like to be at an amazing event … I can think of dozens of Biblical stories that would have been incredible to witness, however, I don’t think that picking the moment in history that Numbers 7 describes would be anywhere near the top of my list.

This page talks of all the different tribes each bringing their offering and sacrifice to the tabernacle. There were silver plates and bowls laden with finest flour mixed with olive oil, gold dishes with incense, bulls, lambs, goats, oxen and rams. Each sacrifice was timely and orderly, although I can imagine it being loud, busy and messy too.

¹² The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

¹³ His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ¹⁴ one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ¹⁵ one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ¹⁶ one male goat for a sin offering; ¹⁷ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, brought his offering.

¹⁹ The offering he brought was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl …..[and so on, and on, and on!] Numbers 7: 12- …. 83

There are a few things that stood out to me from this page.

• Each tribe had to wait their turn; they didn’t fight about who was going first and who last.
• Each tribe had a day; they weren’t missed out, forgotten or considered less.
• Each tribe needed to bring a sacrifice and not just an offering; not one of them was better than the other.
• Each offering and sacrifice from each tribe was exactly the same yet the Bible records each one as if it was as equally important as the last, there was no comparison.
• The leader of each tribe brought the offering; he represented his tribe but it was attributed to his name.

You can read what you like into any of those observations … perhaps you might even be feeling the prod of Holy Spirit wanting to tackle something in you … I know I do!

These accounts got me thinking about the things I offer to GOD and my sacrifice, be it of praise and thanksgiving, worship, prayer, emotions, disappointment, repentance, difficulties, pain, suffering etc… Some of these things feel like they are the beautiful and precious like the silver and gold items but then others can be like the finest flour … pounded, crushed and reduced. Other things still have life in them when I bring them to Him and are a set to be burnt while the rest of the herd graze in peace and safety.

Sacrifice doesn’t sound like something that is neat and tidy or easy. The very language used to describe the word sacrifice is violent.

Sacrifice: (noun) an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to a deity. (verb) offer or kill as a religious sacrifice. give up (something valued) for the sake of other considerations.

I can imagine the chaos as they brought their sacrifice to the Tabernacle and my sacrifice can be similar; it can sometimes feel like a higgledy piggledy mess. I can feel like I should have this all sorted by now and it should be all wrapped up and tied with a bow, but even in my disarray GOD finds pleasure and the beautiful aroma of the pile I bring to Him.  He sees my struggle and rejoices when I put to death something that needs to die. The strength and determination to do that arrives when I look at Him instead of me. My tendency to try to neaten it, order it and somehow gain some control over it doesn’t display a dependence on Him but puts the pressure on me to perform instead. I have a feeling that brings a stench instead.

The more I look at this pile though I can actually see that it is ordered. I rarely see or understand the order in which I come to present myself to GOD, but He knows, He understands what needs to happen and when, and He brings to the surface everything in the right time. He knows what I am now, what I have been and what I will be. He knows what needs to be offered to Him and in what order to become who He has made me to be. He knows what needs to be offered or sacrificed for this day.

I know that lots of Christians would struggle with my imagery from Harry Potter in my Bible (but please stick with me!). The time turner in the books and films allow the future to be written. The characters use the time turner to travel back in time in order to change the future.

I think of some of the things GOD calls me to sacrifice as that kind of instrument spinning back and forth. I need to go back, standing in the position I am in now, in order to change my future. If I don’t deal with the stuff that I carry from back then, in the now, in terms of offering or sacrifice, I may never step fully into my future.

There really is a time for everything and a season for everything under the heavens (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Understanding that there is a time for everything makes today and those days in Numbers 7 important. This account of offering and sacrifice can be meditated on for our present lives. Today, as we bring our offerings and sacrifices of the things that are past, be them silver and gold or unruly and stubborn, we can expect to see the change in our future.

I am certain that as we listen to Him and follow His leading we will be able to make our timely sacrifices. As I write this, I’m praying that you see the beauty in your offerings to Him and know the pleasure He takes in a freely given sacrifice … no matter how messy.

Katy 😉