Numbers 7 Commentary

Introduction

Do you think the Numbers chapter 7 is very monotonic? Yes, it might be boring to read but it points to perfection. The lifestyle of the true Christians may also appear boring: they're not dancing, drinking alcohol, watching the TV, but instead, they're raising up large families, singing spiritual hymns and so on. Numbers 7 points to Christ, but it also points to the end of the world as well. That's what we'll find out here.

Let's pick some important points out of the text, such as "each prince on his day" (v.11). However, before proceeding let's start off from reading what is written of Anna (Luke.2:36). She was Fourscore and four years old, that is, 84 years. 84 years is 7*12 years. She was from the tribe of Asher; which was the 11th tribe listed in Numbers 7:

The eleventh day

72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered: (Num.7:72)

36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. (Luke.2, KJV)

Please note that Anna was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser (Asher). Beware, this is the 11th day in the Numbers chapter 7! Please find Asher from the text itself.

The twelfth day

What would be the 12th day? Numbers 7 mentions Naphtali as the 12th tribe. It's near the day Jesus started his public ministry:

12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matt.4, KJV)

There you see that the people of Naphtali saw the great light. Jesus was the perfect offering - and this is exactly where Numbers Chapter 7 points to! Jesus Himself was the great light!

End of the world

Numbers 7 points to the end time as well. It points straight to the end of the world. First, Numbers 7 has the same order of groups as has been mentioned in Numbers chapter 2. They look like what we can see below:

the tribe of Judah
prince of Issachar
prince of the children of Zebulun

prince of the children of Reuben
prince of the children of Simeon
prince of the children of Gad

prince of the children of Ephraim
prince of the children of Manasseh
prince of the children of Benjamin

prince of the children of Dan
prince of the children of Asher
prince of the children of Naphtali

Tribe of Judah also signifies Christ. He's leading this group, as well as all the others, as it's announced in Numbers chapter 2. The others follow up.

Let's pick a few verses that are repeating in this chapter:

30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer:

31 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

32 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:

33 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:

34 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:

35 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

You read the silver charger weights always 130 shekels, a silver bowl 70 shekels; one golden spoon always 10 shekels. This is an important point. The apostolic faith has doctrines and teachings that never change until the end of the world! They didn't bring silver chargers weighing 25 shekels nor silver bowls weighing 10 shekels!

Never-changing doctrine

This is for certain: no women pastors, no gay marriages, no ladies wearing makeup, no earrings have ever been accepted! The pure apostolic faith contains no new elements to what was witnessed in the early church. Today, people are bringing no silver chargers, and silver bowls weighting only 1-2 shekels on average! Or rather, no silver nor gold at all, but promises that they'll bring in some in the future.

The good news is that there is still a church that has kept the apostolic instructions and is still bringing in the perfect amount of gifts. They're following the apostolic dotrines and teachings unchanged. However, if your church has accepted women pastors be sure it's only a theatre. Similarly, if your church accepts outward adornments, such as makeup and earrings, be sure that the early church had an opposite view of yours! Should you consider contraception, be sure that the early church fathers considered it worse than a murder.

Posted September the 3rd, 2018. biblenanalyses.com texts are all public domain free for all to copy and utilize.