In their cooperating with God for His service, the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel offered twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, and twelve gold cups full of incense (vv. 84-86), signifying Christ in His redemption (silver) and His divine nature (gold) as a fragrant satisfaction (incense) to God. Because the offerers were sinful, in their coordinating with God they also offered twelve oxen, twelve rams, twelve lambs a year old, and their meal offering for the burnt offering; twelve male goats for a sin offering; and twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old for the peace offering (vv. 87-88). These offerings signify Christ as our sin offering to redeem us from sin, Christ as our burnt offering for our living to God, and Christ as our peace offering, through which we and God enjoy Christ mutually in peace. All these offerings were for the worship of God, signifying that in order to worship God, we must offer ourselves to Him; then we must offer Christ as our sin offering, burnt offering, and peace offering so that we and God may enjoy Christ in mutuality and be satisfied with Him.

Twelve is the number of absolute perfection and eternal completion in God’s administration (see note Rev. 21:12², note Rev. 21:16^2b, and note Rev. 21:17¹). The offerings were offered by the twelve tribes in twelve days, and the number of the sacrifices was twelve multiplied either by one (twelve), two (twenty-four), or five (sixty), signifying that the offering time, the offering people, and the offerings were absolutely perfect and eternally complete in God’s administration.

The offering of six wagons and twelve oxen was for the transporting of the tabernacle (not including its furnishings — v. 9) and the altar (vv. 7-8), and it was to match God’s move in His dwelling place on the earth. According to His New Testament economy, God will not move, act, or do anything by Himself. He needs man’s cooperation and coordination. In Numbers the omnipotent God moved in a portable home in wagons drawn by oxen. Similarly, today God needs His people to offer themselves to Him as the means for His move.

The anointing oil, a compound of olive oil and four spices, typifies the compound, all-inclusive Spirit as the consummation of the processed Triune God, who includes Christ’s divinity, humanity, incarnation, human living, death, resurrection, and ascension (Exo. 30:23-25 and note Exo. 30:25¹). Hence, to anoint signifies to apply the processed and consummated Triune God with all His elements and processes as a whole to the object of the anointing, thus making this object absolutely one with the compounded, consummated God. For us to be anointed (2 Cor. 1:21) means that the processed Triune God is put into us and upon us and even mingled with us to make us God-men, those who are one with God. See note Exo. 30:26^1a.

Or, He (Jehovah) spoke to him (Moses).