Twenty-eight combines 4 and 7, the two chief characters of perfection after 3, the earthly and manifest with the heavenly and mystical.
The 10 linen curtains which form the "tabernacle" (Ex. 26:1) are each 28 cubits long, and these with their decorations express Christ in His glories the perfect display of the heavenly and earthly, the mystery of godliness and God manifest in flesh.
The "wave offering" is named 28 times; it is only spoken of in Ex., Lev. and Num, and our Version does not always insert the word "wave."
Also, the "heave offering" is 28 times mentioned in its sacrificial character in Ex., Lev., Num., and Deut, besides a general usage (as Ex. 25:2) where the word "heave" does not appear.
Ex., Lev. and Num. alone use the "tenth deal" and on 28 occasions.
The "shittah," or shittim, wood is named 28 times (including Isa. 41:19, Deut. 10:3 and 26 times in Ex.
There is a peculiar 28 in Eccl. 3. The number of "times" there described is 28. What is the intention of this list? Is it a complete sketch, mystical yet manifest, of the life of man, these being the enumerated times "to every purpose under the heaven"? Possibly another 28 of Scripture may have a link with this and assist to see its value. It is humiliating, but there is only one animal in Scripture which is used to represent man and that animal is the ass. Indeed it is an emphatic declaration in Job 11:12 that man is "born a wild ass's colt" (the word "like" is in italics and should not be there). Also, Ex. 13:13 classes the firstborn of man and the firstling of an ass together, even the ass must be redeemed with a lamb, or it must go into judgment itself and its neck be broken. But the striking fact is that there are 28 asses in Scripture which are separately spoken of. They include the 11 of Jacob's sons which are individualized in Gen. 44:13 ("and laded every man his ass"). And it is this 28 which bears some strong resemblance to the 28 "times" of Eccl. 3 so far as the prominent circumstances connected with each ass may correspond with a time. The following list may show the resemblance:
1. Balaam's ass (Num. 22:21)—"a time to speak."
2. Achsah's (Josh. 15:18)—"a time to get" when she lighted off her ass to make request, and obtained it.
3. Samson's jawbone of an ass (Judg. 15:15)—"a time of war" when he slew with it a thousand men.
4. The Levite's ass (Judg. 19:28)—"a time to keep silence" when "none answered," and he took his
concubine's body away on an ass and dividing it, sent a desperate silent message through Israel.
5. Abigail's first ass—"a time of peace" (1 Sam. 25:20), when she met David and made peace for
Nabal.
6. Her second ass—"a time to love" (1 Sam. 25:42) when she again went on an ass to David and
became his wife.
7. Ahithophel's—"a time to die" (2 Sam. 17:23) when he saddled his ass and went and hanged himself.
8. Ass of the man of God from Judah—"a time to kill" (1 Kings 13:13), when as he rode a lion met
him and killed him.
9. The old prophet's ass—"a time to mourn" (1 Kings 13:28), when he went after the man of God from
Judah, brought his body on his ass back to the city "to mourn and bury him."
10. Shunamite's ass—"a time to heal" (2 Kings 4:24) when she rode to Elisha who came and restored
her son.
11 to 21. The eleven of Jacob's sons, which it may be less easy to characterize separately and compare
with the "times" of Eccl. 3.
22. Mephibosheth's ass "a time to embrace" (2 Sam. 19:26) when he would go to salute David.
23. Shimei's ass (1 Kings 2:40).
24. Jesse's ass (1 Sam. 16:20)
25. Moses's ass—"a time to weep" (Ex. 4:20), when at the inn, the Lord required the circumcision.
26. Abraham's ass (Gen. 22:3)
27. The ass in Matt. 21:5.
28. The young ass, its foal.
Ex. 34:20 repeats Ch. 13 in classing the firstborn of man with the firstling of an ass. Nothing less than judgment in death could bring such a being suitably to God.