Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
Exodus 29:38 commands a continual burnt offering day by day of two lambs of the first year, one in the morning and one in the evening, each burned upon the outer altar with its meat-offering. The lambs had to be without blemish because only a perfect offering could represent the Saviour who would die for human sin as the Lamb of God without blemish and without spot. The daily service symbolized the nation's daily consecration to God and constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ, through whom alone sinners may approach God and mercy and salvation are granted to the repentant, believing soul. This continual morning and evening offering provides the pattern for regular morning and evening worship of prayer and praise in the home, where the father serves as priest leading the family in supplication and thanksgiving. Those appointed hours became the set time for worship throughout the nation, when worshipers united in searching of heart and confession of sin so their petitions ascended with the incense of perpetual intercession.
The Daily Sacrifice
The command appoints a burnt offering to be maintained continually day by day, consisting of two lambs of the first year. One lamb is for the morning and the other for the evening, as the following verse assigns them. The full provision in Exodus 29:38-42 describes this daily morning and evening offering of a lamb upon the altar. Each year-old lamb is burned upon the altar together with its appropriate meat-offering.
The burning takes place on the altar in the court without, standing before the holy place. That outer altar is an altar of continual atonement, while the altar before the veil inside is an altar of perpetual intercession. The two acts coincide in time, for every morning and evening while the lamb is offered without, the priests enter the holy place to offer incense.
What the Lambs Foreshadowed
The morning and evening burning of the year-old lambs was the nation's daily consecration to God and its constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ. The lamb represented the Saviour's death, meaning that He Himself, as the Lamb of God, would die for human sin. Each animal had to be without blemish, with every lamb examined and any with defect rejected, because only an offering without blemish could symbolize His perfect purity who was to offer Himself as a lamb without blemish and without spot.
By blood and by incense God was to be approached, with the altar outside standing as an altar of continual atonement and the altar before the veil as an altar of perpetual intercession. Both point to Christ the great Mediator, through whom sinners may approach God and through whom alone mercy and salvation are granted to the repentant, believing soul. Faith lays hold upon the merits of the promised Saviour prefigured by the atoning sacrifice, as petitions ascend with the cloud of incense.
The morning and evening lamb sacrifices continued while Jesus, the antitypical Lamb they prefigured, lay slain in the tomb, and His death fulfilled their symbolism. The sacrifices also illustrate what followers of Christ are to become, that they present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. This means giving themselves to His service and seeking to make the offering as nearly perfect as possible, since God will not be pleased with anything less than the best they can offer. Those who love Him with all the heart will desire to give Him the best service of the life and constantly seek to bring every power of their being into harmony with the laws that promote their ability to do His will.
Pattern for Daily Worship
The continual offering of two year-old lambs day by day upon the altar establishes the pattern for regular morning and evening worship of prayer and praise in the home. The two lambs were offered each day, one in the morning and one in the evening, and the household is to keep morning and evening worship after that order. In that worship the father serves as priest of the home, leading the family and laying the offering upon God's altar, while the wife and children join him in prayer and praise. He presents the family to God in prayer and praise, and the wife and children unite with him in lifting up hearts to God.
That daily worship lifts hearts to God in humble supplication for parents and children and in thanksgiving for His mercies. Where it is kept every house becomes a house of prayer after the pattern of the patriarchs who erected an altar to the Lord wherever they pitched their tent. Jesus is present with such a household and loves to tarry there. Abraham's morning and evening sacrifices made his altar a public witness, so that even after he moved his tent the altar remained and those who found it could recognize that he had worshiped the living God there.
The appointed morning and evening hours became the set time for worship throughout the nation. At that sacred hour of intense interest worshipers assembled at the tabernacle engaged in earnest searching of heart and confession of sin and united in silent prayer with faces toward the holy place, so that their petitions ascended with the cloud of incense. The practice was kept even when scattered as captives in distant lands by turning faces toward Jerusalem at the appointed hour and offering petitions to the God of Israel. The verse gives Christians an example for morning and evening prayer, bowing to seek pardon for sins committed and to present requests for needed blessings. God looks upon such prayer with great pleasure when done with the spirit of worship, while He condemns a mere round of ceremonies without that spirit.
Exodus 29:38 commands a continual burnt offering day by day of two lambs of the first year, one in the morning and one in the evening, each burned upon the outer altar with its meat-offering. The lambs had to be without blemish because only a perfect offering could represent the Saviour who would die for human sin as the Lamb of God without blemish and without spot. The daily service symbolized the nation's daily consecration to God and constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ, through whom alone sinners may approach God and mercy and salvation are granted to the repentant, believing soul. This continual morning and evening offering provides the pattern for regular morning and evening worship of prayer and praise in the home, where the father serves as priest leading the family in supplication and thanksgiving. Those appointed hours became the set time for worship throughout the nation, when worshipers united in searching of heart and confession of sin so their petitions ascended with the incense of perpetual intercession.
The Daily Sacrifice
The command appoints a burnt offering to be maintained continually day by day, consisting of two lambs of the first year. One lamb is for the morning and the other for the evening, as the following verse assigns them. The full provision in Exodus 29:38-42 describes this daily morning and evening offering of a lamb upon the altar. Each year-old lamb is burned upon the altar together with its appropriate meat-offering.
The burning takes place on the altar in the court without, standing before the holy place. That outer altar is an altar of continual atonement, while the altar before the veil inside is an altar of perpetual intercession. The two acts coincide in time, for every morning and evening while the lamb is offered without, the priests enter the holy place to offer incense.
What the Lambs Foreshadowed
The morning and evening burning of the year-old lambs was the nation's daily consecration to God and its constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ. The lamb represented the Saviour's death, meaning that He Himself, as the Lamb of God, would die for human sin. Each animal had to be without blemish, with every lamb examined and any with defect rejected, because only an offering without blemish could symbolize His perfect purity who was to offer Himself as a lamb without blemish and without spot.
By blood and by incense God was to be approached, with the altar outside standing as an altar of continual atonement and the altar before the veil as an altar of perpetual intercession. Both point to Christ the great Mediator, through whom sinners may approach God and through whom alone mercy and salvation are granted to the repentant, believing soul. Faith lays hold upon the merits of the promised Saviour prefigured by the atoning sacrifice, as petitions ascend with the cloud of incense.
The morning and evening lamb sacrifices continued while Jesus, the antitypical Lamb they prefigured, lay slain in the tomb, and His death fulfilled their symbolism. The sacrifices also illustrate what followers of Christ are to become, that they present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. This means giving themselves to His service and seeking to make the offering as nearly perfect as possible, since God will not be pleased with anything less than the best they can offer. Those who love Him with all the heart will desire to give Him the best service of the life and constantly seek to bring every power of their being into harmony with the laws that promote their ability to do His will.
Pattern for Daily Worship
The continual offering of two year-old lambs day by day upon the altar establishes the pattern for regular morning and evening worship of prayer and praise in the home. The two lambs were offered each day, one in the morning and one in the evening, and the household is to keep morning and evening worship after that order. In that worship the father serves as priest of the home, leading the family and laying the offering upon God's altar, while the wife and children join him in prayer and praise. He presents the family to God in prayer and praise, and the wife and children unite with him in lifting up hearts to God.
That daily worship lifts hearts to God in humble supplication for parents and children and in thanksgiving for His mercies. Where it is kept every house becomes a house of prayer after the pattern of the patriarchs who erected an altar to the Lord wherever they pitched their tent. Jesus is present with such a household and loves to tarry there. Abraham's morning and evening sacrifices made his altar a public witness, so that even after he moved his tent the altar remained and those who found it could recognize that he had worshiped the living God there.
The appointed morning and evening hours became the set time for worship throughout the nation. At that sacred hour of intense interest worshipers assembled at the tabernacle engaged in earnest searching of heart and confession of sin and united in silent prayer with faces toward the holy place, so that their petitions ascended with the cloud of incense. The practice was kept even when scattered as captives in distant lands by turning faces toward Jerusalem at the appointed hour and offering petitions to the God of Israel. The verse gives Christians an example for morning and evening prayer, bowing to seek pardon for sins committed and to present requests for needed blessings. God looks upon such prayer with great pleasure when done with the spirit of worship, while He condemns a mere round of ceremonies without that spirit.