Exodus 29:38
“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This wasn't just a suggestion; it was a divine requirement for a "continual" burnt offering. The Hebrew word for "continually" implies a regular, uninterrupted rhythm, highlighting that this daily sacrifice wasn't optional but foundational to God's ongoing covenant with His people. It underscores God's desire for a consistent, daily relationship, not just occasional gestures.
Following the lengthy instructions for consecrating the priests and the altar, this passage shifts to the ongoing daily worship that will take place. It establishes the regular, twice-daily burnt offering of two lambs as a foundational practice for Israel's relationship with God. This consistent sacrifice points toward God's faithfulness and His promise to meet His people in the place He has appointed, the Tabernacle.
Imagine a sacred duty so vital, it must be performed every single day, without fail. What does this say about God's commitment to His people?
The verse introduces the 'continual burnt offering' – two lambs offered daily, morning and evening. This wasn't a one-time event; it was a perpetual ordinance.
Why 'Continual'?
The 'continual' nature underscores that God's grace and presence are not limited to special occasions but are a constant, reliable provision.
Why specify 'lambs of the first year'? What specific qualities did these young animals represent for worship?
The instruction to offer 'two lambs of the first year' carries significant symbolic weight. These weren't just any animals; they were young, tender, and implied perfection.
Emblems of Christ
Understand the original words
tamid · Hebrew Adverb/Noun
The established time or practice of communal worship, signifying faithfulness and consistency in fulfilling God's requirements.
This passage reiterates the instruction for the daily burnt offering of two lambs, emphasizing its continuous nature throughout Israel's generations.
Daniel 9:27This prophecy speaks of the cessation of the continual sacrifice in the midst of a week, pointing to its Messianic fulfillment in Christ who would bring an end to this sacrificial system.
Hebrews 10:11This New Testament passage contrasts the Levitical priests' continual offerings with Christ's one-time sacrifice, highlighting that the daily lambs were a foreshadowing of Christ's perfect atonement.
Luke 1:10This verse describes the practice of the people praying outside the Temple during the time of the incense offering, illustrating the daily rhythm of worship and prayer that the continual sacrifice represented.
Psalm 141:2This psalm prays for one's prayer to be directed like incense before God and one's hands lifted like the evening offering, connecting the daily sacrifices to the ongoing prayers of believers.
gillExodus 29:38: "Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually."
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar,.... An altar being ordered to be built, and this sanctified and expiated, and priests being appointed and consecrated to the service of it; an account is given of the offerings that should be offered up upon it every day, besides those that should be offered occasionally, and at other set times: two lambs of the first…
calvinExodus 29:38-46: "Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually."
And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Agnum alterum facies inter duas vesperas sicut minha matutino, et sicut libamini ejus facies ei in odorem quietis, oblationem ignitam Jehovae.
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This wasn't just a suggestion; it was a divine requirement for a "continual" burnt offering. The Hebrew word for "continually" implies a regular, uninterrupted rhythm, highlighting that this daily sacrifice wasn't optional but foundational to God's ongoing covenant with His people. It underscores God's desire for a consistent, daily relationship, not just occasional gestures.
Following the lengthy instructions for consecrating the priests and the altar, this passage shifts to the ongoing daily worship that will take place. It establishes the regular, twice-daily burnt offering of two lambs as a foundational practice for Israel's relationship with God. This consistent sacrifice points toward God's faithfulness and His promise to meet His people in the place He has appointed, the Tabernacle.
Following the lengthy instructions for consecrating the priests and the altar, this passage shifts to the ongoing daily worship that will take place. It establishes the regular, twice-daily burnt offering of two lambs as a foundational practice for Israel's relationship with God. This consistent sacrifice points toward God's faithfulness and His promise to meet His people in the place He has appointed, the Tabernacle.
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These young lambs served as a daily visual reminder of the perfect, spotless sacrifice that God Himself would provide, foreshadowing Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for humanity.
"“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly." — This wasn't just a suggestion; it was a divine requirement for a "continual" burnt offering. The Hebrew word for "continually" implies a regular, uninterrupted rhythm, highlighting that this daily…
