Exodus 29:38-39
“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is the emphasis on "continually," not just as a daily routine, but as a constant reminder of our ongoing need for forgiveness and renewed dedication to God. This isn't just about performing a ritual; it's about acknowledging that our relationship with God requires daily attention and a fresh offering of ourselves.
Following the elaborate consecration of the priests and the altar, God institutes a perpetual daily sacrifice of two lambs, one in the morning and one in the evening. This regular offering, accompanied by grain and drink offerings, serves as a constant reminder of the nation's daily need for atonement and renewal before God, and it's here that God promises to meet with them.
Why offer the same sacrifice every single day? This wasn't just ritual; it was a constant, visible declaration of Israel's ongoing need for God's grace.
The command to offer two lambs daily, morning and evening, wasn't a suggestion – it was a non-negotiable part of Israelite worship. This wasn't just about appeasing God; it was a continuous, tangible reminder that the people, from day to day, needed forgiveness and reconciliation.
These daily lambs weren't just animals; they were divine placeholders, whispering a promise of a greater sacrifice to come.
From the very beginning, God intended these sacrifices to point beyond themselves. The two lambs offered daily were a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus, the ultimate Lamb of God.
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 command for the daily burnt offering of two lambs, emphasizing the consistent and regular nature of this sacrifice.
Psalm 119:105While not a direct parallel, the 'continually' aspect of the daily sacrifice echoes the psalmist's desire for God's word to be a constant lamp, illuminating the path of life.
Daniel 9:27This prophetic passage speaks of the 'continual sacrifice' ceasing, pointing to its ultimate fulfillment and supersession in Christ, as understood by commentators.
Hebrews 10:11This New Testament passage contrasts the repeated sacrifices of the Old Covenant, like the daily lambs, with the one-time, perfect sacrifice of Christ.
Revelation 5:12The image of the Lamb 'worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing' offers a profound glimpse into the ultimate identity of the sacrifice represented by the daily lambs.
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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What's easy to miss here is the emphasis on "continually," not just as a daily routine, but as a constant reminder of our ongoing need for forgiveness and renewed dedication to God. This isn't just about performing a ritual; it's about acknowledging that our relationship with God requires daily attention and a fresh offering of ourselves.
Following the elaborate consecration of the priests and the altar, God institutes a perpetual daily sacrifice of two lambs, one in the morning and one in the evening. This regular offering, accompanied by grain and drink offerings, serves as a constant reminder of the nation's daily need for atonement and renewal before God, and it's here that God promises to meet with them.
Following the elaborate consecration of the priests and the altar, God institutes a perpetual daily sacrifice of two lambs, one in the morning and one in the evening. This regular offering, accompanied by grain and drink offerings, serves as a constant reminder of the nation's daily need for atonement and renewal before God, and it's here that God promises to meet with them.
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Calvin and others understood that while these sacrifices were regularly repeated, their true power lay in pointing to the one sacrifice that would ultimately satisfy God's justice.
Why did God insist on this daily sacrifice at the Tabernacle? It was about more than just ritual; it was the very mechanism for His continued presence.
The institution of the daily sacrifice is intrinsically linked to God's desire to dwell among His people. This wasn't a distant God, but one who was actively present and engaging with Israel.
"“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight." — What's easy to miss here is the emphasis on "continually," not just as a daily routine, but as a constant reminder of our ongoing need for forgiveness and renewed dedication to God. This isn't just a…
