Ezekiel 46:13-15
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What's remarkable here is the deliberate omission of the evening sacrifice that was a regular part of Israel's worship. This wasn't just a detail; it signals a significant shift, pointing towards the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, whose work fulfills the daily need.
“You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. And you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour, as a grain offering to the LORD. This is a perpetual statute. Thus the lamb and the meal offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, for a regular burnt offering.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage continues Ezekiel's vision of the future Temple, detailing the regulations for daily sacrifices. Unlike the Mosaic Law which prescribed sacrifices twice daily, this instruction specifies only a morning burnt offering of a lamb, omitting the evening one. The accompanying meal offering proportions are also adjusted, and the text shifts focus to the community's role in fulfilling these requirements through their priests, moving away from the prince's specific duties in earlier sections.
In a world of change, what anchors your soul? Ezekiel's vision points to a sacrifice that was meant to be constant, a daily reminder of God's presence and provision.
A Perpetual Offering
The passage in Ezekiel 46:13 calls for a lamb, a year old and without blemish, to be offered as a burnt offering to the Lord daily, specifically in the morning.
This wasn't a new idea. The Law of Moses also prescribed daily sacrifices (Exodus 29:38-42). However, Ezekiel's vision highlights a specific emphasis: the morning offering. While the Mosaic Law included both morning and evening sacrifices, Ezekiel's instructions focus on the morning, pointing to the perpetual, ever-present work of God.
This daily lamb was a tangible symbol. It represented God's unceasing faithfulness and His people's continual need for atonement and relationship with Him. It was a call to start each day by acknowledging dependence on God's provision.
The Old Testament sacrificial system had specific timings. But why does Ezekiel's vision seem to adjust one detail? What does this shift signify?
The Focus on the Morning
A significant point of discussion among commentators is the omission of the evening sacrifice in Ezekiel's vision, as compared to the Mosaic Law which prescribed both morning and evening offerings (Numbers 28:3-8).
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This difference isn't necessarily a contradiction, but perhaps an intentional emphasis. Several scholars suggest Ezekiel was not detailing every single aspect of the Mosaic Law but highlighting key principles for this new, envisioned temple.
The focus on the morning offering underscores the idea of a continual renewal of God's covenant and grace. Each new day begins with God's provision and sacrifice. It's a beautiful picture of starting fresh, with God's atoning work always present and sufficient for the new day's needs.
The specifications for the sacrifice—a lamb, a year old, without blemish—weren't arbitrary. What perfect figure does this point to?
A Perfect Sacrifice
The requirements for the daily burnt offering were precise: a lamb, one year old, and crucially, without blemish.
This wasn't just about having a healthy animal; it was deeply symbolic. The lamb represented innocence and purity. Its youth ('a year old') suggested vitality and a prime offering.
Most importantly, 'without blemish' pointed directly to the ultimate sacrifice. Throughout the Old Testament, this specification foreshadowed Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who would offer Himself once for all, perfectly pure and without sin, to atone for the sins of the world (John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
This daily offering was a constant reminder of the need for a perfect sacrifice, a need met definitively in Jesus.
Understand the original words
tamim · Hebrew Adjective
In the context of the Old Testament, refers to a state of being sound, wholesome, or physically perfect, often used to describe animals qualified for sacrifice to show that only the best is offered to God.
chuqqah 'olam · Hebrew Phrase (Noun + Adjective)
An enduring or lasting ordinance or decree given by God, indicating that the command is to be kept continuously and faithfully by the people.
Ezekiel's vision for a restored daily sacrifice, a single morning lamb offering, contrasts with the more elaborate double daily offerings prescribed in the Mosaic Law. This reflects the exiles' yearning for a renewed covenant relationship with God and a fresh start, even as it subtly points towards the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ.
c. 1400 BC
Mosaic Law Established
The foundational laws of Israelite worship, including daily sacrifices, are given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
c. 620 BC
Josiah's Reforms
King Josiah discovers the Book of the Law and institutes sweeping religious reforms, centralizing worship and destroying idolatrous practices.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
The Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II deports Jehoiachin, the king, and thousands of Judeans, including many priests and skilled workers, to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys Solomon's Temple, and exiles the remaining population to Babylon, ending the Davidic monarchy.
c. 571 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Vision of the New Temple
Ezekiel receives a detailed vision of a future temple, city, and divinely ordered system of worship, which he records for the exiled community.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile Begins
The Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great allows the first wave of Judean exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.
This passage describes the original Mosaic Law's daily burnt offering, which included a lamb morning and evening, providing a foundational comparison to Ezekiel's modified instruction.
Numbers 28:3This verse details the specifications for the daily lamb offering in the Mosaic Law, highlighting the similarity in the victim (a lamb without blemish) but the difference in frequency compared to Ezekiel's vision.
Daniel 8:11This verse references the 'daily sacrifice' being taken away, providing a prophetic context for Ezekiel's instruction on the restoration and continuation of daily worship.
John 1:29This verse identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, offering a theological interpretation of the daily lamb as a prefigurement of Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
Hebrews 10:10This passage speaks to Christ's one-time offering that sanctifies us, contrasting with the continuous daily sacrifices described in Ezekiel and the Law, underscoring the fulfillment found in Christ.
clarkeEzekiel 46:13: "Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning."
Thou shalt prepare it every morning - The evening offering is entirely omitted, which makes an important difference between this and the old laws. See Exodus 29:31-46 .
barnesEzekiel 46:13: "Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning."
Compare with marginal references. The evening sacrifice is here omitted, because the seer is selecting a few only of the sacrifices of the Law, with a particular object in view.
What's remarkable here is the deliberate omission of the evening sacrifice that was a regular part of Israel's worship. This wasn't just a detail; it signals a significant shift, pointing towards the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, whose work fulfills the daily need.
This passage continues Ezekiel's vision of the future Temple, detailing the regulations for daily sacrifices. Unlike the Mosaic Law which prescribed sacrifices twice daily, this instruction specifies only a morning burnt offering of a lamb, omitting the evening one. The accompanying meal offering proportions are also adjusted, and the text shifts focus to the community's role in fulfilling these requirements through their priests, moving away from the prince's specific duties in earlier sections.
This passage continues Ezekiel's vision of the future Temple, detailing the regulations for daily sacrifices. Unlike the Mosaic Law which prescribed sacrifices twice daily, this instruction specifies only a morning burnt offering of a lamb, omitting the evening one. The accompanying meal offering proportions are also adjusted, and the text shifts focus to the community's role in fulfilling these requirements through their priests, moving away from the prince's specific duties in earlier sections.
"“You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. And you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third o…" — What's remarkable here is the deliberate omission of the evening sacrifice that was a regular part of Israel's worship. This wasn't just a detail; it signals a significant shift, pointing towards the…
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Last reviewed October 2026
