The practice of morning and evening sacrifices, also known as the daily or continual burnt offerings, holds significant importance in the religious life of ancient Israel as prescribed in the Mosaic Law. These sacrifices were central to the worship and covenant relationship between God and His people, serving as a daily reminder of their dependence on Him and their need for atonement.

Biblical Foundation

The instructions for the morning and evening sacrifices are primarily found in the Book of Exodus and the Book of Numbers. In Exodus 29:38-42, God commands the Israelites to offer two lambs a year old each day, one in the morning and the other at twilight. The passage states:

"Now this is what you are to offer regularly on the altar: two lambs a year old, each day, continually. Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight. With the first lamb, offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter hin of oil from pressed olives, and a drink offering of a quarter hin of wine. You are to offer the second lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and drink offering as in the morning. It is a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you to speak with you."

Numbers 28:3-8 reiterates these instructions, emphasizing the continual nature of these offerings and their role in maintaining the covenant relationship with God.

Purpose and Significance

The morning and evening sacrifices served several purposes in the religious life of Israel:

1. Atonement and Reconciliation: The sacrifices were a means of atonement, symbolizing the covering of sin and the restoration of fellowship with God. The shedding of blood was a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who would provide the final atonement for sin.

2. Daily Worship and Devotion: These offerings were a daily act of worship, expressing the Israelites' devotion and obedience to God. They were a constant reminder of God's presence and His provision for His people.

3. Symbol of Continual Prayer: The regularity of the sacrifices symbolized the continual prayers and intercessions of the people. Psalm 141:2 reflects this idea: "May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering."

4. Covenant Relationship: The sacrifices were a sign of the covenant relationship between God and Israel. They were a tangible expression of the people's commitment to the covenant and God's faithfulness to His promises.

Ritual and Practice

The morning sacrifice was offered at dawn, and the evening sacrifice at twilight. The priests were responsible for performing these rituals, which included the offering of a lamb, a grain offering, and a drink offering. The sacrifices were made on the altar of burnt offering, located in the courtyard of the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple in Jerusalem.

The offerings were accompanied by the burning of incense on the altar of incense, symbolizing the prayers of the people ascending to God. The priests also maintained the lamps of the menorah, ensuring that the light burned continually, representing God's eternal presence.

Theological Implications

The morning and evening sacrifices underscore the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin. They highlight the need for a mediator between God and humanity, a role ultimately fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:11-12 contrasts the repeated nature of these sacrifices with the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ: "Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God."

In the New Testament, the concept of continual sacrifice is transformed into the call for believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, as stated in Romans 12:1: "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

The morning and evening sacrifices, while no longer practiced, continue to hold theological significance as they point to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and the call for continual devotion and worship in the life of believers.