The Lord Orders Israel’s Worship Times

28:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 28:2 “Command the Israelites: ‘With regard to my offering, be sure to offer my food for my offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to me at its appointed time.’ 28:3 You will say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you must offer to the Lord: two unblemished lambs one year old each day for a continual burnt offering. 28:4 The first lamb you must offer in the morning, and the second lamb you must offer in the late afternoon, 28:5 with one-tenth of an ephah of finely ground flour as a grain offering mixed with one quarter of a hin of pressed olive oil. 28:6 It is a continual burnt offering that was instituted on Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28:7 “‘And its drink offering must be one quarter of a hin for each lamb. You must pour out the strong drink as a drink offering to the Lord in the holy place. 28:8 And the second lamb you must offer in the late afternoon; just as you offered the grain offering and drink offering in the morning, you must offer it as an offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 28:9 “‘On the Sabbath day, you must offer two unblemished lambs a year old, and two-tenths of an ephah of finely ground flour as a grain offering, mixed with olive oil, along with its drink offering. 28:10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering. 28:11 “‘On the first day of each month you must offer as a burnt offering to the Lord two young bulls, one ram, and seven unblemished lambs a year old, 28:12 with three-tenths of an ephah of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering for each bull, and two-tenths of an ephah of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering for the ram, 28:13 and one-tenth of an ephah of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering for each lamb, as a burnt offering for a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28:14 For their drink offerings, include half a hin of wine with each bull, one-third of a hin for the ram, and one-fourth of a hin for each lamb. This is the burnt offering for each month throughout the months of the year. 28:15 And one male goat must be offered to the Lord as a purification offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering. 28:16 “‘On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Lord’s Passover. 28:17 And on the fifteenth day of this month is the festival. For seven days bread made without yeast must be eaten. 28:18 And on the first day there is to be a holy assembly; you must do no ordinary work on it. 28:19 “‘But you must offer to the Lord an offering made by fire, a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs one year old; they must all be unblemished. 28:20 And their grain offering is to be of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil. For each bull you must offer three- tenths of an ephah, and two-tenths for the ram. 28:21 For each of the seven lambs you are to offer one-tenth of an ephah, 28:22 as well as one goat for a purification offering, to make atonement for you. 28:23 You must offer these in addition to the burnt offering in the morning which is for a continual burnt offering. 28:24 In this manner you must offer daily throughout the seven days the food of the sacrifice made by fire as a sweet aroma to the Lord. It is to be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering. 28:25 On the seventh day you are to have a holy assembly, you must do no regular work. 28:26 “‘Also, on the day of the first fruits, when you bring a new grain offering to the Lord during your Feast of Weeks, you are to have a holy assembly. You must do no ordinary work. 28:27 But you must offer as the burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the Lord, two young bulls, one ram, seven lambs one year old, 28:28 with their grain offering of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil: three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two- tenths for the one ram, 28:29 with one-tenth for each of the seven lambs, 28:30 as well as one male goat to make an atonement for you. 28:31 You are to offer them with their drink offerings in addition to the continual burnt offering and its grain offering – they must be unblemished.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

The Lord commands Israel to offer sacrifices at fixed times. There are daily offerings, Sabbath offerings, monthly offerings, and special offerings for Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Weeks. These gifts are unblemished and are given in addition to the continual burnt offering. The passage shows that Israel’s worship and holy days were to be shaped by God’s command.

God does not leave Israel’s public worship to human choice. He sets the times and the sacrifices. Every day, every Sabbath, every new month, and each major feast must be marked by offerings to him.

The daily burnt offering is the center of this schedule. Two unblemished lambs are offered each day, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon, with grain and drink offerings. This continual offering began at Sinai and shows that Israel’s life was to stay before the Lord all the time.

The Sabbath offering adds to the daily sacrifice. The new moon offering is larger. It includes bulls, a ram, seven lambs, grain offerings, drink offerings, and a purification offering. This shows that even sacred time needs atonement.

Passover is on the fourteenth day of the first month. Then the festival begins on the fifteenth day and lasts seven days, with bread made without yeast. Israel must remember deliverance from Egypt with holy assemblies and offerings, and they must do no ordinary work on the first and seventh days. The Feast of Weeks is also marked by sacrifice and another purification offering.

Again and again, the text says these offerings are made in addition to the continual burnt offering. The special days do not replace the regular sacrifice; they build on it.

The message is plain. The Lord is holy, and his people must approach him in the way he commands. Their calendar belongs to him. Their worship belongs to him. Their time belongs to him.

• The Lord speaks and commands the worship of his people.
• Israel’s sacrifices were ordered by divine appointment, not human invention.
• The daily burnt offering was continual and foundational.
• Sabbath and monthly offerings were added to the continual sacrifice.
• Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were holy times of remembrance and worship.
• The Feast of Weeks was also marked by sacrifice and holy assembly.
• Unblemished offerings show that what is offered to the Lord must be fit and undefiled.
• Purification offerings show that atonement was needed even on holy days.
• Israel’s calendar was to be consecrated to the Lord.

• The Lord commands Israel to offer the prescribed sacrifices.
• Do not treat worship as optional or self-designed.
• Do not do ordinary work on the appointed holy assemblies.
• Offer unblemished animals to the Lord.
• These sacrifices are given in addition to the continual burnt offering.

This passage belongs to the Mosaic covenant, where Israel’s worship is regulated by God’s law. It keeps covenant life centered on sacrifice, atonement, and appointed sacred times. In the wider Bible, these repeated sacrifices show the need for ongoing atonement and help frame later redemptive themes, including Passover and firstfruits.

God’s people should value regular worship, obedience, and reverence. Worship should not be casual or invented according to taste. It should be shaped by God’s word. This passage also reminds us that holy times need cleansing and that the Lord deserves the best, not what is blemished or careless.

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