Six Lambs
“And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish” (Ezekiel 46:4).
This text is part of the nine chapters that constitute the vision of Ezekiel’s Temple (Ezekiel 40-48). The vision is about the Millennial Kingdom, and the blessings of life that will flow to the world as they approach God during the Millennium. The vision refers to four classes of persons that pertain to the administration of the kingdom:
(1) Priests (Church)
(2) Levites (Great Company)
(3) Prince (Ancient Worthies)
(4) People of the land (World)
Three of these (priests, prince, people) are mentioned in chapter 46, which is the chapter we focus on in this article. The chapter opens by discussing two particular days during which the people of the land will have access to the temple, representing the dwelling place of God.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened” (Ezekiel 46:1). The six working days with closed gates evidently represent the 6000 years of sin and death during which the world does not have free access to God. But on the sabbath day, the seventh day, representing the Millennium of rest and sabbath for the world during the Kingdom, the people will have full access to approach God in praise, worship, and thanksgiving.
The gates are opened as well on the day of the new moon, suggesting that this day also represents the Millennial Kingdom, but from a different point of view. The moon represents things pertaining to Israel. A new moon is a dark moon, prepared to wax and expand day by day. This symbolism suggests the beginning of the Kingdom, from which time God’s blessing of Israel will continue to increase. This is in contrast to the time Israel was cast off at the full moon of Passover season when they rejected Jesus and their favor subsequently waned, growing dark.
Thus the Kingdom will be a day of rest from sin for the world, and a day of increasing favor for Israel, at the center of that Kingdom. Verse three says, “The people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before Jehovah in the sabbaths and in the new moons.” This illustrates that the world of mankind will come to serve, honor, and thank Jehovah for all his blessings (James 1:17).
Verse four says that on these days the “prince” will make offerings for the people. If the “prince” represents the Ancient Worthies (suggested by Psalm 45:16), then we see here their participation in a leading role as they officiate in the world’s approach to God. This is shown as well in verses eight and nine.
Verse 8 — “And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof.” The prince is mentioned first, illustrating that the ancient worthies will be the first ones among men to bring their praise and worship to God when the kingdom opens.
Verse 9 — “But when the people of the land shall come before Jehovah in the solemn feasts, he that enters in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that enters by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.” Perhaps this shows that the world will be encouraged not to backtrack in their movement toward God. Whereas the Ancient Worthies, who have measurably demonstrated their loyalty to God already, will be free to use the gate of their access, for their regress as well.
Verse 10 — “And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth.” This depicts that the Ancient Worthies will be in their midst as leaders and teachers of the world, showing them how to approach God and honor Him.
MEAL OFFERING
Verse 11 — “And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meat [meal] offering shall be an ephah1 to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram, and to the lambs as he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.” This is unusual. In the sacrifices under the Law, the customary meal offering to accompany burnt offerings was always some fraction of an ephah — one tenth for a lamb, two tenths for a ram, three tenths for a bullock (Numbers 28:12, 13).2 But here it is a full ephah.
A meal offering was an offering of thanks and good will from the offerer, to express their appreciation to God. It could be prepared in any way the offerer wished, as though to suggest that acts of thanksgiving and appreciation to God may be of in various ways that are suited to our situation, talents, and opportunities (Leviticus 2:1-7). The fact that in the Kingdom these are a full measure — a full ephah, rather than a fraction — suggests the full ability of the individual to show his appreciation by activity, zeal, and obedience, undiminished by the influence of sin and imperfection. That was the case when offering a bullock or a ram. But for offering the lambs, the standard was different: “as he is able to give.” We will return to that in a moment.
BURNT OFFERINGS
There were three essential kinds of offerings under the Law: burnt offerings, sin offerings, and peace offerings (thank offerings were a kind of peace offering, and trespass offerings were very much like sin offerings.)
The daily lambs in the temple were burnt offerings, representing the death of Jesus as our Ransom sacrifice. One lame was offered early in the day, and another later in the day, picturing that Jesus was put on the cross in the morning and died on the cross in the afternoon.
Six Lambs
The law for burnt offerings stipulated that they were to be put directly on the wood, which was placed on the coals, which were on the altar (Leviticus 1:8). Burnt offerings could be from the herd or the flock, they were always to be male, without blemish, and they provided atonement (Leviticus 1:2, 3, 10, 4).
All of these requirements cooperate to make a good picture of Jesus’ sacrifice as our Ransom. He was of the highest type of offering (male), he was perfect (without blemish), he died on Calvary’s cross (wood), and his sacrifice provided atonement for all. We sometimes associate the thought of acceptance with a burnt offering. This thought is consistent with the burnt offering representing the Ransom, as the Ransom is the fundamental offering that makes all others acceptable to God.
SIX LAMBS FOR A BURNT OFFERING
Ezekiel 46:4 says that on the sabbaths and new moons the prince was to offer six lambs as a burnt offering. The lamb reminds us of Jesus, the “Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But why were the lambs six in number?
This number of lambs is also unusual. In the offerings of the Law there were often seven lambs given as a burnt offering. The book of Numbers says that the Israelites were to offer seven lambs on the following occasions — new moons, the seven days of unleavened bread, Pentecost, the feast of trumpets, the day of atonement, and on the eighth day conclusion to the feast of tabernacles. Some of these occasions picture the Gospel Age, some the Millennial Age, and in both ages are fulfilled the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant, the oath bound covenant. Seven lambs are appropriate to these occasions because the word “seven” (sheba) also signifies “oath,” to indicate a complete obligation by the one undergoing an oath.
Thus the instruction in Ezekiel 46:4 that “six” lambs should be offered stands out conspicuously. Probably six are used here to show that these six lambs are given on behalf of the imperfect world of mankind (pictured by the people of the land), to show their appreciation for the Ransom sacrifice that Christ gave to release them from 6000 years of sin and death. In this regard, the six lambs remind us of the six working days of Ezekiel 46:1 during which the gates of access to God were closed.
SIX USED FREQUENTLY IN EZEKIEL
Upon noticing these sixes, we observe further that the number six is employed abundantly in the vision of Ezekiel’s temple, as though to show that the whole temple arrangement was intended for the blessing of the world that lies under the curse for six millenniums. Here are other examples of the number six in Ezekiel.
All of these sixes have something to do with redeeming, rescuing, or measuring the fallen world of mankind incident to their blessing in the Millennial Kingdom.
Examples of the Number Six in Ezekiel
- The measuring reed was six cubits (40:5)
- Several six cubit measures (40:12)
- Some of the posts measured six cubits (41:1).
- A door and wall measured six cubits (41:5)
- The chamber foundations were six cubits (41:8)
- The what oblation was a sixth of an omer (45:13)
- The early offering was a sixth of an ephah (46:14)
- Ezekiel’s drink was a sixth of a hin (4:11)
Here are compatible uses of the number elsewhere in the Bible
- Jesus suffered on the cross for six hours
- Keturah’s sons were six in number
- Servants served for six years
A meal offering was to accompany each of the six lambs. However, unlike other offerings in Ezekiel, and unlike the offerings under the Law, the quantity of meal in these meal offerings was not stipulated. It was “as he shall be able to give” (Ezekiel 46:4). The same verse says that oil was to be added to the meal offering at the rate of a hin per ephah. A hin is perhaps 20% more than a gallon, so both the meal offering and the oil accompanying it would be valuable supplements.
The flexibility that the meal offering is “as he shall be able to give” shows that the world of mankind during the Millennium will be at various levels of development, and thus at various levels of ability regarding offering to God. In the beginning of the Kingdom, their offerings of cooperation and service, expressing their thanks to God, may be relatively small until they mature in faith. But God will accept in a positive light whatever steps they are able to make in the right direction.
ONE RAM FOR A BURNT OFFERING
A Ram is a mature male sheep. Inasmuch as all burnt offerings were to be males, the difference between this ram, and each of the six lambs, was age. The six lambs offered show mankind’s appreciation for the ransom of the imperfect world. So the single ram, by comparison, seems to pertain to some class that is more developed and mature. Perhaps the ram pertains to the Ancient Worthies, the “prince” class that will direct the world during the Millennium.
A BULLOCK FOR A BURNT OFFERING
Six lambs, and one ram, were to be offered both on the sabbath days and on new moon days. But on the new moon days, an additional burnt offering was stipulated, namely a “young bullock.” The designation “young” suggests that a bullock is not necessarily young. A bullock a bull, that is, a male from the herd. Why was a young bull given on the day of new moon, but not on the sabbath? Evidently this has something to do with Israel as distinguished from the world, for the Millennial Sabbath day applies to everyone, but the day of new moon applies specially to Israel.
A bullock was a prime animal. It was used as an offering in connection either with a priest — for the priest was the highest category of servants of God — or a congregation of God’s people. (See for example Leviticus chapter four, where a bullock was used for a priest or a congregation, but a goat was used for a ruler or a common person).
During the Kingdom, the church will be the priests of God, and they already will have been glorified and rewarded. Their faith and character will not be subject to trial then. So a connection of a bullock with a priest does not seem fruitful in Ezekiel 46. Evidently the bullock here pertains to the “congregation” of Israel, the covenant people of God used to extend Kingdom blessings to the world. The bullock for a burnt offering in Ezekiel 46:6 reminds us that Jesus’ died in a special way for the Jewish people, to redeem them from the Law and give them another opportunity to become the people of God.3
Because this bullock links to Israel, it was offered on the day of the new moon. Because it does not link specifically to the world at large, it was not offered simply on a sabbath day. Israel is of higher stature than the world — not individually, but collectively — inasmuch as they will be a vehicle through which blessings will flow to the world (Zechariah 8:21-23).4 Thus the world is linked in symbol to the high point of a week, whereas Israel is linked in symbol to the high point of a month.
— Br. David Rice
(1) According to Wikipedia, an Ephah is about 9 to 10 gallons. (But estimates vary considerably, some as low as about five gallons.) Ezekiel 45:11 says “The ephah and the bath shall be one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of a homer, and the ephah the tenth part of a homer.” The homer (10 ephahs) is not to be confused with the omer (one tenth of an ephah, Exodus 16:36).
(2) The King James version says so many tenths of a “deal,” but the NIV and NASB versions give the word “ephah” to supply what they understand the main unit to be.
(3) The two lambs given daily in the tabernacle and temple probably represent the death of Jesus for the Jews and Gentiles, the two parts of humanity that Jesus died for. Jesus was put on the cross in order to free the Jews from the deepest burden of the Law (Galatians 3:13). The time Jesus was put on the cross was 9 am, the same time that the Pentecostal blessing came to the Jews of faith (Mark 15:25, Acts 2:15). Jesus died at 3 in the afternoon, the same time the blessing came to the Gentiles (Acts 10:3, 30).
(4) Individually, one’s standing before God depends on one’s faith toward God, not to one’s descent, heritage, or culture (though the latter may influence the former). There will surely be good Gentiles of faith at the outset of the Millennium who will excel many individuals in Israel. Individually, “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). However, there are certain national blessings for Israel, because “they are beloved for the father’s sakes” (Romans 11:28).