The Tamid

The Mystery of the Tamid*

It was mid-afternoon. He took me into a chamber in the middle of which was a large golden stone model of the Temple of Jerusalem. We were viewing it from what would have been the Temple’s eastern side, the side closest to the altar of sacrifice.

“’Now this is what you shall offer on the altar,’” said the teacher. He was reciting a passage of scripture. “’Two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.’ This,” he said, “was the law of the Tamid. Tamid was the name given to the sacrifices that were to be offered every day in the Temple. So each day, the offerings would begin with the sacrifice of the morning lamb and finish with the sacrifice of the evening lamb. All the other sacrifices would come in between the two.”

“Was there a specific ritual to the offering of the Tamid?”

“The morning lamb would be offered up at the third hour of the day. With its death, the Temple trumpets would sound and the Temple gates would be opened. Then at about the ninth hour, the evening sacrifice would be slain and offered on the altar, at which time the sacrifices would be finished.”

“So the morning lamb was offered up at the third hour. What time is that?”

“Nine o clock,” said the teacher. “And when was Messiah crucified? The same hour, nine in the morning. So as the morning lamb was slain on the altar, the Lamb of GOD was lifted up on the altar of the cross, and the trumpets sounded to announce the sacrifice, and the Temple gates were opened.”

“And the evening lamb,” I said, “at the ninth hour, what time was that?”

“Three in the afternoon,” he said.

“Isn’t that when Messiah died on the cross?”

“It was. So the sacrifice of Messiah began with the offering up of the morning lamb and ended with the offering of the evening lamb. And it all took place during the six hours of the Temple sacrifices, in between the two lambs, from the first sacrifice to the last. The Lamb of GOD,” said the teacher, “is all in all, covering every moment, every need, every sin, every problem, and every answer. He is Tamid.”

“You never told me; what does tamid mean?”

“It means continual, daily, perpetual, always, and forever. And so He will be there for you always…and will be your answer continuously, every day, always, and forever. For Messiah is the Lamb, and not only the Lamb…but your Tamid.”

The Mission: Meditate on the fact that Messiah is your Tamid – the covering for every moment of your life – always, and forever, Live accordingly.

Exodus 29:38-39; Mark 15:25-37; Revelation 7:9-17

The Good Friday Sacrifice Mysteries

*The Book of Mysteries; Day 49; Jonathan Cahn; FrontLine; Charisma Media/Charisma House Goup; 2016