According to Ezekiel's record there was the yearly offering, the monthly offering, the weekly offering, and the daily offering. The yearly offering was offered on the first day of the year signifying that, in principle, every year we should have a new beginning (45:18-19). Every year we need a fresh cleansing and clearing up. With the yearly offering there was a gracious part. The yearly offering was offered not only on the first day of the year, but also on the seventh day of the year (45:20). This indicated a period of graciousness for the people. Some were simply not ready on the first day of the year to fully clear up their situations and to be cleansed. Therefore, the Lord gave them another opportunity on the seventh day. If they missed the first day, they had the seventh day to make it up. This is wonderful! Keep in mind that, in principle, at the beginning of every year, we need to have a renewal in our service to the Lord. Though I do not want to present to you something legal, I would still like to share a testimony of my experience concerning this matter. In past years, my co-workers and I practiced to have a new beginning every year. On December 31, we spent the whole night together and prayed until the early hours of the first day of the year. During the night we had a thorough dealing with the Lord, confessing all our shortcomings, and during the early morning of the first day of the year, we consecrated ourselves freshly to the Lord. It is very good to have a new beginning on the first day of the year.
There was also the monthly offering at the time of the new moon. Whenever the new moon came, the offering had to be made (46:6). Not only do we need a new beginning yearly, but we also need a new beginning monthly. The new moon indicates a new beginning. Beyond this, we need a weekly offering. Every week we need a fresh offering to the Lord. Every week on the Sabbath the offering was made (46:4). The Sabbath means not only a new turn, but also that we are enjoying the Lord's work. To keep the Sabbath means that we stop our work and enjoy what the Lord has done. This is the principle of the Sabbath. This means that we are not trusting in our work, but we are fully trusting and enjoying the Lord's work. This is the meaning of keeping the Sabbath. We always need to renew this. We must be able to declare to the whole universe, "Our work has stopped and we are now enjoying the Lord's work!"
Furthermore, there was a daily offering (46:13). This daily offering was different from the daily offering required by Moses. Moses said that the continual burnt offering should be in the morning and in the evening. But in Ezekiel there is no offering in the evening. This means that in their serving, there is no evening; they are continually in the freshness of the morning. Praise the Lord! The situation in Ezekiel improved to the point that there was no more evening but only morning. There was no more sunset, but only sunrise.
In addition to the yearly offerings, the monthly offerings, the weekly offerings, and the daily offerings, there were also the offerings at the appointed feasts. The record tells us that they offered at the time of the Passover, at the time of Unleavened Bread, and at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles (45:21, 25). Hallelujah for all the offerings! Hallelujah for the Passover! Hallelujah for the tabernacle in fullness! Now we know what kind of priests we must be in order to serve the Lord, and now we know what we have to offer to the Lord. Christ is the real priest, and Christ is the real offering.