It was the time of the Morning Sacrifice.1 As the massive Temple gates slowly swung on
their hinges, a three- fold blast from the silver trumpets of the Priests seemed to waken the
City, as with the Voice of God, to the life of another day. As its echoes came in the still
air across the cleft of the Tyropoeon, up the slopes of the Upper City, down the busy
quarters below, or away to the new suburb beyond, they must, if but for a moment, have
brought holier thoughts to all. For, did it not seem to link the present to the past and the
future, as with the golden chain of promises that bound the Ho ly City to the Jerusalem
that was above, which in type had already, and in reality would soon descend from
heaven? Patriot, saint, or stranger, he could not have heard it unmoved, as thrice the
summons from within the Temple-gates rose and fell.
1. We p resume, that the ministration of Zacharias (St. Luke i. 9) took place in the
morning, as the principal service. But Meyer (Komm. i. 2, p. 242) is mistaken in
supposing, that this follows from the reference to the lot. It is, indeed, true that, of the
four lots for the priestly functions, three took place only in the morning. But that for
incensing was repeated in the evening (Yoma 26 a). Even Bishop Haneberg (Die Relig.
Alterth. p. 609) is not accurate in this respect.
It had not come too soon. The Levites on ministry, and those of the laity, whose 'course' it
was to act as the representatives of Israel, whether in Palestine or far away, in a sacrifice
provided by, and offered for, all Israel, hastened to their duties.2 For already the blush of
dawn, for which the Priest on the highest pinnacle of the Temple had watched, to give the
signal for beginning the services of the day, had shot its brightness far away to Hebron
and beyond. Within the Courts below all had long been busy. At some time previously,
unknown to those who waited for the morning - whether at cockcrowing, or a little earlier
or later,3 the superintending Priest had summoned to their sacred functions those who had
'washed,' according to the ordinance. There must have been each day about fifty priests
on duty.4 Such of them as were ready now divided into two parties, to make inspection of
the Temple courts by torchlight. Presently they met, and trooped to the well-known Hall
of Hewn Polished Stones,5 where formerly the Sanhedrin had been wont to sit. The
ministry for the day was there apportioned. To prevent the disputes of carnal zeal, the 'lot'
was to assign to each his function. Four times was it resorted to: twice before, and twice
after the Temple-gates were opened. The first act of their ministry had to be done in the
grey dawn, by the fitful red light that glowed on the altar of burnt offering, ere the priests
had stirred it into fresh flame. It was scarcely daybreak, when a second time they met for
the 'lot,' which designated those who were to take part in the sacrifice itself, and who
were to trim the golden candlestick, and make ready the altar of incense within the Holy
Place. And now morn had broken, and nothing remained before the admission of
worshippers but to bring out the lamb, onc e again to make sure of its fitness for sacrifice,
to water it from a golden bowl, and then to lay it in mystic fashion - as tradition described
the binding of Isaac - on the north side of the altar, with its face to the west.
2. For a description of the details of that service, see 'The Temple and its Services,' &c.