1st Kings 18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
This passage of scripture relates to us what took place at the time of the evening sacrifice, as it occurred with the Israelites and the prophet Elijah, who was sent to them by God to bring about the much needed reforms and changes to the idolatrous practices they had become accustomed to. Both the morning and evening sacrifices were ordained of God so that His people would have a living, on-going relationship with Him. Human beings are prone to forget God, and therefore the Lord saw it fit to institute these stipulated times of worship so that in the morning we would seek His face with thanksgiving and praise for another day of life, and also that we would be guided throughout the day in the ways of His choosing, and be kept by His power from falling into divers sins.
Then at the time of the evening worship, we would ask His forgiveness for any sins and errors committed throughout the day, and also thank Him for His mercies in sustaining and protecting us as we went to and from our daily toils. So it's worthy of note that it was at the time of the evening sacrifice that Elijah offered his oblations on behalf of the tribes of Israel who had wandered deep into satan's territory, by adopting the idolatrous forms of worship that had set the nation on a downward spiral, both spiritually and in the temporal realm. As Elijah prayed, he asked God to give His people a change of heart, and to turn back their hearts from following the vain worship of Baal, and in response the Lord sent fire to consume the sacrifice offered, thus showing His favor and positive response to the prayer thus offered.
But there is also another practical lesson to be observed from the time of the evening sacrifice, for this specific time brought not only spiritual benefits, but also physical advantages also. The time of the evening sacrifice was about 3:pm every day, and it was about this time that the priests would eat their last meal for the day, thus showing God's will in this matter, since the Bible specifically states that the ways of God are in His sanctuary, meaning that if we were to study carefully the earthly sanctuary system and its services, very great light will be shed on our pathway as it pertains to knowing God's will in almost every aspect of our lives.
When the last meal of the day was eaten at this time, then several hours were given for the digestion of the food thus eaten, so that when the priests retired for bed at night, the digestive process would be completed so that their entire body could be at rest, including the stomach too. Here in America we have formed the pernicious habit of eating late at night, and as a result our digestive organs are working throughout the night while they should be at rest, together with the other organs of the body.
This habit of eating late is productive of very great evils, for it puts unnecessary strain on our digestive systems and consequently causes the organs such as the liver, pancreas, and gall bladder to wear out prematurely. This in turn causes a slew of diseases and ailments to be contracted, which could have otherwise been avoided if we were to adopt the principles involved in the evening sacrifice.
In our own personal experiences, and in our families, it would be well if the principles of both the morning and evening sacrifices were adopted, for they would bring about a very great and beneficial reformation in our lives that can only be productive of good. After a hard day's work and the hustle and bustle involved in gaining an education, the head of the household should, where applicable, call the family together for evening worship, so that the sins and errors of the day can be confessed and repented of. Then wherever possible the evening meal should be eaten a few hours before bed time so that those crazy nightmares that scare the daylights out of us and our children can be prevented, and so that our entire body can enjoy restful sleep.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to re-institute the morning and evening sacrifice, for if it is done on a consistent basis, an entirely new day will dawn in our Christian experience, and we will understand more than ever before what it means to walk with God . Let's read:
Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul" ... 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children" .... "as the days of heaven upon the earth. 22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; 24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours" .... 25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.
May the Lord add His blessing to the doing of His every word. "Good night" and God bless!