Revelation 7:14 (KJV)
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
These are the ones out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes whitened them in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev 7:14 (The Literal Translation Bible)
What is the “blood of the Lamb”?
Is it important to one’s salvation?
Today there are millions of people who claim the title “Christian,” but if you were to ask many of them “have you been washed in the blood of the Lamb?” what might be their response, and how many could answer the question?
This study is to determine what is the blood of the Lamb and why it is so important to one’s salvation. . . yesterday, today and forever.
A simple biblical word study and word search for “blood” and “lamb” should reveal to one this answer.
Seeking to find those Holy Scriptures exhibiting one or both words, may first bring one to the biblical narrative of Joseph in Genesis 37:31.
In this story, Joseph has a few prophetic dreams whereby Joseph is exalted above his other brethren. The Bible tells us that Jacob— or Israel, his father— loved Joseph above his brethren and even gave him a special coat of many colors.
Both of these reasons cause Joseph to be despised by his 11 other brothers (of the 12 sons of Israel) who one day attempt to kill Joseph.
While this scripture uses the word "blood," and does not refer to a lamb, it does refer to a “kid of the goats" whom Joseph’s jealous bothers killed and dipped on Joseph's coat the blood of the kid in order cover up Joseph's disappearance.
Genesis 37:23-36 (KJV)
And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; [24] And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. [25] And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. [26] And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? [27] Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. [28] Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
[29] And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. [30] And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? [31] And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; [32] And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. [33] And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. [34] And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. [35] And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. [36] And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
The significance of this scripture— which I will later return to more in more depth — is a powerful type and a shadow of what will result later in the next scripture.
Using our same word search will take one to the book of Exodus, chapter 12 where God — that is the Hebrew God of Israel, YHWH (likely pronounced "Yahweh")— is commanding a Levite man, Moses, the holy ordinance of the “passover of YHWH”.
In the following scriptures YHWH, the God of Israel, is commanding Moses and Aaron to instruct the children of Israel to “take a lamb,” each according to one’s house, and take a count for the members of the house who will partake of the Passover lamb.
Exodus 12:2-4 (KJV)
This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
[3] Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: [4] And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
YHWH instructs Moses that they must take a lamb, or a “flock animal,” (as the literal Hebrew might translate) from the sheep or goats.
The lamb must be with out blemish, a male, of the first year. The animal would be kept until the fourteenth day of the month (first Hebrew month of the year) at which time, in the evening time, the whole assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel will kill the lamb.
Exodus 12:5-6 (KJV)
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: [6] And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
The very next scripture of Exodus 12 :7 refers to the “blood” of the “lamb” (or goat).
Exodus 12:7-11 (KJV)
And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. [8] And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. [9] Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. [10] And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
[11] And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH's passover.
YHWH commanded Moses and Aaron to instruct the children of Israel to take of the blood of the lamb or flock animal and to mark with the blood the outside door posts of their dwellings, both the two side door posts and the top post.
The flesh of the lamb would then be roasted over fire and eaten in the night with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. YHWH specifically demanded that the flesh be roasted with fire, not boiled (as it is believed was the daily custom then).
YHWH further commands none of the lamb shall remain until morning; all of it shall be either eaten or of that which remained shall be burned.
He also commands them to be ready, to make haste, to eat the food quickly, to be dressed and ready with staff in hand.
YHWH states this ordinance is called “YHWH’s Passover.”
This scripture marks the first time in the entire Bible of use of the words “blood” and “lamb” as directly used together in the same scriptures.
Next we learn what the passover is, and the reason for putting the blood on door post.
Exodus 12:11-14 (KJV)
And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH’s (the LORD's) passover. [12] For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am YHWH.
Now continue reading about the blood that was put on the door posts to mark each house.
[13] And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. [14] And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
YHWH is saying that the blood of the slain lamb, will be “a token” on each Israelite house participating in the passover.
YHWH will “pass over” those houses so the plague, God unleashes upon the inhabitants of Egypt, would not harm Israel “when I Smite the land of Egypt.”
The word “a token” in the English king James Bible is in the original Hebrew to mean “a sign.”
The blood of the house of each of the children of Israel was to be a sign to God that this house was to be saved from the destroying plague or from that of YHWH’s wrath and impending destruction.
All those who did not have the covering of the blood of the lamb suffered the wrath of YHWH.
Exodus 12:21 expounds upon the commandment of YHWH to the children of Israel. In this scripture, Moses is now speaking to the elders of Israel teaching the ordinance he received from God.
Exodus 12:21-24 (KJV)Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. [22] And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason;and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. [23] For YHWH will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, YHWH will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. [24] And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
Notice closely Moses' language when he states “For YHWH will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, YHWH will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.”
The lamb’s blood was used here in the biblical story of Exodus to save the children of Israel from the destruction of God. For anyone not obeying the commandment in Israel, was to suffer the same fate as the Egyptians. Therefore, all Israelites had to obey and submit to the passover ordinance to be “covered” by “the blood of the lamb” in order to be saved from God’s wrath on Egypt.
So we can see the following key things in the passover of YHWH:
1. the selection of a lamb
2. the killing the lamb
3. eating the lamb’s flesh
4. using the lamb’s blood
5. obedience to cover one’s household with the blood
6. the blood was a sign to YHWH for His protection
7. the blood of the lamb saved the children of Israel from destruction.
As referred to already, the story in Genesis 33 in which Joseph’s coat was dipped in the blood of “a kid of the goats,” the story was a foreshadowing, if you will, of what was happen to his own children and his brother's future born generations of the children of the 12 tribes once in the land Egypt.
The story of Joseph is also important to take note that the blood of the kid was dipped on the coat of Joseph— a covering of Joseph's if you will; yet Joseph was physically now gone, taken away by the Midianites and sold to the Ishmeelites who took Joseph to Egypt.
But if one researches the full story of Joseph and his family, one finds that Joseph was blessed far above all his other brethren and Joseph was protected by YHWH, and taken care of by Pharaoh’s house and Joseph become a powerful, godly, man, in due time over all of Egypt, and exalted by YHWH above all his brethren.
While Joseph was not covered physically by his coat of many colors, he was, in a sense, covered Spiritually by "the blood"put on his coat, as blessing by God.
So we see a foreshadowing of the coving of the blood, in this case a kid which is essentially same as “first of year” of a goat, like a lamb (as YHWH much later in His passover commands to take either a male lamb or a goat) . The blood of the kid covered Josephs’ coat.
Yet despite the fact that Joseph is not present with his coat, Joseph was the most blessed of all the other tribes of Israel. The Bible actually states this by the mouth of Israel at his dying farewell to all his 12 sons of Israel.
Genesis 49:22-26 (KJV)
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: [23] The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: [24] But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) [25] Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: [26] The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
So we can see in the story of Joseph that:
1. The blood of a kid of goats covered Joseph's coat
2. Joseph himself was protected and blessed by YHWH
While the next use of the word “blood” in the Bible is not about goats or sheep, it does however illustrate the importance to God of the blood of animals as used in holy sacrifices.
After the children of Israel received the Law at Mt. Sinai, Moses uses the blood of a bullock as witness to God's covenant with the children of Israel.
Exodus 24:5-8 (KJV)
And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto YHWH [6] And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. [7] And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that YHWH hath said will we do, and be obedient. [8] And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which YHWH hath made with you concerning all these words.
The blood here is used these purposes:
1. to sprinkle —anoint —the altar for Gods sacrifice and holy service
2. to sprinkle on the children of Israel
3. a witness to the covenant made with the children of Israel
A covenant was performed by “cutting,” the Hebrew says. For without blood, no covenant could be made or “cut.”
The next use of the word “blood” will take one to another association of the use of lambs and goats, describing the use of “rams” in the holy ministerial services of YHWH.
The three main animals used for many Holy sacrifices were bullocks, rams or goats, and sheep or lambs.
In the following holy scriptures YHWH is speaking to Moses and Aaron and the children of Israel explaining one of the many ceremonial holy rites required of His worship service.
Exodus 29:1-28 (KJV)
And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto Me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, [2] And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. [3] And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. [4] And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. [5] And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: [6] And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre. [7] Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. [8] And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them. [9] And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. [10] And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. [11] And thou shalt kill the bullock before YHWH, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. [12] And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar. [13] And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar. [14] But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.
[15] Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. [16] And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. [17] And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head. [18] And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto YHWH: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto YHWH.
[19] And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. [20] Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. [21] And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. [22] Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration: [23] And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before YHWH: [24] And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before YHWH. [25] And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before YHWH: it is an offering made by fire unto YHWH. [26] And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before YHWH: and it shall be thy part. [27] And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: [28] And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto YHWH.
In this Scripture, the use of the blood and offering of the rams was for the following reasons :
1. Anointing the holy altar
2. Anointing Aaron and his sons, the priests
3. An acceptable burnt offering unto God
YHWH also commanded the priests to eat of the ram of consecration. The commands God gives the priests are very similar to those of the passover.
God commands them to eat the flesh of the ram, and must not leave any till morning; that which if left then needs to be burned, for it is holy.
Exodus 29:31-34 (KJV)
And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place. [32] And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. [33] And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy. [34] And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
The next scripture refers to making atonement for sins of the people by use of killing a lamb, or ram, or a goat.
The animal was to be killed and the blood was to be used to make atonement for the sins of the children of Israel.
In these specific scriptures a goat or lamb is used (other use bulls, bullocks or even turtle doves).
Leviticus 4:22-26 (KJV)
When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of YHWH his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; [23] Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish: [24] And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before YHWH: it is a sin offering. [25] And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering. [26] And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
Leviticus 4:27-35 (KJV)
And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of YHWH concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; [28] Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. [29] And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering. [30] And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. [31] And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto YHWH; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. [32] And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish. [33] And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering [34] And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: [35] And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto YHWH: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
One can see from these scriptures, that the blood of a ram, bullock, goat, or a lamb was used to make atonement for the sins or transgressions of the children of Israel, who transgressed against YHWH's laws commandments and statutes.
So the blood of the lamb was used to atone for one’s sins.
In the next Scripture you will see how the blood of the lamb is used to cleanse one from disease.
Leviticus 14:1-29 (KJV)
And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, [2] This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: [3] And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; [4] Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: [5] And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: [6] As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: [7] And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. [8] And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days. [9] But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. [10] And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. [11] And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before YHWH, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: [12] And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before YHWH: [13] And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy: [14] And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: [15] And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: [16] And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before YHWH: [17] And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering: [18] And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before YHWH. [19] And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering: [20] And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean. [21] And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil; [22] And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering. [23] And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before YHWH. [24] And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before YHWH: [25] And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: [26] And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand: [27] And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before YHWH: [28] And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering: [29] And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before YHWH.
So the blood of the lamb used here, not only atones for one’s sins, but cleanses one of disease.
There were several key offerings for use of a lamb, this one involving a male.
Leviticus 23:10-14 (KJV)
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: [11] And he shall wave the sheaf before YHWH, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. [12] And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto YHWH. [13] And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto YHWH for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. [14] And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
A lamb was also used in the rite of a Nazarite, one whom made a vow of separation (sanctified and separated to be holy) before YHWH.
Numbers 6:13-21 (KJV)
And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: [14] And he shall offer his offering unto YHWH, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, [15] And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings. [16] And the priest shall bring them before YHWH, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: [17] And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto YHWH, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering. [18] And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. [19] And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven: [20] And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before YHWH: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine. [21] This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto YHWH for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
Notice that the lamb was for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb or firstling of flock was offered for the sin offering, the ram for a peace offering.