Specific acts of worship commanded by God, sometimes including the sacraments.
The ordinance of Passover and Unleavened Bread
Exodus 12:14 See also Exodus 12:17, Exodus 12:24, Exodus 12:43, Exodus 13:10; Numbers 9:12
And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come.
The ordinance of the Day of Atonement
Leviticus 16:34 See also Leviticus 16:29, Leviticus 16:31, Leviticus 23:31
This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.
The ordinance of the red-heifer ritual
Numbers 19:2, Numbers 19:10, Numbers 19:21
Other occasions of worship as ordinances
Leviticus 23:41, Leviticus 24:3; Numbers 31:21; 2 Chronicles 2:4; Psalm 81:4; Ezekiel 46:14
Ordinances associated with the priesthood
The Aaronic priests
Exodus 29:9 See also Exodus 28:43, Exodus 30:21; Leviticus 7:36, Leviticus 10:9; Numbers 10:8
Wrap the sashes around Aaron and his sons and tie headbands on them. The priesthood shall be theirs by a permanent statute. In this way you are to ordain Aaron and his sons.
The Levites
Numbers 18:23; 2 Chronicles 8:14
Ordinances in Christian worship
1 Corinthians 11:24–25 parallels Matthew 26:26–28, Mark 14:22–24, Luke 22:17–20 See also Matthew 28:19–20 Jesus Christ's commands to observe baptism and the Lord's Supper makes them ordinances of Christian worship; Acts 2:38, Acts 16:15, Acts 18:8, Acts 22:16
and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Ordinances were to be permanent
Leviticus 3:17 See also Exodus 27:21; Leviticus 23:14, Leviticus 23:21
This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”
Ordinances were to be obeyed
2 Kings 17:37 See also 1 Samuel 30:25; 2 Kings 17:34; 2 Chronicles 19:10, 2 Chronicles 33:8; Ezekiel 44:24
And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.
Ordinances were for Israelites and Gentiles alike
Numbers 15:15 See also Numbers 9:14
The assembly is to have the same statute both for you and for the foreign resident; it is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD.
God's ordinances are of supreme value
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.