CELEBRATE THE PASSOVER

Passage: Numbers 9:1-14

Key verse: 2

NIV

The Passover

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month(A) of the second year after they came out of Egypt.(B) He said, 2 “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover(C) at the appointed time.(D) 3 Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month,(E) in accordance with all its rules and regulations.(F)”

4 So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,(G) 5 and they did so in the Desert of Sinai(H) at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.(I) The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.(J)

6 But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean(K) on account of a dead body.(L) So they came to Moses and Aaron(M) that same day 7 and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?(N)”

8 Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.”(O)

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body(P) or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate(Q) the Lord’s Passover, 11 but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month(R) at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.(S) 12 They must not leave any of it till morning(T) or break any of its bones.(U) When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.(V) 13 But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people(W) for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.

14 “‘A foreigner(X) residing among you is also to celebrate the Lord’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.’”

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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Passover Celebrated

9 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, (A)in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 (B)On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its rules you shall keep it.” 4 So Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5 And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the people of Israel did. 6 And there were certain men who were (C)unclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and (D)they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. 7 And those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching a dead body. Why are we kept from bringing the Lord's (E)offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?” 8 And Moses said to them, “Wait, that (F)I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”

9 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If any one of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is on a long journey, he shall still keep the Passover to the Lord. 11 (G)In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight they shall keep it. (H)They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 (I)They shall leave none of it until the morning, (J)nor break any of its bones; (K)according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails to keep the Passover, (L)that person shall be cut off from his people because he did not bring the Lord's (M)offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. 14 And if a stranger sojourns among you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its rule, so shall he do. (N)You shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

In the Desert of Sinai God commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Passover. Celebrating the Passover was to remember God’s mighty work for them and give thanks to him. The Israelites had suffered over 4

years as slaves in Egypt. To bring them out of Egypt, God struck down all the firstborn in Egypt through the plague of death. But he passed over the houses of Israelites who had obeyed God by putting the lamb’s blood on their doorframes. God’s people are to remember God’s saving grace that is the anchor of our soul. We were once slaves to our sin and wickedness. But God has rescued us out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Some who were ceremonially unclean or away on a journey were disallowed to celebrate the Passover at its appointed time. However, God gave them a second chance to celebrate it one month later after they became ceremonially clean. God didn’t want the Passover celebration unclean and tainted. Yet he also provided a way for the unclean to come back to him and celebrate. God is holy and cannot compromise with what is unclean. He is also merciful and gracious to those who want to come to him after being cleansed by Jesus’ blood. Remembering God’s work for us and giving thanks to him is God’s will for his people.

Prayer: Lord, help me remember your saving grace, and come to you by faith in Jesus’ blood.

One Word: Remember his grace for me