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81. Numbers 9: “The Passover Celebrated”

Golden Nursing Center in Mannington, NJ –Evening

Service on 10/19/2017

(edited July 2021)

Verses 1-5: “And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover. And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.”

A delivered generation, a People who had been “passed over” by physical death are now being called to celebrate their salvation. For them it had all happened just two years prior to this. How about you? If you are a believer in Jesus, how long ago did Christ deliver you? Are you still celebrating being passed over by spiritual death?

Verses 6-7: “And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the Lord in his appointed season among the children of Israel?”

These men are in a real predicament. In the Old Covenant, failure to comply with the Law of Moses could be considered a capital offense.

Verse 8: “And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”

Moses does a great thing by inquiring before the Lord prior to taking any action. So, what will God do with these men?

Verses 9-10: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord.”

The God Who made a way for these men and for all the Passover worshippers back then is the same God Who leads us in our worship today. He’s still practical and kind, Amen!

Verses 11-13: “The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.”

God is understanding of our limits. He will make reasonable allowances for us. That is not to say that He doesn’t notice and take into account any willful negligence or disrespect on our part! This is worth noting. His Love for us all does not mean He will become our doormat!

Verse 14: “And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the Lord; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.”

What about a stranger seeking to worship? God made provisions for that to occur at Passover. How about us, today? Do we welcome strangers to join us in publicly worshipping the Lord? We should.

Verses 15-17: “And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.”

Notice that the Lord is not just presiding over the Passover and rituals and ceremonies of worship. He is fully involved with everything else the People do and need. When you see Him as being in control of your entire life, that’s when you are really worshipping Him! That should be the goal in the Church today. Take a look at how Ancient Israel was doing it:

Verses 18-22: “ At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not. And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed. And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.”

Christ does not want “visitation rights” to His Children just on Sunday mornings! He longs, He needs to dwell with you and me at all times. And everyone needs Him to be there, too: I mean, Tuesday at midnight, Thursday morning at work, and on and on. The enemy will often tolerate our public worship, but just doesn’t want us to break through and to see God at work everywhere around us at all times!

Verse 23: “ At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.”

I need to do better at welcoming Jesus into my entire life. I need to discover Him in more and more places, and learn to relax and enjoy His presence there with me. Would you agree that you need that, too? Let’s pray.

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