UBF Daily Bread

CELEBRATE THE PASSOVER

Passage: Numbers 9:1~14

Key verse: 2

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) ³Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month,^(E) in accordance with all its rules and regulations.^(F)”

⁴So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,^(G) ⁵and 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)

⁶But 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 ⁷and 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)”

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

⁹Then 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, ¹¹but 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) ¹²They 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) ¹³But 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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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 400 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