Today's Reading: Numbers 9
Now remember-
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Numbers 9:2–3 (ESV)
2 “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 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.”
Personalize it method (Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word): Lord please show me what your message is for me today in your Word and let me see the application. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.
This is a repeated instruction from a previous direction by God to observe the passover. The first instruction was given right at the time of the actual passover in Egypt...
Exodus 12:14 (ESV)
14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.
Exodus 12:23–27 (ESV)
23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. 24 You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. 25 And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’ ” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.
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The unclean guy-
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Numbers 9:6–8 (ESV)
6 And there were certain men who were unclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and 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 offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?” 8 And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”
See here that Moses lacked wisdom in this matter and he sought answer from me in prayer…
James 1:5 (ESV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Numbers 5:2 (ESV)
2 “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.
Numbers 19:11–12 (ESV)
11 “Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean.
Note that I instruct Moses to allow the unclean men to observe the passover at a later date. This allows time for them to wait the appointed time and to follow the process to become clean again prior to the delayed passover.
Numbers 9:9–11 (ESV)
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 In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight they shall keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
Do you see my purpose here Jeff? Do you see that my Son came to save sinners (cf. 1 Tim 1:15)? Do you see that I would turn away the entire world should I not allow for these unclean men to observe the passover (cf. Rom 3:23)? Recall that without the sacrifice and subsequent passover in Egypt these would have been killed by the destroyer with the firtborn of Egypt. So the picture I give here illustrates that sinners may find salvation by the blood of my Son in spite of their sin and it is offered in the midst of their sin (cf. Rom 5:8). But note that I did not merely advise them to participate as if there was no sin. May it never be (cf. Rom 6:2)! I clearly indicate that the sin must be acknowledged and dealt with. Repentance is mandatory Jeff as I will not be mocked in the dishonoring of my Son's sacrifice (Gal 6:7). See that those who truly trust Him and come under His protection to receive this passover will love Him (cf. John 14:15, 1 John 2:4). They will keep His comandments and they will hold their original confidence firm until the end (cf. Heb 3:14).
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The new guy-
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Numbers 9:14 (ESV)
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. You shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native.”
Exodus 12:48 (ESV)
48 If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.
See how I refer to one statute Jeff? I intend that the gentile (the new guy) come under one statute for salvation (by grace through faith) as is my people Israel. This stranger here is allowed to be circumsized and them observe the passover just as a gentile can enter into my inheritance as part of my family through trusting my Son's sacrifice to allow for my passing over of his sins.
Also know that my salvation and the fellowhip of my church is not reserved for the one who is learned in my Word and in the history of the bible, but this salvation and the sweet fellowship is also for the new comer who has yet to learn. The new believer is just as welcomed, and is justified all the same as the one who is mature.
From the Matthew Henry Commentary-
Here is a clause added in favour of strangers, v. 14. Though it was requisite that the stranger who would join with them in eating the passover should be circumcised as a proselyte to their religion (Ex. 12:48, 49), yet this kind admission of those that were not native Israelites to eat the passover was an intimation of the favour designed for the poor Gentiles by Christ. As then there was one law, so in the days of the Messiah there should be one gospel, for the stranger and for him that was born in the land; for in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him, and this was a truth before Peter perceived it, Acts 10:34, 35.
Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (Nu 9:1–14). Peabody: Hendrickson.
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The Lord's Timing-
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Numbers 9:15–17 (ESV)
15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped.
From the Matthew Henry Commentary-
When the tabernacle was finished this cloud, which before had hung on high over their camp, settled upon the tabernacle, and covered it, to show that God manifests his presence with his people in and by his ordinances; there he makes himself known, and to them we must look if we would see the beauty of the Lord, Ps. 27:4; Eze. 37:26, 27. Thus God glorified his own appointments, and signified his acceptance of his people’s love and obedience.
Numbers 9:22–23 (ESV)
22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.
Understand Jeff that I will often ask you to wait. I may not take you where you want to go right away. I may have purpose in your waiting upon me. Sometimes you need to stay put and not rush off to the next adventure or project or ministry. Consult my Word. Seek me in prayer. Watch for the cloud and move only when I move. When you are unsure, ask me and also get wise counsel as the men who were unclean in this chapter asked Moses regarding how they might be able to observe the passover.
There could be times when you are certain that you have waited long enough or that there is no chance it is already time to move on. Trust my Word and my lead in that quiet place of prayer and meditation and reflect here that whether it was a long or short time mattered not. It only mattered that it was in my timing.
From the Wiersbe Commentary-
Verse 22 makes it clear that God’s leading is beyond human calculation: sometimes the cloud would tarry a few days, sometimes a month, and sometimes as long as a year. At times God would lead them in the daytime, and at other times in the darkness (v. 21). But it made no difference so long as God was the one leading.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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Thanks for commenting- I will probably post it if you dont seem to be a crazy person!