Remembering What God Had Done

 A year before, the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt.  They had celebrated the Passover early the same night they left Egypt, on the fourteenth day of the first month.  Exactly one year later, God commanded them to celebrate the Passover again, in Numbers 9:1-5.  “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.”

 

The first time they kept the Passover, they were just doing what God had commanded, hoping they would eventually be freed.  One year later, they were celebrating a year of being free.  God had commanded that every Israelite was supposed to keep the Passover, but there were a few men who could not meet the requirements due to circumstances beyond their control, as Numbers 9:6-7 describes.  “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?”

 

Sometimes things happen at inconvenient times, making it impossible for us to do things just the way we believe God wants us to.  God understands this, and makes allowances for it.  He commanded these men to keep the Passover one month later on the fourteenth day, according to Numbers 9:9-12.  “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 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.”

 

They were to celebrate the Passover exactly as everyone else celebrated it, just one month later. They were only to use this second date if they were unable to keep it on the proper date.  Numbers 9:13 warned, “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.” 

 

Sometimes in modern life, it is impossible to attend regular church services as commanded in Hebrews 10:25.  “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  Many churches have other services during the week, or one may be able to spend time praying and studying by themselves, but if possible, they need to be in church, both for their own spiritual growth, and to encourage those around them.  Celebrating the Passover was a way of reminding them of what God had done for them and helping keep them following God.   The church worship services should accomplish the same purpose for Christians.  Without it they will tend to drift into sin, and Hebrews 10:26-27 warns, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” 

 

God understands our situation, and makes allowances for such things.  He also knows our commitment to obey is an indicator of our faith.  If a person doesn’t care enough to make the effort, how much do they really care?