The Second Passover (Num. 9:1-5)

11/24/2008 8:25 PM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                              Focus:  The second Passover

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Numbers 9:1-5

            Message of the verses:  1 ¶  Thus the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2  "Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time.  3  "On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall observe it at its appointed time; you shall observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances."  4  So Moses told the sons of Israel to observe the Passover.  5  They observed 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 had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did.”

            Today I begin the study of the book of Numbers and it may seem a bit strange that I am beginning in the ninth chapter, but that is the way that Dr. Wiersbe begins in his commentary on the book of Numbers, “Be Counted.”

            “The events recorded in Numbers 1-6 were preceded by those described in 7:1-9:15.  We are now in the second year of Israel’s national history (1:1; 9:1).  The tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month (Ex. 40:2, 17).  The twelve tribal leaders began to bring their gifts on that day (Num. 7:1), a procedure that lasted twelve days (v. 78).  On the thirteenth day, the Levites were consecrated (Num. 8), and on the fourteenth day, the Jews celebrated the Passover (9:1-14).”

            After reading this statement is understandable why Dr. Wiersbe started his “Be Counted” book where he did, and it surely dose make it more understandable as I begin this study of the fourth book that Moses penned at the beginning of the Bible.

            Since I have studied about the celebration of Passover when studying the book of Exodus this will be somewhat of a review for me, but review is always beneficial to do.

            This was a great way to begin this new nations second year by observing the Passover Celebration.  Passover reminded the children of Israel of how God brought them out of the land of Egypt and it was a good reminder for them, as they needed to teach their children how it was that God brought them out of the house of slavery that they were in while in Egypt.  Each family had to bring a young lamb into their house for a short time, and this little lamb would become kind of a pet to them, yet they would have to slay the Passover Lamb and roast it and eat it with bitter herbs, which represented their bitter treatment in the land of Egypt.  They would also eat unleavened bread with their meal as they did not have time to allow their bread to rise when they hurried out of Egypt and also yeast represents evil and so that was another reason not to put the yeast into the bread.

            Passover was the day that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and to all who have believed in Him alone for their salvation they have been freed from the slave market of sin.  During the “Last Supper” the Lord began a new celebration that the Church is to follow and that is the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist, or Communion, and this is to remind all true believers of what Jesus Christ did for them on the cross and it is also a reminder that Jesus Christ will return to this earth one day, and that He will return for His bride before He steps foot on this earth.  The first event is commonly called the “Rapture of the Church” and in this event only those who have been saved throughout the Church era will meet the Lord in the air and will ever be with Him.  (See 1 Thes. 4:13-18 & 1 Cor. 15:52-58).

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I want to take up on the reminder portion of this section today, for if the Church does not remind their children the truths of the Bible and give them the plan of salvation then the blessings will stop, so it is good to remind my family and also to take opportunities to tell others that the Lord brings into my heart and pathway while here on planet earth.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. Give myself to the Lord as seen in Romans 12:1-2.
2. Remind myself that from the truth of God’s Word that my old self is dead.
3. Continue to learn contentment.

Memory verses for the week:                                  Romans 6:1-7

1. What shall we say then?  Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2. May it never be!  How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we to might walk in newness of life.
5. For if we have been united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6. knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7. for he who has died is freed from sin.

11/24/2008 9:16 PM