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Numbers 9:9 - Who should participate in Passover?

Good afternoon faithful readers,

The last day of 2020.  I think most of us have been surprised by the events of 2020.  But God has not been caught off guard.  He who keeps Israel neither slumber nor sleeps.  May we grow in trust in the coming year.

Blessings 

Jeff

A question arises about how clean laws affect Passover observance.  These laws had not been given while they were in Egypt. Moses does not issue his opinion, but waits to hear from the Lord. 

God says that not only do clean laws not apply, whoever fails to keep the Passover will be cut off.  He also extends observance to sojourner within the camp.

Why does this make sense?  The Passover lamb is not a sacrifice at the tabernacle.  It is a family by family remembrance of deliverance from Egypt.  If any firstborn son went outside on that night, they would have died.  Being covered by the blood of the lamb was what saved them regardless of ceremonial status. The annual repetition has the same message. Anyone who does not observe Passover is "going outside" and is not under the blood.   

What can we learn about the ceremony that points to the sacrament of the Lord's supper and the death of the Lamb of God?

Instruction What does God expect? Passover should have been a big deal to Israel but history shows that they routinely stopped observing.  If the sign was a big deal, how much more is what it signified a big deal.  Proper observation of Communion is vital to both the individual and the gathered body.  The elders at TCCS are committed to making communion a meaningful expression of the gospel.

Thanksgiving -  While the 2nd command prohibits idols and images, Passover is a highly sense based act of worship.  Man can not make idols or images, but God can  mandate feasts, sacrifices and offerings that impact all the senses not just the mind.  The clear bright line between false worship that man dreams up and true worship that God appoints in His word.

Confession - allowing communion to become watered down.  

Petition - Take to heart the warning that not participating in the sign (Passover) was a serious matter and therefore, not participating in the reality (Communion) is also a serious matter.

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