We are rolling into Numbers chapter nine with our word for today which is a phrase. וְעָ֥שָׂה פֶ֖סַח keep the Passover. Our word is used 12 times in the Old Testament, 7 times in our chapter. Let’s start with the first time it is used in the Bible. Exodus 12:43, 46-48 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover … It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. If a stranger shall sojourn with you וְעָ֣שָׂה פֶסַח֮ and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. This is how our phrase is used 7 times in our chapter. Numbers 9:1-2, 4-6, 10, 13-14 And 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, “Let the people of Israel הַפָּ֖סַח וְיַעֲשׂ֧וּ keep the Passover at its appointed time … So Moses told the people of Israel לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת הַפָּֽסַח that they should keep the Passover. וַיַּעֲשׂ֣וּ אֶת־הַפֶּ֡סַח And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month … And there were certain men who were unclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not לַעֲשֹׂת־הַפֶּ֖סַח keep the Passover on that day … 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, וְעָ֥שָׂה פֶ֖סַח he shall still keep the Passover to the LORD … But if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת הַפֶּ֔סַח to keep the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people because he did not bring the LORD’S offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger sojourns among you וְעָ֤שָֽׂה פֶ֙סַח֙ 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.” It was only fitting that the Israelites began their second year of freedom by commemorating the awesome night when God delivered them from Egyptian bondage. This would be there second Passover. In looking back, the people would appreciate what God had done for them, and they could teach their children the significance of Israel’s “independence day”. Unless parents remind their children of what the Lord has done, it won’t be long before the next generation will drift from the faith. Unfortunately, not only did the people forget God but they forgot to celebrate the Passover. We do see Josiah and Hezekiah lead the people to go back and observe the Passover again after years of neglect. 2 Kings 23:21 And the king commanded all the people, עֲשׂ֣וּ פֶ֔סַח “Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant. 2 Chronicles 30:1-2, 5 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת פֶּ֔סַח to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הַפֶּ֖סַח to keep the Passover in the second month … So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת פֶּ֛סַח and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. In the New Testament we see Jesus observe the Passover. Matthew 26:17-19 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. This is important because not only is Jesus giving us a good example in remembering what God the Father had done for his people. But he also adds meaning to Passover by starting the Lord’s Supper or Communion which is also a remembrance of what Jesus was going to do by becoming the Lamb of God that takes away our sins. As the church we need to remember regularly this observance that Jesus set up so that we don’t forget what God has done for us. I’ll close with this great reminder. Matthew 26:26-28 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
