Connecting with God and the Observance of Passover -- How Often?

Numbers Chapter 28: Offerings, Passover, Unleavened Bread

Numbers 28:1-31

Day 85. Just got the approval from our Premier for Ontario churches to be allowed to meet at 30% capacity starting tomorrow, June 12^th.  That’s great news. But it’s no easy matter. People are waiting to hear from their churches as to how that will happen since many of the precautions for social distancing, etc. are still in place. We press on.

The Passage

Verses 1-8 cover the required daily offerings.

Verses 9-10 cover the required weekly offerings.

Verses 11-15 cover the required monthly offerings.

Verse 16 stipulates the Lord’s Passover shall be on the fourteenth day of the first month.

Verses 17-25 cover the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the associated offerings.

Verses 26-31 cover the required offerings of the First Fruits.

Each of the above section has some detailed instructions on the various requirements.

Thoughts on the Passage

First of all, much of this, if not all of it, is a reiteration of things God had commanded before. The Israelites had been keeping these to the best of their ability for the last 38 years. But Matthew Henry suggests there were three reasons for this “review” here:

1.     This was a new generation of men.

2.     Because they were now entering into war and God didn’t want the Israelites to think they need not observe such offerings. [We take note of this as we consider our troops in various battlefields all over the world.]

3.     Because they were about to enter the Promised Land where they would have plenty of everything and feasting a lot.  It was then God didn’t want them to forget His statutes. [Again, this speaks to us – we are living in generally good times and that makes it easier for us to forget God. We do so at our own peril.]

But as I look at all the activity, I can’t help but think of how dedicated God’s children were expected to be – daily, weekly, monthly, and annual special sacrifices and offerings. And at great personal financial cost in terms of livestock, etc. The questions remain, “What does God expect of us today in this regard?” and “What are we giving to God today?” Each person will need to answer that for themselves. Once we determine that, we next need to ask ourselves, “Is that enough?” I’m not suggesting more will buy us anything – certainly not salvation. I am suggesting that it may be a measure of our love towards our Creator. [Your thoughts always welcomed.]

Notice verse 4 tells us that the daily offering is made twice – once in the morning and once in the evening. David Guzik suggests this reminds us to start and end our day with a statement of trust in God’s atonement and expression of our devotion to Him.

In verse 16 we read about Passover.  Most consider the Passover to begin on the 15^th day of the month of Nisan.  Then why does our Bible say the 14^th day. This may help: The 15^th day begins in the evening (of the 14^th day), after the sun sets, and the Seder meal is eaten that evening.

Some groups observe communion every week; some once a month. Jesus never specified how often when He told us to observe this Memorial of His death. However, he did introduce the observance after sundown on Nisan 14, 33 AD, according to the Bible’s lunar calendar (Matthew 26:18-20, 26).

Jesus instituted the Lord’s on the date of the Jewish Passover, and he died later that same day. (Matthew 26:​1, 2) This was no coincidence. The Scriptures compare Jesus’ sacrifice to that of the Passover lamb. (1 Corinthians 5:​7, 8) The Passover was observed once each year. (Exodus 12:​1-6; Leviticus 23:5) Likewise, the Memorial of Jesus’ death was observed only once each year by the early Christians, to the best of our knowledge, according to The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Volume IV, pages 43-​44, and McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, Volume VIII, page 836. Jehovah Witnesses only observe this meal once a year, and so do some other sects such as The Dawn Bible Students Association.

The Feast of Weeks (or First Fruits) is now known as the Feast of Pentecost.  Its primary purpose was not atonement, but thanksgiving for the harvest. Atonement in this case was a secondary purpose.

We don’t have to observe all these offerings in the same way – but we must not ignore God’s intention for these offerings with respect to His people. That intention is the same for us – we must not forget our God in boom times or in war times. We must remain in contact with Him at all times of the day throughout our lives once we become His child. May that be our prayer for each of us.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Getting Things In Perspective Early in the Year

Happy New Year 2018. Yesterday I finished my last year's devotional book that someone had given me and since I didn't get a new one for Christmas, I thought I would pick-up again my study of Scripture that I had set aside recently.  Interestingly, today's short has a lot to say to us at the beginning of a new year.  Here's the passage and below it, you will find some of my thoughts. 

Exodus 34:18-20

"You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in the month of Abib you came out of Egypt.

"The first offspring from every womb belongs to Me, and all your male livestock, the first offspring from cattle and sheep.

"And you shall redeem with a lamb the first offspring from a donkey; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck.  You shall redeem all the first-born of your sons. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed."

Thoughts on the Passage

The Israelites were to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.  We just finished a celebration of Christmas and New Year's that lasted well over seven days for many of us. But while we could taste any foods we wanted to during our celebration, the Israelites had to eat "unleavened bread".  For an explanation of what unleavened bread is and its significance in the Bible, I would recommend this reference -- unleavened bread.  [I do want to point out that at least in this passage, the text does not say they were to "only" eat unleavened bread -- but rather it suggests that when they ate bread, it had to be unleavened. Whether they were allowed anything else or not, would require additional study.]

And the Israelites had to do this during a specific month -- a month which had significance for them as it that time of the year that they had been freed from their bondage and slavery in Egypt. To a certain extent, when we celebrate Christmas (regardless of the debate as to when exactly that should be done), we are celebrating the start of the process of our delivery from bondage and slavery to sin.  We are celebrating the coming to earth of our Savior Jesus Christ -- the Messiah who would free us from sin and death.

But for the Israelites, it was not just about celebrating and eating unleavened bread for a week. We are told here that God also demanded the first offspring from every womb, and it specifically names those coming from cattle and sheep. The first offspring from a donkey could be redeemed with a lamb. The Israelites could also redeem the first-born of any sons they had in a similar way, one assumes.  The whole idea was that since they all belonged to God, the Israelites couldn't just take them without a redemption price being paid.  In particular, though, we need to remember that the first-born son always used to be the priest for the family or household, thus he belonged to God.  But now, God had established the tribe of Levi to be the priesthood source and so one could redeem their first-born from God.

We note that the redemption was to be "via a lamb". We too are redeemed through the blood of the Ultimate Sacrificial Lamb -- Jesus Christ, whose birth we just celebrated a few days ago.  We cannot go to God empty-handed and only the sacrificial lamb will suffice as a redemption.

Finally, I found the phrase "and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck"most interesting.  Granted God was speaking about the first-born of a donkey, but the significance for us is there if we want it to be.  God was saying if you don't allow a sacrificial lamb to redeem this first-born, then its neck has to be broken.  Total destruction.  No sacrifice leads to no redemption leads to death.

As we begin this new year, may each of us be aware of what God expects from us in terms of knowing to Whom we belong, and what it takes to be redeemed.

I would value your thoughts and input.  Happy New Year.

Ken.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

The Exodus Numbers and Other Details -- Exodus 12:37-39

Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children.  A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock.  They baked the dough which they had brought out of Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread. For it had not become leavened, since they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.
 
In this portion of the chapter under consideration, we are provided with considerable factual data – some which gives rise to more questions.  Based on what we have in Genesis 47:11 and in Strong’s Lexicon, we know that Rameses (Ramses) was indeed a city in lower Egypt built by Hebrew slaves; probably in Goshen.  Succoth was, according to Genesis 33:17 the place where Jacob had travelled to after he was reunited with Esau.  There, Jacob built a house and settled his livestock.  According to Strong’s Lexicon this was east of the Jordan and the first stopping place for the Israelites when they left Egypt.  The experts differ on how far the Hebrews could have travelled on their journey each day.  If we accept the Word as written, this first stop was about 25 miles from Goshen, or at least the Rameses part of Goshen.  Was this possible in one day?  Yes, but difficult to comprehend since they were not trained walkers.   One alternative was this was not done in one day and nothing in Scripture stipulates it was.  Another is that we are not exactly sure of where Succoth was located (and there are varying opinions on that as well).

The next fact of interest that we need to grapple with is the numbers of those leaving Egypt.  Our text says “about 600,000 men on foot, aside from children”.  I think we can safely assume that almost everybody departed on foot.  That means we are not talking about 600,000 men on foot and an unknown number riding.  One assumes that some who were disabled were carried or rode on animals or in carts of some sort, but for the most part – they all walked.  But we note there is no direct mention of “women” – only men and children.  So did the women not go?  They very much did, but in keeping with the culture and times, Moses chooses not to identify them specifically.  The assumption is that for a certain amount of men, there are a certain amount of women, on average.  On the other hand, some commentators believe the word “men” was used in a generic sense to imply “adults” and included women.  I personally prefer the former explanation, but I could be wrong.  Does it matter?  The fact is that anywhere between one million and two million (or perhaps higher) human beings, Children of Israel, left Egypt on that date.  Robert Jamieson says the following on this verse:  “It appears from Numbers 1:3 [which we hope to come to much later in our own study] that the enumeration is of men above twenty years of age. Assuming, what is now ascertained by statistical tables, that the number of males above that age is as nearly as possible the half of the total number of males, the whole male population of Israel, on this computation, would amount to 1,200,000; and adding an equal number for women and children, the aggregate number of Israelites who left Egypt would be 2,400,000.” And based on that thinking, even that upper number may actually be low.

We are also told “in addition (or ‘also’) a mixed multitude went up (out of Egypt) with them.  So, who were these people?  Matthew Henry writes about them, “A mixed multitude went with them. Some, perhaps, willing to leave their country, laid waste by plagues; others, out of curiosity; perhaps a few out of love to them and their religion. But there were always those among the Israelites who were not Israelites.”  And then Henry adds this stinger, “Thus there are still hypocrites in the church.”  Ouch, but true.

The Pulpit Commentary says this: “Kalisch [another commentator] supposes that these strangers were native Egyptians, anxious to escape the tyranny of the kings. Canon Cook [still another] suggests that they were ‘remains of the old Semitic population’ of the Eastern provinces. Perhaps it is more probable that they consisted of fugitives from other subject races (as the Shartana) oppressed by the Pharaohs.”  Some went because of inter-marriages that had taken place and they did not want to part with their loved ones.  Others saw that God was favoring the Hebrews and thus it was best to be with them than stay in desolate Egypt.  Robert Jamieson whom we have relied on before calls them “a great rabble” – “slaves, persons in the lowest grades of society, partly natives and partly foreigners, bound close to them as companions in misery, and gladly availing themselves of the opportunity to escape in the crowd.”  This all reminds me of the traveling group in the Canterbury Tales.  Could anything good come from, or to, this kind of crowd?

And let us not forget all the livestock – every flock, every herd, every animal.  Can you imagine either what the length of this exodus sight was or how wide it was in order to accommodate all those who wanted to escape for Egypt?

Regardless of how long or hard they had traveled; two things were bound to happen.  First they were going to get hungry.  Second the unleavened dough they had taken with them when rushing out of Egypt was eventually going to ferment.  And the question arises as to whether or not they felt they were still in that “first week” of the memorial talked about in Exodus 12:14 or was this only to be celebrated “once they arrived in the land” which the Lord would give them (Exodus 12:25).  Interesting.  In any case, it was felt that they needed to bake with the unleavened bread and thus had to do it quickly – probably over coals in the wilderness as no ovens were available.  In essence this was the first “Passover night” meal celebrating their freedom from bondage.

As Christians, we celebrate this Passover in the form of Communion remembering Christ’s sacrifice on the cross as payments for our sins and purchase of our freedom from spiritual bondage.  One day, a Wedding Feast, a Royal Banquet, will replace all these Memorial Meals. At that time Christ will accept us as His Bride forever more.  I hope you’ll be there.

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