Overview
Numbers 9 focuses on two main themes: the observance of the Passover in the wilderness and the guidance of the Israelites through the cloud and fire over the Tabernacle. This chapter reinforces the importance of ritual observance and divine direction in the journey of the Israelites. Key aspects include:
The Second Passover: The chapter begins with God commanding Moses to have the Israelites celebrate Passover at its appointed time in the first month, despite being in the wilderness. This is the second Passover observed since leaving Egypt.
Provision for Those Unable to Participate: Some men are unable to participate in the Passover due to being ceremonially unclean from contact with a dead body. Moses seeks God's guidance, and a provision is made for such individuals to observe Passover one month later, maintaining the inclusivity of the ritual.
Obligation to Observe Passover: The chapter emphasizes the importance of all Israelites, including foreigners living among them, participating in the Passover as a perpetual ordinance, highlighting its significance in Israelite identity and memory.
The Cloud and Fire: The latter part of the chapter describes how the Israelites travel and camp based on the movement of the cloud by day and the appearance of fire by night over the Tabernacle. This divine presence guides their journey.
Immediate Obedience to Divine Signals: Whenever the cloud lifts, the Israelites set out, and when the cloud settles, they camp. Their journey is entirely directed by these divine signs, reflecting their dependence on God's guidance.
Numbers 9 underscores the faithfulness of the Israelites to their traditions and their reliance on God’s direct guidance. The observance of the Passover signifies their continuous commitment to the covenant with God, while the cloud and fire symbolize God's constant presence and direction in their journey towards the Promised Land.
The Second Passover: The chapter begins with God commanding Moses to have the Israelites celebrate Passover at its appointed time in the first month, despite being in the wilderness. This is the second Passover observed since leaving Egypt.
Provision for Those Unable to Participate: Some men are unable to participate in the Passover due to being ceremonially unclean from contact with a dead body. Moses seeks God's guidance, and a provision is made for such individuals to observe Passover one month later, maintaining the inclusivity of the ritual.
Obligation to Observe Passover: The chapter emphasizes the importance of all Israelites, including foreigners living among them, participating in the Passover as a perpetual ordinance, highlighting its significance in Israelite identity and memory.
The Cloud and Fire: The latter part of the chapter describes how the Israelites travel and camp based on the movement of the cloud by day and the appearance of fire by night over the Tabernacle. This divine presence guides their journey.
Immediate Obedience to Divine Signals: Whenever the cloud lifts, the Israelites set out, and when the cloud settles, they camp. Their journey is entirely directed by these divine signs, reflecting their dependence on God's guidance.
Numbers 9 underscores the faithfulness of the Israelites to their traditions and their reliance on God’s direct guidance. The observance of the Passover signifies their continuous commitment to the covenant with God, while the cloud and fire symbolize God's constant presence and direction in their journey towards the Promised Land.
Numbers 9
1 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,
2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.
3 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.
4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.
5 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.
6 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:
7 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?
8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.
9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
10 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.
🔑 Devotion
11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
12 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.
13 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.
14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
🔑 Sermon: "Living From the Presence of God!" Part 1
18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
🔑 Devotion
End of Numbers 9
1 Year Plan: Mar 1 - Num 9, Num 10, Num 11, Mk 15
2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.
3 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.
4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.
5 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.
6 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:
7 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?
8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.
9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
10 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.
🔑 Devotion
11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
12 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.
13 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.
14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
🔑 Sermon: "Living From the Presence of God!" Part 1
18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
🔑 Devotion
End of Numbers 9
1 Year Plan: Mar 1 - Num 9, Num 10, Num 11, Mk 15
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