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, 2 “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its rules you shall keep it.” 4 So Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5 And they kept 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 commanded Moses, so the people of Israel did. 6 And there were certain men who were unclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. 7 And those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching a dead body. Why are we kept from bringing the Lord's offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?” 8 And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”
9 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “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, he shall still keep the Passover to the Lord. 11 In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight they shall keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails 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.14 And if a stranger sojourns among you 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.” The Cloud Covering the Tabernacle15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day[a] and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. 18 At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out.20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. 21 And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out.22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses. Meditation God’s grace transforms our wilderness path into a wonderful personal encounter. God uses wilderness wanderings to deepen intimacy with Himself. Like a long road trip with a friend, when stuck on a journey together you really get to know one another! God’s grace meets us in in the wilderness and walks us into an intimate place. On Israel’s wilderness way to the promise land God invited intimacy through participating in Passover and fully following Him. God commands to “keep” Passover (7x), remembering and celebrating the redemption of God’s people from slavery in Egypt ( Exodus 12). The Passover was an active meal of covenant fellowship with the Lord and this invitation is remarkably gracious as the timing places the command after Israel had made the golden calf (Exodus 32). Our failure is never the end of the story. His grace invites us to be free of our failure and feast on His faithfulness. The picture of God’s promised presence is potent. A cloud of His glory descended on the tabernacle by day, in “the appearance of fire by night.” When the cloud lifted, the people followed. As ducklings follow their mom so God tenderly leads His people through the wilderness. Deep trust in the wilderness cultivates intimate knowing and following. Jesus went into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) so that our wildernesses can be transformed from wasteful to wonderful. May God’s grace transform our perspective on our wilderness path! Richly Dwelling -What is your perspective on your wilderness path? Do you see how grace meets you in the wilderness space and invites you into intimate relationship? -Why is the picture of intimacy over the Passover meal important to see before we follow the Lord in the wilderness path? -Where are areas your perspective on the wilderness path need to be redeemed? Key Verse 2 “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its rules you shall keep it.” 4 So Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the Passover. Comments are closed.
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AuthorPastor Mitchell celebrates twenty-five years of marriage with Lisa & together they have four adventurous children. |