Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time

Numbers 9:1-23

The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt. He said, “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time."

So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.

So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?”

“Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate the Lord’s Passover, but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

A foreigner residing among you is also to celebrate the Lord’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.’

On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.  At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order and did not set out.

Why?
Passover celebrates the salvation of Israelites from Egypt, so remember this salvation and the Lord asked them to celebrate Passover. So as we should remember we are free from the sins through Jesus Christ and baptised to get a new life.

Sometimes the circumstances could not have Passover, but the Lord shows them the way to have Passover the next month. 

What is my fire and cloud of tabernacle in my life? I will ask the Lord to show me the way, and I know the Lord a living God who shows me the way.

------------------

v1-14 逾越節的補充：逾越節代表救恩，第一次以色列人出埃及過逾越節，直到過約旦河，都沒有記載過逾越節。當人不記念神的救恩，就會常常抱怨，跌倒。神用10個神蹟打敗埃及所有權勢和困難，顯示神是全能的。

雖然不潔淨但是仍然想過逾越節，可以在2月14日守逾越節。神體念人的軟弱，雖然步伐沒有跟上，但是守節規矩仍然一樣守節重於日期。要守節、守耶和華的律法，遵行耶和華的話是一種義務，也是一種恩典，豈可放棄。不是藉此躲開。讓有心尋求神，守節的人一個方法。

v15-23 何時出發。守完逾越節的人要耐心等候出發的日子。今天講求速食文化時候，要知道生命成長需要時候。神願意親近人，卻又不讓人看見，因為要保護人不致死亡。神用火用雲彩讓人知道神的同在。人要等候神，神有神的時間，按著神的時間、神的速度而行，不要擅作主張。

------------------

How?

Passover at the appointed time is like Sunday morning going to church to worship the Lord, become our regulation, and remember I belong to the Lord.