The Second Passover

“The Second Passover” – 30 days after the first Passover on the 14^th of Abib, which is usually in late March or early April.  I was amazed that I had not addressed this or written a blog on this topic earlier. So here it is!  In fact, I think the “2^nd Passover” should be included in the cards some groups hand out listing the dates of the various key dates and holydays for the coming years.

Passover remembers the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus the Messiah – and let me add, the sacrifice of God the father also – which makes forgiveness possible. I say “the Father also”, because any loving father would gladly take a bullet for his beloved son. God CERTAINLY sacrificed so much for us in the Passover. And it was GOD’s idea. GOD who so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son to come die for us, for our sins, so we wouldn’t have to die and bear our own sins and their penalty. And of course His one life as the Son of God was more valuable than all of humanity put together, hence his one life could cover as many repentant sinners as would accept his sacrifice.

But now what happens when unavoidable circumstances force you to miss the Passover? God considers the Passover to be so important, that he allows for those who can’t keep the first date to have a second shot, 30 days later. It comes up in Numbers 9:6-12, a year after Israel left Egypt. Touching a dead body made Israelites ceremonially unclean and unable to keep the Passover.

Several Israelites could not keep Passover the year after the exodus from Egypt, because they had touched a dead body (Numbers 9:6-8; Leviticus 7:20-21). That rendered them ceremonially unclean. This deeply concerned them so they asked Moses what to do and he in turn asked God (Num. 9:8). God’s answer shows his tender love and his willingness to accept that sometimes events occur that make it impossible to do what God commands – like keeping the Passover on a certain time and date. So God allows – in this case – for an exception to the rule. (It reminds us of the “ox in the ditch” ruling that even on the weekly sabbath, some real emergencies can arise.)

So if you just cannot make the Passover because you’re away on a big, long trip, or there’s been death in the family, read the scripture below and understand: you can keep Passover, but a month after the first one. The fact that God allows us to have a second chance at Passover, shows how important it is to him.

Hallelujah and praise to our God. This second Passover is truly for those in unavoidable circumstances. Examples of this could certainly apply to those in the hospital or other clear emergencies. If a new pandemic hits us that is sweeping the globe lightning-fast, that may also be a reason to postpone for a month, if you need to meet with a group.

But remember, worshiping God in a “group” could be smaller than you might think. In the case of a pandemic,  I believe I’d just stay home with my beloved wife and the two of us would have Passover together, by ourselves. Don’t forget “Where TWO or THREE are gathered together in my name, I AM THERE in the midst of them”  (Matthew 18:20). 

So if at least two believers can keep Passover – with footwashing and eating of the Bread from heaven and sipping of his cup and all that means, by all means do it, even if it is just 2 or three of you. No, you do NOT have to have an ordained minister leading the service. In the original Passover of Exodus 12, they were family meetings led by the father of the household. They weren’t led by Levites or priests (in fact there were no priests yet at that time) 

Notice too that Christ and Paul focused on the cup as much as what was in the cup.

Drinking of his cup says you are willing to accept whatever God has in store for you as a believer and you will be true to your Savior no matter what. Of course the red wine pictures everything the Son’s blood does for us: cleanses us from our sins, forgives our sins, reconciles us to God, removes the wrath of God that is on us due to our sins, and restores our right relationship with Most Holy God.  I have a sermon that goes in depth into what the Blood of Christ does for us.

Now here’s the account of how the Second Passover came to be.

Numbers 9:1-13

Now YHVH 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 children 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 rites and ceremonies you shall keep it." 4 So Moses told 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 twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.

6 Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. 7 And those men said to him, "We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?"

8 And Moses said to them, "Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you."

9 Then YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, 10 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord's Passover.

11 On the fourteenth day of the SECOND month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

12 They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin.”

Interesting that we either let Christ bear our sin – or we bear it ourselves (verse 13).

Are there any other examples of Second Passover besides Numbers 9?  Absolutely.

Read 2 Chronicles 30 for yourself. In King Hezekiah’s day, he invited the remnants of the House of Israel who had survived the Assyrian wars and captivity, to come down to Jerusalem and turn back to God. Most of the northern Tribes laughed at the messengers, but quite a few DID respond. But time was passing and they missed the first Passover. Nonetheless, they remembered the SECOND Passover, in the second month. It was a time of jubilation and reform in Judah and for many from Ephraim and Manasseh and Zebulon from up north as well.

So they kept Passover a month later, in the second month of God’s calendar. I’ll pick up at 2 Chronicles 30:10.

2 Chronicles 30:10-22

So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed at them and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the LORD.

13 Now many people, a very great assembly, gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the SECOND MONTH.

14 They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and cast them into the Brook Kidron. 15 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought the burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 They stood in their place according to their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites.

17 For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone 19 who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary." 20 And YHVH listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. 

21 So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing to YHVH, accompanied by loud instruments. 22 And Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of YHVH; and they ate throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.”

What a wonderful God we have.