Passover rules and clouds to guide

Numbers Chapter 9

The Lord gave Moses instructions to pass along to the Israelites in early spring of the second year since departing from Egypt, telling them that they needed to celebrate the Passover at the proper time.

The people did as Moses instructed, but some of the men had been ceremonially defiled by touching a dead person, so they could not offer their Passover lambs that day. They came to Moses and Aaron and wanted to know why they should be excluded from the festival.

Moses answered for them to wait until he talked to the Lord. The Lord's replay was if any people now or in future generations is unclean at Passover time, they may still celebrate that Passover like this: they must offer the Passover sacrifice one month later, at twilight on the appointed day. They must eat the lamb at that time with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They must not leave any lamb till morning and must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations of the Passover.

But, God said, those who are ceremonially clean, yet refuse to celebrate the Passover at the regular time will be cut off from the community of Israel for failing to present the Lord's offering at the proper time. They will suffer consequences of their guilt. And if foreigners living among the people want to celebrate Passover, they must follow the same laws and regulations.

The Tabernacle was set up and on that day a cloud covered it. Then from evening till morning the cloud became a pillar of fire. This became a regular pattern. When the cloud lifted over the sacred tent, the people followed it. When it settled, they stopped. If it settled a long time, the people stayed a long time as the Lord commanded. The people would break camp whenever the cloud moved no matter how long or short the time in camp. So they traveled at the Lord's command and did what the Lord told them through Moses.

BIBLE NOTES show that God's law for the passover was kept solid, but he did give the unclean men an opportunity to celebrate Passover at a later date.

Some "experts" have tried to claim that the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night was a burning bowl of pitch whose smoke was visible during the day and whose fire could be seen at night. But this is false, because it doesn't explain how the bowl would have lifted itself up and moved ahead of the people. Also the Bible is clear that this was a phenomenon of God's doing and his vehicle to move the people forward.
How does this chapter relate to us today? Imagine if we had a cloud and pillar of fire to guide us to the place the Lord wants us to be. Wouldn't that be wonderful? But perhaps he as a reason for placing you where you are now. Perhaps he wants you to discover reasons for your very being -on your own. Sometimes we loose sight of the purpose in our lives. Pray that we can always find our way back to the Lord.

Yours in Christ,
Mary