What connections exist between Numbers 9:11 and Jesus as our Passover Lamb? Verse snapshot: Numbers 9:11 “ ‘They are to celebrate it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They must eat the Passover with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.’ ” What Was Happening in Numbers 9 • Israel had just learned how to keep the Passover (Numbers 9:1–5). • Some were ritually unclean or on a distant journey, unable to participate (9:6–10). • God graciously instituted a “second Passover” one month later so no one willing to obey would be left out. Key Details in the Verse • Same twilight hour as the original Passover. • Same menu—unleavened bread and bitter herbs. • Same focus on a spotless lamb (implied by the context, cf. Exodus 12:5–10). • A built-in “second chance” for the defiled or distant. How Jesus Fulfills Each Detail • Timing: “It was about the sixth hour. And Pilate said… ‘Here is your King!’ ” (John 19:14). Jesus was crucified on Passover afternoon, the very time lambs were slain (Mark 15:33–37). • Lamb: John 1:29—“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” • Unleavened Bread: Jesus, sinless and without “leaven,” offers His own body as true bread (John 6:51). • Bitter Herbs: His suffering and the gall offered to Him (Matthew 27:34) mirror the bitter herbs that reminded Israel of bondage. • No Bone Broken: Exodus 12:46 required it; John 19:36 records it fulfilled in Jesus. • Second Chance: Those “unclean” or “far off” are now invited—Ephesians 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” The Gospel Picture in the “Second Passover” • Grace extends the invitation beyond the first appointed day. • Legal uncleanness could not bar the sincere worshiper; the lamb’s blood made the difference. • Likewise, Christ’s sacrifice covers every sinner who believes, even those who feel they have “missed” their opportunity (2 Corinthians 6:2). Summary Connections • Numbers 9:11 highlights identical elements—lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs—now embodied in Jesus. • The month-delayed celebration foreshadows the breadth of Christ’s atonement, reaching the defiled and the distant. • Paul ties the threads together: “For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Living It Out • Trust the efficacy of the Lamb; God has already provided the second-chance feast. • Remove the “leaven” of sin (1 Corinthians 5:8) because the Passover has been kept in Christ. • Remember the cost—His bitter suffering—while celebrating the freedom His blood secures. |
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