When Covid struck in March of 2020, one of the biggest issues we faced (as did most churches) was how to assemble on Sunday mornings. We tried virtual services, and I saw other churches meet in parking lots or with staggered groups throughout the day. None of it was ideal.
What really bothered us though was the inability to gather together to eat the Lord’s Supper. Acts talks about the disciples gathering every first day of the week to do precisely that (Acts 20:7), so we wanted to find a way to do it together, even if we couldn’t all be in the same room at the same time.
That’s the first time I ever heard about this clause in Numbers 9 about the second Passover.
Apparently, if someone was ritually unclean and therefore unable to take part in the Passover at the original time, they were allowed to take it in the second month, instead (Passover was on the first month of the year).
Keep in mind that all the regulations from the first Passover were the same: the food was the same, the manner in which you took it was the same. You even took it on the fourteenth day of the second month—exactly one month later than the original Passover (Numbers 9:3, 11).
This second Passover solves a big headache for people on a fundamental and practical level: How do you still take part in religious worship if the religion you’re engaged in excludes you for religious purposes? Do you just not take participate?
Quite the opposite. In fact, what God proves with this exemption is that He builds failsafes in the Law to take care of contingencies. If someone has the desire to worship Him, God will always find a way to allow them to do so.
This Text proves to us that God expects His people to worship Him no matter the cost. If you have to do it a month later because you’re ritually unclean, then so be it. But you still need to worship!
Think of all the times that you or me or others have made excuses for lack of participation in worship or service. We’re “too tired” or “too busy” to meet with other Christians. Those things may all be true, but do they justify our non participation?
Not hardly. Instead, God always has a way for His people to worship Him, no matter the circumstances. The only question for us whether or not we’re faithful enough to do it.
