by Admin | 17 February 2022 08:46 pm02
Question: According to Numbers 9:11, does the Bible mention two Passover celebrations in a single year?
Numbers 9:11 (NIV)
“They are to celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.”
Answer:
Yes, God commanded the Israelites to celebrate Passover every year on the 14th day of the first month of their calendar. This feast commemorated the night God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12). It was a sacred and mandatory celebration for all Israelites.
However, in Numbers 9, we see God giving instructions for a second Passover, to be observed exactly one month later—on the 14th day of the second month. Why was this second date permitted?
It was intended only for those who were unable to participate in the first Passover due to:
According to the law, anyone who was ritually unclean could not join the congregation in worship until they were cleansed, which often took at least seven days. As a result, some Israelites missed the first Passover.
God, in His mercy and justice, provided a way for them to still observe this important feast. Let’s read:
Numbers 9:10–12 (NIV)
[10] “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they may still celebrate the Lord’s Passover.
[11] They are to celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
[12] They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.’”
This second Passover was a gracious exception—a chance for those who missed the original date not to be left out of the Lord’s appointed feast.
Under the New Covenant, we no longer observe Passover in a physical or ceremonial way as the Israelites did. That was a shadow of what was to come.
1 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)
“For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”
Jesus is our true Passover Lamb. His death fulfilled everything the original Passover symbolized: deliverance, protection through the blood, and freedom from slavery—this time from sin, not Egypt.
Therefore, we now live in a continuous state of spiritual Passover, walking daily in the freedom Christ purchased for us.
Some have tried to compare the February 14 celebration of Valentine’s Day to the second Passover found in Numbers 9, since both fall on the 14th day of the second month (according to the Gregorian calendar). However, this comparison is completely misguided.
The second Passover was a special provision by God to allow His people to remain connected to Him, even when they missed the original feast. It was holy, set apart, and full of spiritual meaning.
Valentine’s Day, on the other hand, is not a biblical feast, nor is it inspired by God’s love. It is a worldly celebration, often leading to impurity, materialism, and carnal desires.
As believers, we are not called to blend heavenly truths with worldly customs. Let us reject pagan festivals and instead honor the Lord by living daily in the power of Christ’s Passover.
Romans 13:14 (NIV)
“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Let us celebrate Christ’s sacrifice daily in spirit and in truth—not just on a date, but in the way we live.
Kindly share this truth with others who may be confused about these matters. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2022/02/17/are-there-two-passover-feasts-in-the-bible-numbers-911/
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