Passover As Transients (Numbers 9)

At Easter, still called Passover in most languages, do we celebrate a Lamb? Are we still temporary residents here on earth? Let’s look at Numbers 9.

What day and month was the original Passover celebrated?

During the first month of Israel's second year in the Sinai Desert, the Lord had told Moses to say to the people, “Celebrate Passover in the evening of the fourteenth day of this month and do it by following all the regulations.” Moses told the people what the Lord had said, and they celebrated Passover there in the desert in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month. (Numbers 9:1-5 CEV)

Did Moses just make an “executive decision” or wait upon the Lord?

And there were certain men who were unclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. And those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching a dead body. Why are we kept from bringing the Lord's offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?” And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.” (Numbers 9:6-8 ESV)

Did God allow a makeup Passover in the second month?

Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites: When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a corpse or is on a distant journey, he may still observe the Passover to the Lord. Such people are to observe it in the second month, on the fourteenth day at twilight. They are to eat the animal with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones. They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes. (Numbers 9:9-12 HCSB)

What should happen to the person who simply had no excuse for missing Passover, and what about foreigners who wanted to keep it?

Now as to the person who is clean and isn’t traveling, but fails to observe the Passover, that person is to be eliminated from his people, because he didn’t bring an offering to the Lord at its appointed time. That person is to bear his sin. If a resident alien lives with you and wants to observe the Lord’s Passover, let him observe it according to the statutes and laws of the Passover. You are to maintain the same statute for the resident alien as you do for the native of the land.” (Numbers 9:13-14 ISV)

What happened to the cloud covering and the pillar of fire?

And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. (Numbers 9:15-18 KJV)

When did the sons of Israel break camp and move on?

At the command of Yahweh the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of Yahweh they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the sons of Israel would keep the charge of Yahweh and not set out. (Numbers 9:18-19 LSB)

Was there a regular schedule for their movements, or whenever God led?

If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, in accordance with the command of the Lord they remained camped. Then in accordance with the command of the Lord they set out. If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning they would set out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out. At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out; they did what the Lord required, in accordance with the command of the Lord through Moses. (Numbers 9:20-23 NASB)