Past and Presence

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Mighty God, Yours is the kingdom, Yours is the power, Yours is the glory. I exalt Your name.

Read NUMBERS 9:1-14

^[1] The LORD spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt. He said, ^[2] “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. ^[3] Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with all its rules and regulations.” ^[4] So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, ^[5] and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses. ^[6] But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day ^[7] and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the LORD’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?” ^[8] Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you.” ^[9] Then the LORD said to Moses, ^[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 are still to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, ^[11] but they are to do 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. ^[13] But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people for not presenting the LORD’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin. ^[14] “‘A foreigner residing among you is also to celebrate the LORD’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.'”

Meditate

Recall to mind some special times when God moved significantly in your life. And remember to give thanks to him!

Think Further

The Passover continues to be celebrated by millions of Jews worldwide and must be one of the oldest–if not the oldest–religious rituals of its type still observed. The first Passover was instituted in Egypt on the eve of the Exodus. Today’s reading records its second observance, this time at Sinai.

Jesus was brought up to celebrate the Passover. During his last Passover, he explained to the disciples that its redemptive significance would be fulfilled in his death. That death was symbolized by eating bread and drinking wine. The disciples are instructed to repeat this representation of his death in remembrance of him (Luke 22:16,19), later called the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:20). One of the purposes of both Passover and Eucharist is to help participants remember the key redemptive acts of God in Egypt and at Calvary.

The Bible lays great stress on memory. The word “remember” occurs over 160 times in the NIV. One of our main problems is spiritual amnesia. The Lord complains: “You have forgotten me” (Ezek. 22:12). Dennis Coon, in his book Introduction to Psychology, informs us that remembering people and events helps us to make sense of life. “Life without memory would be meaningless…. You would have no identity, no knowledge, no life history, and no recognition of friends and family…. In a very real sense we are our memories.” Similarly, what makes our Christian life meaningful is to recall constantly the key events of redemptive history. Daily reading of, and especially meditating on, Scripture helps to archive these episodes in our long-term memory. Our working (or short-term) memory is then able to retrieve them. On average, short-term memory has a capacity for only seven bits of information at any one time, so deciding to rehearse Scripture regularly maintains it in our consciousness. This is vital if we are to overcome spiritual amnesia.

Apply

Resolve to learn the memory verse of the week. Through it, allow the Lord to speak to you.

Closing prayer

Father, I want to remember You, not forget You. Enrich my daily walk with You as I memorize Your Word.

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