Numbers 8-9: ‘Second Passover’; purification of Levites as Israel’s new ‘firstborn’

The events of this chapter occurred during the first month of the second year after the children of Israel left Egypt. There’s the provision for a “makeup Passover” for those unavoidably out of the country or “unclean” at the time of Passover and purification of the Levites as the primary “firstborn” of Israel in God’s eyes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:14 — 9.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The events of this chapter occurred during the first month of the second year after the children of Israel left Egypt. The purification process the Levites performed (תחר taher, Strong’s lexicon No. 2891) was not a little sprinkle of water but a shower of water. All the hair all over the body had to be shaved away as well before the Levites were considered ready to performed their service in the Tabernacle. The Levites were presented to God “before the tabernacle of meeting,” that meeting, in Hebrew is the word mo’ed (מועד Strong’s 4150), which is the Hebrew word for the appointed times, or מועדים mo’edim. The Levites were presented to God like a wave offering, “back and forth.”

Texts: Num. 8:1-9:23

We are also reminded that when God sacrificed the firstborn of Egypt in the final plague, God, in a certain sense, bought and ransomed the firstborn of Israel as well. It was within God’s authority to replace the obligation of the firstborn by placing it on the tribe of Levi.

This chapter also gives us some additional rules of the Passover, particularly for those who miss attending the Passover due to ritual uncleanliness. The standard of Passover was not lowered to cover them but provision was made for them to have a another opportunity to keep it.

The people had to move whenever the cloud that covered them was lifted up. It didn’t mater what time of way the cloud lifted, it was a call to get up and move. This was God’s way of testing the people as to whether they could learn to wait on Him when He wants them to wait and move when He wanted them to move.

Speaker: Richard Agee. Reader: Dave De Fever. Summary: Tammy.