Second Passover
Second Passover
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Shalom,
"These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, whichyou are to proclaim as sacred assemblies." (Leviticus 23:2)
It's a fantastic feeling to be given a second chance when we miss the boat onsomething important; isn't it?
While Passover always draws crowds of worshipers to the Western (Wailing)Wall in Jerusalem, circumstances can sometimes prevent us from beingable to celebrate this significant holiday during the appointed time. Happily,God, in His mercy, made a provision for this so we wouldn’t have to miss out.
This coming Sunday is Pesach Sheni (The Second Passover).
Passover commemorates Moses leading the Israelites from slavery in Egyptto freedom.
After the tenth plague, before which the Jewish people put the blood of thelamb on their doorposts so that the Angel of Death would pass over theirhomes, they departed from Egypt and were able to worship God in freedom!
The Jewish people were instructed to celebrate this with a holiday that lastsfor seven days each year. That holiday happened last month.
So what is Second Passover?
God designed Pesach Sheni (The Second Passover) as a one-day holiday forthe people who could not keep the first anniversary of the Passover in Egyptdue to being unclean.
Second Passover is proof positive that God hears the cry of our hearts whenwe are separated from Him and call out to Him for help.
What makes this holiday unique from all the other holidays in the Bible is thatGod gave it in response to unclean people asking to be included!
But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day becausethey were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body. So theycame to Moses and Aaron that same day and said to Moses, "We havebecome unclean because of a dead body, but why should we bekept from presenting the Lord's offering with the other Israelitesat the appointed time?" (Numbers 9: 6ÔÇô7)
On this day of second chances(The Second Passover), the Israelites whocelebrated it did not have to clean their houses and keep the feast for sevendays as they were required to the month before.
Instead, God gave them a one-day pass to bring their Passover offeringto the Temple and eat unleavened bread.
"When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead bodyor are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate the Lord's Passover, butthey are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight."(Numbers 9: 10 ÔÇô 11)
Second chances: Although one doesn’t have to clean their house ofchametz (yeast products) to celebrate the Second Passover, they arerequired to eat matzah when celebrating this holiday.
Finding Mercy
"Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. Celebrateit at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, inaccordance with all its rules and regulations." (Numbers 9: 2ÔÇô3)
Second Passover is a wonderful picture of missed opportunity and themerciful nature of God.
Although God had set the time for Passover on the 14th of Nissan, Herevealed through Second Passover that it's never too late to worship andthank the Lord for His miracles and mercy.
Certainly those who were ritually impure (tameh) or who were too far fromJerusalem-traveling on some distant road-should have missed Passover.
But they refused to accept their exclusion, and God gave them the desiresof their hearts to Worship Him.
"Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."(Psalm 37:4)
Jewish man praying at the Western (Wailing) Wall
John, click here to give a Passover offering for this day of Second Chances!
Being Restored
Like these determined Israelites, we should never think that we mustremain on the outside looking in because of something we did thatmade us unclean.
Yes, we may have missed an important opportunity, but don't despair.
Perhaps we have also traveled a distant path that has led us far fromintimacy with God and fellowship with other Believers.
We must always remember that God can and will bring us back when we callto Him.
"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull tohear." (Isaiah 59:1)
Therefore, let us remember the lessons of Pesach Sheni and refuse to beexcluded from the fullness of life simply because of circumstances or themistakes of our past.
God hears us when we call, and Yeshua promised results if we would askfor what we desire and not to give up asking:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the doorwill be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7: 7├ö├ç├┤8)
OldCity of Jerusalem: The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, has been apilgrimage destination for Christians since the 4th Century. Constantinelikely chose this site for a church because it was believed to be the locationof Messiah Yeshua’s execution, and according to historians, the first Believersheld worship services here until about 66 C.E.
Prophetic Fulfillment of Second Passover
Second Passover has a prophetic aspect, as well.
Perhaps the ultimate second chance is God's end-time gatheringof Israel.
"In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim theremnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from UpperEgypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from theislands of the sea." (Isaiah 11:11)
This seems to have been fulfilled with the reestablishment of Israel in 1948.
For almost 2000 years the Jewish people were disbursed throughout the world,but in the last century, God drew millions of Jewish people back to theirbiblical homeland.
And God is not finished!
Every year, tens of thousands of Jewish people from around the world aremaking aliyah (moving back to their biblical homeland).
Passover at the Western (Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem
Although Yeshua has been away for almost 2000 years, He will return soon,
but before He does, there will be an end-time revival in Israel(Romans 11).
John, you can be a part of this end-time move of God-the spiritualrestoration of Israel-by helping us bring the Word of God to the Jewish People.