Numbers 9:6-14

THE SUPPLEMENTAL PASSOVER, Numbers 9:6-14.

Only ceremonially clean persons could share in this sacrificial meal. Since there were many sources of defilement during seven days, and some during longer terms, it follows that there would naturally be a large number of persons at any given time disqualified. Out of so large a population some would naturally be absent at the regular passover. For these two classes an extra passover one month later is now authorized by Jehovah. But, as a safeguard against the perversion of this permission into an excuse for postponing it unnecessarily and merely from indifference, on the ground that he could make it up afterward, the threat of excision is held up to deter from any such abuse of this supplementary passover. The requirement that all Israel should partake of this sacrifice especially this provision for its repetition indicates that it is of vital importance to each, and symbolizes some act indispensable to his salvation. Christ is our passover. 1 Corinthians 5:7. No one can be saved who wilfully neglects to appropriate the known Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Hebrews 2:3.