The Unclean and the Passover Lamb

2009-03-21

Much of Leviticus and Numbers in the Bible, leading up to the second Passover, deals with being unclean. If one touches anything unclean, the same is considered guilty. If someone gets a dreadful skin disease, the same must be placed outside the camp.

It is rather interesting that such things, somewhat out of one’s control, have such harsh consequences. But we see continually in the Pentateuch that God requires his people to be pure if they are to be a part of his covenant people.

Furthermore, we see God reacting to those who have shown contempt for him. Nadab and Abihu, who were the prominent sons of Aaron, did not offer the incense properly, and they were struck down dead by the Lord. The people that desired quail as opposed to the manna that God had provided were struck with a plague. We may think that God is very cruel with these things, and that he should not be so harsh. I must admit that I had such a reaction initially. But we must realize that God requires people to be clean to be a part of his chosen community, especially if they serve in certain roles in the Levitical priesthood.

But when we come to Numbers 9, we see a group of people who were defiled by a dead body. So Moses goes before the Lord and asks whether the unclean should keep the Passover, and as it turns out, they should.

I think this is rather significant, because the Passover is the commemoration of God’s deliverance of Israel’s firstborn in Egypt. That tenth plague ensured that the Israelites would be driven from Egypt. All people ought to keep the Passover. We then look forward to the eternal Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, who delivered us from death. We, not members of the covenant community, not clean according to the Law, can go before the Lord. We are declared clean in his sight. We have the right as firstborn sons. If we have this high calling in Jesus Christ, how much more ought we to desire cleanness, righteousness, holiness, and godliness?