The Passover Recorded Seven Times: The Editor's Column

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Since the April manuscript containing the editorial on the Jewish Passover went to the printer we read a periodical of The International Hebrew Christian Alliance of London (sent to us by someone in England) in which was an article by its president on "The Passover and its Relation to the Lord's Supper."
This Hebrew Christian minister made a strange statement in his opening paragraph, which we quote: "There are in the Bible five instances of the celebration of the Passover. In Egypt (Ex. 12), under Solomon (2 Chron. 30:1515Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 30:15)), under Josiah (2 Kings 23:2121And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. (2 Kings 23:21); 2 Chron. 35:11Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the Lord in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. (2 Chronicles 35:1)), and one celebrated by the Lord Jesus (Luke 22:7-207Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. 11And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 12And he shall show you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. 13And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 14And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:7‑20))." While he says there are five instances recorded of its being kept, he only lists four, but in reality there are seven. And there is no record of Solomon's keeping of the Passover; the reference given refers to the time of Hezekiah. The three instances he has not listed are:
When the Israelites came into the land of Canaan, after their forty years' trek in the wilderness they "encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho." Josh. 5:1010And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. (Joshua 5:10).
Then after their captivity in Babylon and the return of the remnant in the days of Ezra to rebuild the temple, and after it had been finished, "the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month." Ezra 6:1919And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. (Ezra 6:19).
There are some special lessons to be gleaned from the instances which had been overlooked. In Numbers 9, the people, in their second year in the wilderness, kept the feast according to the command of the Lord by Moses. At that time they also received some special instructions regarding the necessity of its being kept, and the necessity of freedom from defilement in those who kept it. If an Israelite had become defiled by a dead body, and had not time to be properly cleansed before the Passover, then he could not eat of it. Defilement and keeping of the Passover could not go together. This brings to mind that in 1 Corinthians the saints were told to examine themselves before they ate of the Lord's supper, and if there were things in them to be judged, then they should judge themselves and eat. Whatever pertains to the Lord requires that defilement in the individual be judged or else the Lord will judge that person (1 Cor. 11:28-3228But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:28‑32)). Holiness becomes His house forever (Psalm 93:55Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever. (Psalm 93:5)). Another reason given in Numbers 9 for one's not keeping the Passover at the appointed time was, if he were on "a journey afar off," and consequently would not be there at the right time.
But were those who were thus hindered from eating the Passover to be deprived of it? No. Provision was then made for these persons to keep the Passover one month later, on "the fourteenth day of the second month at even." They must, however, be careful to keep it "according to all the ordinances of the passover." (vv. 10-12.) They must be as careful about how it was observed as though it were done in the first month.
It was no light matter for an Israelite to fail to keep the Passover, for if he failed to keep it when he was clean and was not on a journey, then he was to be cut off from among his people. These were commands from the Lord. Now we know that the Lord did not command us to remember Him in death, for we are not under law but under grace, but He distinctly expressed His desire that we should. And how shall we excuse ourselves before Him at the judgment seat of Christ for carelessness or willful failure to do so now? It is indeed a privilege—a most precious one—and not an obligation; surely something must be wrong with the saved soul who can willingly forfeit such a great privilege of responding to his Lord's one request. It is not a light matter to do so.
This special provision to keep the Passover in the second month was used in the revival in the days of Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 30. The good king had discernment that it would not be in order to attempt to keep the feast in the first month, and that he should avail himself of the gracious provision to keep it in the second month.
Joshua 5 also gives us some wholesome instruction. It appears that the children of Israel had not kept the Passover for those 38 years in the wilderness, nor had they practiced the right of circumcision which had been given them by God. At the institution of the Passover in Exodus 12 it was plainly stated, "No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof." v. 48. What then was to be done when they entered the promised land? They must first be circumcised, before, they kept the Passover, for many had grown up during the years in the wilderness; "Them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way." v. 7. Then they kept the Passover, and to their meal was added "parched corn," or food that they found in Canaan—a type of Christ in resurrection glory.
What may we learn from the proscription against an uncircumcised person eating of the Passover? Simply this, that while the Israelites were to perform the rite according to the flesh, "we are the circumcision" in a spiritual way, for "we... worship by the Spirit of God," not by any fleshly system, "and boast in Christ Jesus " not in ourselves or in anything of ourselves, "and do not trust in the flesh" (Phil. 3:33For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3); J.N.D. Trans.). This last clause does not mean anything about bad flesh, as men speak, but flesh in its best forms, in its religious activities, or legal tendencies. All our boast and trust is in Christ. In such manner we can keep the remembrance of our Lord's death, and in so doing, "discern" His body (1 Cor. 11:2929For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (1 Corinthians 11:29)).
The third missing instance is also instructive. In the book of Ezra we find the feeble remnant returning to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. They had many difficulties to overcome, and not the least was a disposition to relax under pressure, but as encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah they returned to their building and finished the work. Then although they were few in number, and the temple lacked the richness and display that it had in the days of Solomon, yet they had recourse to the Word of God, and acted thereon. What a word for us at the end of this dispensation! Although the outward oneness is all broken to pieces, and few keep the Lord's supper as it is written, yet we still have His Word, Himself, and His Spirit as was said by the prophet Haggai. So "They set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month." Ezra 6:18, 1918And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. 19And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. (Ezra 6:18‑19). They acted in faith beyond those in the time of Hezekiah for they did not need to have recourse to the "second month" provision.
Let us then recapitulate the seven times the keeping of the Passover is recorded:
Exodus 12 gives its institution and divine order, while the Israelites were in Egypt.
Numbers 9 gives the record of its being kept in the wilderness, with special provision for keeping it in the second month when circumstances required it.
Joshua 5 gives the record of the Israelites' being circumcised first, and then keeping it in the land of Canaan, with the addition of eating the "old corn" of the land.
2 Chronicles 30 tells of a revival, but it lacked the strength that carried back to the divine order as it was in the beginning.
2 Chronicles 35 and 2 Kings 23 describe the brightest revival, and that at the very end, before the captivity of Judah. In the days of Josiah the Passover was kept, "as it was written."
The returned remnant in the days of Ezra had faith and courage to act on first principles and keep the feast in its appointed season and way.
Before looking at the 7th let us notice some thoughts that may be adduced to apply to our remembrance of the Lord in death. In one sense, we keep this loving remembrance of Him in the world, of which Egypt is the type, and in so doing we eat, as it were, of the roast lamb; that is, we feed on Christ as the One whose precious blood sheltered us from the just judgment of God, and who underwent the fire of His judgment.
We also keep it in the wilderness, for that is what the world has become to those who are redeemed to God. In the wilderness the Israelites also ate the manna which prefigured Christ as the bread come down from heaven. Even so we sometimes combine in our remembrance of Him the thoughts of His coming down as the true Manna with thoughts of His death as the Lamb of God.
In another sense we remember Him as the risen and glorified Christ who was once in death. Of this the children of Israel's keeping the Passover in Canaan and eating the "old corn of the land" gave us a picture. In doing this we are in spirit in heavenly places of which Canaan was but a type.
The Church's history in many ways parallels that of Israel. Failure and departure from the truth were prevalent before the apostles left the scene, and after they departed to be with Christ error came in like a flood. A low point of moral and ecclesiastical corruption was seen during the dark ages, and then through the mercy of God there was a revival of much truth and the opening of the Bible to the people during the Reformation. Alas, we know how shortly thereafter this settled down in to a cold formalism of state churches. Then more than 100 years ago there was a great stirring in Christendom when the truth of the Lord's coming, the heavenly calling of the Church, and the simple remembrance of the Lord in death were revived. In the tale of Christendom, perhaps we have a counterpart of the two revivals under the kings of Judah.
We may also learn a lesson from the feeble remnant of Israel who were brought back from Babylonish captivity. Without great numbers or anything that would make a show before the heathen they reverted to what was written, and acted thereon. How good it is for us to know that no matter how great the failure and ruin of that which was once a bright testimony for the Lord on earth, there is still a path for faith to walk in. We still have what they had at the beginning—Himself, His Word, and His Spirit.
We now come to the last, the seventh, time the Passover was kept. We all know that the Spirit of God uses the number seven as a symbol of completeness, in either good or evil. Seven forms a complete cycle, as seven days make one week.
So according to the divine record the Lord Jesus and His disciples kept that seventh and last Passover in the upper room on the very night of His betrayal. He went forth from the upper room, where He kept the Passover, to the Garden of Gethsemane; and from there He went to meet the mob that came to take Him. That was at night, and by nine o'clock the next morning He was crucified. For faith, that Passover which He kept was the last one. Now we know that "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." 1 Cor. 5:77Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7). Thus we see the purpose of God in recording seven, and only seven, accounts of keeping the Passover. Doubtless it was kept in some sort by the Jews with some regularity, and not only on these special occasions recorded by the Spirit. In Luke 2:4141Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. (Luke 2:41) we read that Joseph and
Mary went up each year to the Passover; in John 2, "the Jews' passover was at hand," and Jesus went up to Jerusalem (vv. 13,23); in John 6:44And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. (John 6:4), "the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh." But only of the seven instances we have enumerated are there any specific accounts of its being kept.
After the last Passover the Lord instituted His supper. The former pointed on toward His death as the Lamb of God, and the latter looks back as a memorial of His death for us. Well did the poet, J. G. Deck, say:
"O mystery of mysteries!
Of life and death the tree;
Center of two eternities,
Which look, with rapt, adoring eyes,
Onward and back to Thee—
O cross of Christ, where all His pain
And death is our eternal gain."