25-0223p Transcript

Preacher: Mike Mathis

(2:28) Now, we began the lesson this morning on the observance of the Passover. (2:40) We talked about two instances where after they left Egypt, (2:49) they observed the Passover because it fell upon the first month of the year, (3:01) and it was on the fourteenth day of that first month that the Passover was to be slain and it was to be eaten. (3:16) And the Passover would be observed.

(3:21) And they were told in Numbers 9 that this came from the Lord when He spoke to Moses (3:33) in the first month of the second year after coming out of Egypt, (3:40) that the children of Israel were to keep the Passover at the appointed time. (3:49) But then we found a problem occurred, (3:53) that there were certain men that had defiled themselves with their corpse, (4:04) and they were not consecrated and purified, (4:13) and they were unable to participate in the Passover. (4:20) And they asked Moses why they were prevented from keeping the Passover.

(4:29) Well, God said that they could still keep the Passover. (4:40) They could observe it in the second month on the fourteenth day. (4:48) They were to observe it according to the commandments that Moses gave.

(4:58) And then in the 30th chapter of 2 Chronicles, (5:09) we find that Hezekiah, after Merneptah came along, (5:16) that he was urging the people to come and to keep the Passover. (5:26) But since many of the priests could not keep the Passover (5:38) because they were not purified, (5:46) and nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem, (5:54) so it was agreed to keep it in the second month, (5:59) which we learned this morning from Numbers 9, (6:05) that as these men that weren’t purified, (6:16) that they defiled themselves with the corpse, (6:19) they found that they could. (6:22) They could keep it in the second month on the fourteenth day.

(6:30) And this is what they agreed to do here in 2 Chronicles 30, (6:40) that Hezekiah was agreeing to that. (6:45) And he sent runners throughout Israel to speak to the people, (6:57) to come back to the Lord, to do what the Lord wanted, (7:03) to keep the Passover as He directed. (7:08) And this was brought to my attention.

(7:15) You know, I have been reading through and reading Numbers 9 (7:22) and reading Hezekiah keeping the Passover. (7:29) Not noting that, you know, what they could or could not do. (7:44) But it was brought to my attention, (7:49) watching a video, (7:54) it came to my attention that it was allowed in the second month (8:03) that somebody was on a journey (8:09) and couldn’t keep it in the first month.

(8:14) They could keep it in the second month on the fourteenth day. (8:19) Keep it according to the commandments. (8:26) And people might use this as a justification (8:31) to do things in a way that is not given by command, (8:41) example, or necessary inference in the Bible.

(8:49) So in those three areas, (8:52) we must look and pay attention to what we can do, (9:00) what we should not do. (9:04) But some people in their efforts to go against what is really spoken (9:16) will occasionally bring up what it doesn’t say. (9:23) You know, this or that.

(9:28) We don’t have a thou shalt or thou shalt not given to us in the New Testament. (9:37) And yet we are given what we need to do. (9:43) And we need to pay attention to it.

(9:47) And yet these people can indeed participate in the Passover (9:57) in the second month they’ve been given divine allowance. (10:04) But anyway, they go through urging people. (10:10) They’re met with laughter and mockery.

(10:15) But there are those from Asherah, Mamasa, and Zebulun (10:21) that humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. (10:25) So many people, a very great assembly, (10:34) gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Passover of unleavened bread (10:40) in the second month. (10:43) And what they did was remove the altars, (10:49) these incense altars that were used for worshiping the idols.

(11:01) They took them away and cast them into the burnt children. (11:11) Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the 14th day of the second month. (11:18) And the priests and the Levites were ashamed (11:23) and sanctified themselves and brought the burnt offerings to the house of the Lord.

(11:34) And so we see that they are making an effort (11:41) to observe the Passover as it should be. (11:49) And they stood in their place according to their custom, (11:54) according to the law of Moses, the man of God. (11:59) The priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites.

(12:07) I said, continuing in verse 17, (12:12) For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves. (12:20) Therefore the Levites had charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs. (12:26) For everyone who was not clean to sanctify them to the Lord.

(12:33) For a multitude of people, many from Ephraim, Mamasa, Asherah, and Zebulun, (12:43) had not cleansed themselves. (12:47) Yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. (12:57) So in keeping the Passover, they still did not follow it wholly.

(13:07) They needed to be clean. (13:11) But they had not cleaned themselves, yet they ate the Passover. (13:17) Now, someone said, well, look there, they didn’t get purified.

(13:28) And they’re yet eating the Passover. (13:33) And as contrary to what was written, (13:36) they needed to be purified. (13:39) But now, we have Hezekiah.

(13:47) Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, (13:52) May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone (13:57) who prepares his heart to seek God and the Lord God of his fathers. (14:05) How he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. (14:14) Notice that Hezekiah is crying because some of them weren’t cleansed.

(14:27) And they weren’t cleansed according to the purification. (14:34) That they needed to go through. (14:38) And the Lord listened to Hezekiah, and he healed the people.

(14:49) Now, this does not mean that God condoned their eating the Passover, (15:03) even though they were unclean. (15:09) He really did want, when they kept the Passover, (15:16) to do it exactly as they needed to do it. (15:23) This is no justification for people going ahead and doing things (15:31) that is not authorized by God, (15:35) such as bringing in the musical instruments into the worship within the Lord’s church.

(15:50) The leaders of the congregation would be asked why they did what they did (16:00) in bringing the instruments. (16:02) Well, we prayed to the Lord. (16:05) We gave this much thought, and we prayed to the Lord, (16:11) and we brought the instruments in.

(16:20) Our prayers did not change God’s will. (16:25) It didn’t change what God said through Paul for us to teach one another, (16:36) speaking to one another in songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, (16:42) and making melody in our hearts. (16:47) Our hearts being the instruments.

(16:52) This is Hezekiah praying for the people, (16:59) because he realized that the Passover was eaten contrary to what was written, (17:11) and he knew that by not doing this, God would be against them, (17:20) and God would not approve of this, and he prayed for the people. (17:28) These people were not trying to bring innovations into that worship. (17:40) They were making an effort to observe the Passover, (17:46) and yet a lot of them, some of them, were not cleansed, (17:54) and so he prays on their behalf, and he said, (18:03) For those who prepares his heart to seek you, to seek God, (18:11) the Lord God of his fathers, (18:14) though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

(18:20) So he realizes that for those who ate contrary to what was written, (18:33) the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. (18:38) Now it is when we would like to have something done, (18:45) and the instruments are brought in, (18:48) not because God gives the okay, because He doesn’t. (18:55) He hasn’t.

(18:57) And just because we pray about it, doesn’t mean that it’s going to change. (19:04) It’s already settled. (19:07) And yet they go ahead and do it.

(19:13) And this is not for any justification of sidelining what we are expected to do in our worship. (19:29) Now, there are plenty of people that when you give these instructions, (19:43) we teach from the Old Testament. (19:46) Well, why are you teaching from the Old Testament? (19:50) We’re not under the Old Testament.

(19:53) It’s not applicable to us today. (19:58) No. (19:59) But we can learn lessons, and these things are written for our learning, (20:06) as we are told.

(20:10) And we’re going to see something. (20:13) Now, in Numbers 9, when He is giving the allowance for those that were unclean, (20:26) He told them that if they were clean, (20:35) and that they ceased to keep the Lord’s Passover at the appointed time, (20:43) which would be in the first month, (20:44) if they were clean, (20:47) that they would surely enough keep the Passover (20:54) or be cut off from His people. (21:05) And in Deuteronomy 18, beginning with verse 15, (21:18) Moses tells the people, (21:48) Let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.

(21:53) The Lord said to me, what they have spoken is good. (21:58) I will raise up for them a prophet like you. (22:03) I’m among the brethren, and I will put my words in his mouth, (22:09) and I shall speak to them all, (22:13) and he, rather, he shall speak to them all that I command him.

(22:22) And it shall be that whoever will not hear my words which he speaks in my name, (22:30) I will require it of him. (22:34) You see, the Lord is requiring the Lord’s Passover to be kept, (22:43) and He tells them that if they don’t, that they will be cut off. (22:48) Now in Acts 3, the apostle Peter, (22:55) in his teaching these people on that occasion, (23:04) he brings up what Moses said, (23:08) and he brings up Jesus Christ having to suffer, (23:16) and he’s fulfilled it.

(23:20) And in verse 22, he says, (23:39) Whatever he says to you. (23:42) And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that prophet (23:50) shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. (23:56) This applies to Christ.

(23:59) He is applying this to Christ. (24:02) And you see, this Passover was a commemoration of their being passed over (24:15) when God saw the blood on the doorpost and the lintels of the door, (24:22) and they were safely inside the house. (24:25) When he saw that blood, he passed over that house (24:32) and struck all the firstborn that belonged to the Egyptians.

(24:42) And they observed the Passover to commemorate God’s deliverance, (24:51) the passing over when he saw the blood. (24:56) Now in 1 Corinthians 5-7, (25:05) Paul, in speaking to these people concerning the different problems that they had, (25:12) he comes on a serious problem. (25:18) That was one that within the church was guilty of sexual immorality, (25:29) or fornication, if you please.

(25:34) He said, (25:37) As is not even named among the Gentiles that a man has his father’s wife. (25:45) But he tells them that they were popped up and not mourned. (25:54) They didn’t take care of that because they had condoned what this man had done.

(26:04) And he said, (26:06) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, (26:11) along with my Spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (26:16) deliver such a one to Satan, (26:19) for the destruction of the flesh, (26:22) that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, (26:29) your glorying is not good. (26:33) Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lot? (26:39) Therefore purge out the old leaven, (26:41) that you may be a new lot, (26:46) since you truly are unleavened. (26:52) For indeed, Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

(27:03) And you know, we observe the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week. (27:12) They observe, in the Old Testament, (27:17) they observe the Passover once a year on the first month of the year. (27:27) On the 14th day they were to kill the Passover lamb.

(27:34) But now Jesus is our Passover. (27:39) And if we would study the events leading up to His death, (27:47) we would find that He indeed did what was done, (27:57) was just like they’re taking the lamb, (28:01) on the 10th day keeping it, (28:05) and then on the 14th day slaying it. (28:12) He did that.

(28:14) And He was shown. (28:16) And then He was taken and slain on the cross. (28:23) And He is our Passover.

(28:27) We observe the Lord’s Supper to commemorate His death on the cross. (28:35) We partake of the bread and the fruit of the vine. (28:42) We commune with Him and each other.

(28:45) And it is also to remember what He did for us. (28:51) And so as we walk in the life, as He is in the life, (29:02) we have fellowship with Him, that is with God, and with each other. (29:12) And the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin.

(29:21) So yes, we will commit sin, (29:26) but as long as we are walking in the life, (29:31) He cleanses us from all sin. (29:35) Sometimes there is a wondering about sinning. (29:44) How does God take care of it? (29:46) Well, just listen to what…​ (29:49) In other words, He doesn’t impute sin to us.

(29:57) Yes, we need to confess that we sin. (30:00) We need to realize that we do. (30:04) And we need to be clean so that we can partake of the Lord’s Supper (30:13) and remember what Christ did for us.

(30:18) Just think, you know, Job was reading 2 Chronicles 30. (30:32) He read the whole chapter. (30:36) He read where Hezekiah donated some lands.

(30:43) Others donated the lands, those that were to be offered. (30:51) There was a lot of people there, and there was a lot of lands that were given. (30:56) There was a lot of lands that had to be slain.

(31:03) But, you know, we don’t have to offer lands. (31:10) We’re not Israelites. (31:13) We’re not a Jew.

(31:14) We’re not an Israelite. (31:18) And it was for these Israelites to keep the Passover. (31:23) But it is those of us that are His children, (31:28) by virtue of the fact that we have obeyed His voice (31:32) in believing what He said, (31:37) and believing the gospel, (31:40) and being baptized into Jesus Christ (31:46) for the remission of sins, (31:48) that we rise up out of that watery grave, (31:55) and walk in newness of life.

(31:58) We are alive in Christ. (32:00) We are dead to sins. (32:03) And we shouldn’t live in sin any longer.

(32:07) But notice, it has a parallel, you know. (32:12) They kept that Passover. (32:15) The day we commemorate our Passover, Jesus Christ, (32:22) when we come together, (32:25) and when we participate in partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

(32:32) So if there’s anyone who wants to obey the gospel, (32:39) and to obey God, (32:43) we would urge you to do so. (32:46) If you are subject in any way to the gospel invitation, (32:51) we urge you to do so now as we stand and as we sing.