One year had passed since the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, had been delivered from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 12:29-51). This delivering of Israel was accomplished by the mighty hand of God, who sent plagues on Egypt and caused Pharaoh to finally release the Israelites after nearly 400 years of captivity (Exodus 1). The tenth and final plague caught the attention of Pharaoh when the firstborn in every household died; however, the firstborn in every house where the blood of a spotless lamb was spread on the doorpost was spared (Exodus 12:1-28). The nation of Israel celebrated the sparing of the firstborn in a yearly event called the Passover. It was termed Passover because the angel of death passed over any home where the blood of a spotless lamb had been spread on the doorpost. This was a clear picture that a lamb had been slain instead of the firstborn. Celebrating God’s sparing of the firstborn was an annual reminder of His faithfulness to Israel, but as they were making their way to the land God had promised to them, they often forgot about His faithfulness.
The events to follow happened after the dedication of the tabernacle in Exodus 40:17 but before the census in Numbers 1. In the beginning of Israel’s second year in the wilderness (1444 BC), God commanded Moses and the nation of Israel to celebrate the Passover (9:1-4). After celebrating the Passover (9:5), a few men who had touched a human corpse (making them ceremonially unclean) inquired of Moses and Aaron as to why they could not participate in the Passover (9:6-7). Instead of answering the matter, Moses sought wisdom from God and was told that anyone who was unclean during the Passover could celebrate it one month later (9:8-12). God also reminded them that anyone who was clean but did not celebrate the Passover was to be put to death (9:13). This would serve as a stern warning to those who failed to give God honor for His deliverance of Israel. Any person who was not an Israelite could celebrate the Passover, but they would need to be circumcised as was required of every Israelite (see Exodus 12:48).
The day that the tabernacle was completed (Exodus 40:17), “…the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night” (9:15-16, NKJV). The cloud was the visible presence of God and continually sat over the tabernacle. When the cloud moved, the nation of Israel was to follow and when the cloud stopped moving, the Israelites were to stop (9:17-23). This was God’s way of leading the children of Israel into the land of Canaan. In addition to the cloud leading the people, God commanded Moses to construct two silver trumpets “…for calling the congregation and for directing the movements of the camps” (10:1-2). When both trumpets were blown, all the people were to assemble themselves at the tabernacle (10:3); however, if one trumpet was blown, only the leaders were to gather (10:4). The trumpets were also used to command the tribes to begin marching (10:5-7). The blowing of the trumpets was the responsibility of the priests (10:8). The trumpets were not only used for assembling the people and signaling them to march, but also as a signal to go to war (10:9) or to begin the celebration of a special occasion (10:10). Israel was about to begin a lengthy journey to Canaan, but they would need to watch and listen for God’s leading every step of the way.
Dear God, where You lead, I will follow.
