Passover

[theophilus]

Numbers 9:1-14 describes the first observance of the Passover after the Israelites left Egypt. The Passover was on the 14th day of the first month but there were some people who couldn't keep it then because they were unclean. God told Moses that they could keep it on the 14th day of the second month instead.

This was the only holy day for which God provided an alternate date for its observation and I have been wondering about the reason for this. The Bible teaches that the sacrifice of the Passover lamb was intended as a picture of what Jesus would do when he died for our sins. I was wondering if this is an indication that God provide some opportunity for salvation for those who have never heard the gospel and so never had a chance in this life to believe in Jesus. It certainly doesn't teach that there is a second chance for those who have heard and rejected the gospel because only those who were unable to keep the Passover in the first month were to be allowed to keep it in the second month.

There is one other place where keeping the Passover in the second month is mentioned. In 2 Chronicles 30 Hezekiah observed it because he couldn't make the necessary preparations in time for the first month.