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Six memorable passovers are mentioned in Old Testament Scripture. The first was in Egypt (Exodus 12.). The second in the wilderness (Numbers 11.). The third at Gilgal (Joshua 5.). The fourth in the days of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30.). The fifth in the eighteenth year of Josiah (2 Kings 23.). The sixth is that here mentioned. The subject is distributed into two parts: -

I. THE FEAST. This also is distributed into two parts.

1. The passover proper.

(1) This was held "upon the fourteenth day of the first month." This was the anniversary of the night before the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt, when the angel who destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians passed over the Israelites, who were protected by the blood of a slaughtered lamb.

(2) What an expressive type of the protection we derive through the sprinkling of the blood of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 5:7)! The very time of the death of Jesus was indicated in this date. He suffered not only in the first month and on the fourteenth day, but also "between the evenings" (Matthew 27:46).

2. The feast of unleavened bread,

(1) Scrupulous care was taken that no leaven should be found in their dwellings. Leaven is a salt and sour matter which is put into dough to ferment the mass for bread, and is also of a putrefying nature. Its exclusion by the ancient Israelite expressed his aversion to the abominations of the Egyptians from which he was delivered (Exodus 12:17; Exodus 13:3). These Jews would associate with the abominations of Egypt those of Babylon from which they were now delivered.

(2) The Eucharist is our feast of unleavened bread. Those who partake of this should put away all leaven of heresy (Matthew 16:16). All notorious and scandalous living (1 Corinthians 5:6, 7). All malice and wickedness of the heart (1 Corinthians 1:8).

3. The feast was kept with joy.

(1) With the joy ordinarily fitting to such an occasion. They kept it "seven days, and therefore with its "holy convocations" on the first and last days. Holy convocations to godly persons are essentially joyous. They anticipate the convocation in the heavens.

(2) But they had special reason for rejoicing. "For the Lord had made them joyful by turning the heart of the king of Assyria unto them to strengthen their hands," etc. The Persian monarchs are here collectively called the "king of Assyria" because they were rulers over the ancient Assyrian territory. (Note - May not this suggest the key to many prophecies which evidently relate in their fuller expression to the latter times, in which names of ancient kingdoms are still used?) The finishing of their temple was an occasion of great joy. There is no joy to be compared with that which the Lord makes for us.

II. THE PREPARATION.

1. The priests were purified, and the Levites were all of them pure. The state of things was now as it had been in the days of Hezekiah, when the passover had to be held in the second month because the priests had not sufficiently sanctified themselves to hold it at the more proper time (2 Chronicles 30:3). Note - When the spiritual temple is complete the priests and Levites - the saints of God - will be all morally pure.

2. All the children of the captivity were pure.

(1) This is evident from the fact that the passover was killed for them all (ver. 20). The second passover was instituted to meet the case of those who through ceremonial uncleanness were incapable of taking the first (see Numbers 9:6-11). Here there was no need of a second, for the whole nation was ceremonially clean. This was a very remarkable circumstance, and shows what a wonderful providence was over their families, for a dead body in a house was sufficient to render its inmates unfit for this feast (see Numbers 19:14). What a type of the glorified Church! The joy of the paschal feast when it is renewed in the kingdom of God will not be interrupted by death. All there will be pure in the noblest sense.

3. Believing Gentiles were joined with their Jewish brethren (ver. 21). They were qualified for this holy fellowship -

(1) By "separating themselves from the filthiness of the heathen land." Some may have come with them from Babylon, as the mixed multitude came up from Egypt (see Exodus 12:38; Nehemiah 13:3). Some may have been "people of the land," descendants of Esar-haddon's importation (Ezra 4:2). But they must have become Jewish proselytes.

(2) By "seeking the Lord God of Israel." True worship and salvation are nowhere else to be found (see John 4:22). At whatever sacrifice, let us seek the fellowship of the saints (Ephesians 2:13-22). - J.A.M.

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KJV: And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

WEB: The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth [day] of the first month.