Numbers 1—8 are the words spoken by God to Moses on the first day of the second month in the second year after the exodus from Egypt, whereas the words in 9:1-14 were spoken in the first month of the same year (v. 1). However, in this portion of Numbers, the word concerning the unclean ones and the ones on a journey still partaking of the Passover was to be applied on the fourteenth day of the second month (vv. 10-11). Hence, the word in 9:1-14 is here referred to in the second month. This shows the importance of keeping the Passover in relation to the move of God's redeemed people with God in His activity.
We should not think that partaking of the Lord's table has nothing to do with God's move or with our move with God in His activity. The Lord's table has much to do with God's move on earth. Therefore, we must keep the Lord's table.
The Passover includes a number of crucial points. The Passover signifies a new start, because it takes place in the first month of the year. Therefore, the Passover should remind us that we need a new start.
The Passover reminds us that we are a people who should have died under God's righteous judgment. But for us who should die under His righteous judgment, God prepared a replacement, Christ, who died a vicarious death for us, thus saving us from the death-judgment of God's righteousness.
The Passover also reminds us that we belong not to ourselves but to the One who died for us. Now we should enjoy Him for our entire life. We have been replaced by Christ, we belong to Him, and we should enjoy Him by taking Him as our life, our life supply, and our everything.
The Passover in the Old Testament was a yearly reminder to the children of Israel. Today we, the believers in Christ, have a weekly reminder, the Lord's table. Every week, on the first day of the week, we should have the remembrance of the Lord at His table, enjoying all that He is to us. However, some may come to the Lord's table without knowing what they are doing. Whenever we come to the Lord's table we should be reminded that we need a new start, a new beginning on the eighth day, which is the first day of the week and a day in resurrection. We also need to be reminded that we were destined to die under God's righteous judgment, but God prepared Christ to be our replacement to die for us. Therefore, we have been saved from the death-judgment. Furthermore, at the Lord's table we should be reminded that we do not belong to ourselves but to the One who replaced us and who is now our life and life supply. Since Christ is our life and life supply, we should live by Him. This is the significance of the Passover and also of the Lord's table.
Both the Passover and the Lord's table are feasts. Whenever we participate in the Passover or in the Lord's table, we partake of a feast to enjoy Christ in the presence of God. This enjoyment is a mutual satisfaction to God and us.
By the time of 9:1-14, the children of Israel had been formed into an army, all the defiling things had been dealt with, all the tests had been completed, the Nazarites had been consecrated to the Lord to the uttermost, and God's people had participated in the divine provisions. They even had a corporate table for feasting before God and with God on Christ as their mutual enjoyment. Now they were ready to move on, to journey to fight for God that He might gain the ground on earth to build up His kingdom with His house.