Chapters 1—8 of this book were spoken by God to Moses on the first day of the second month in the second year after the exodus from Egypt (Num. 1:1), whereas the words in Num. 9:1-14 were spoken in the first month of the same year (v. 1). In the second month as Moses was recording all the divine speakings, God must have charged him to write something concerning the passover, of which God had spoken to Moses in the first month. Moses’ recording of God’s charge concerning the passover at this juncture indicates that after fulfilling the divine requirements and partaking of the divine provisions in the first eight chapters of this book, God’s people should have a corporate feast to enjoy Christ before God and with God for their mutual satisfaction. This shows the importance of keeping the passover in relation to the move of God’s redeemed people with God in His activity. Similarly, because the Lord’s table has much to do with God’s move on earth, the New Testament believers must keep the Lord’s table (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

For the details of the passover, see notes in Exo. 12:1-28, 43-51. The passover in the Old Testament was a yearly reminder to the children of Israel, whereas the Lord’s table, instituted by the Lord Jesus to replace the passover (see note Matt. 26:26¹), is a weekly reminder to the believers in Christ. Both the passover and the Lord’s table remind us that we were destined to die under God’s righteous judgment, but God prepared Christ to be our replacement to die for us, thus saving us from the death-judgment of God’s righteousness. Furthermore, they remind us 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 (John 6:57).

Lit., between the two evenings. So also in vv. 5, 11.

See note Luke 1:6⁴ in .

That an Israelite who was clean was required to keep the passover signifies that the redeemed believers are required to partake of the Lord’s table (1 Cor. 11:23-26). A stranger being permitted to keep the passover with the sons of Israel (v. 14) signifies that the believing Gentiles have been destined to partake of the Lord’s table (cf. Eph. 2:11-19).

In typology the cloud signifies the Spirit (1 Cor. 10:1-2 and note 1 Cor. 10:1^4b and note 1 Cor. 10:2³) and the fire, for enlightening, signifies the Word of God (Psa. 119:105). The Spirit and the Word are one (John 6:63; Eph. 6:17). Cf. note Exo. 13:21^1a.

After the children of Israel had been formed into an army, they were ready to journey to fight for God so that He could gain the ground on earth to build up His kingdom with His house. Their moving was not up to them; it was altogether according to God’s guidance. The guidance for the children of Israel in their move was both from the heavens (the cloud — vv. 15-23) and from the earth (the two trumpets — 10:1-10). The guidance in the form of a cloud signifies God in the sense of God’s presence, i.e., God Himself consummated to be the Spirit. This indicates that the New Testament believers should always follow the indwelling Spirit (Rom. 8:4, 14; Gal. 5:16, 18, 25).