God commanded ancient Israel to keep the Passover, throughout their generations, forever (Exodus 12:14). We find, however, only six Passovers recorded in the Old Testament.
* The Original Observance *
In 1445 B.C. the original Passover is kept by the children of Israel when they are slaves in Egypt. After killing a one-year old lamb they spread its blood on the side and upper doorposts of their houses. They then roast the lamb and eat it, along with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, "in trepidation" (Exodus 12:11). They also stay indoors until the morning so that they can be protected from the death angel (Exodus 12:12 - 13).
* Second Observance *
The Israelites, a year after leaving Egyptian bondage, are commanded by God to keep their first Passover outside Egypt (Numbers 9:1 - 2).
* Promised Land Observance *
The children of Israel, in 1405 B.C., cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land (Joshua 4:19). Before they can keep their first Passover in the land God gave them, however, roughly 600,000 men have to experience a rather painful procedure!
"At that time the Lord said to Joshua, 'Make sharp knives for yourselves and circumcise the children of Israel again, the second time.'" (Joshua 5:2).
This procedure was necessary since the generation of males then living, unlike their fathers who died in the wilderness, were not circumcised (Joshua 5:5 - 7). All the men are circumcised at one time at a place aptly named "the hill of the foreskins" (Joshua 5:3).
* Hezekiah's Unique Passover *
Judah's King Hezekiah, when he ascends the throne in 715 B.C., has work started to repair and cleanse temple so that its services can be restarted (2Chronicles 29). Because the temple is not ready to keep the Passover at its usual time, however, the king commands it be kept one month later.
The celebration of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (2Chronicles 30) proves so successful that the nation keeps another seven days of the feast!
* Josiah's Passover *
Judah's King Josiah, at the age of eight in 640 B.C., inherits a kingdom that has abandoned the worship of God for 46 years. After years of purging the land of idolatry and cleansing the temple, he commands that the Passover be kept (2Chronicles 34 - 35).
* Ezra's Observance *
The Jews, after returning to Judah and Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity, rebuild Jerusalem's temple. After this rebuilding completes in 516 B.C. the people keep the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread with great joy (Ezra 6:16, 19, 22)!
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