YHWH commanded Israel to observe Passover (shamar: preserve, guard, protect, attend to) according to all the rites and ceremonies as an ordinance for you and your children forever (Exo. 12:24, Num. 9:3, 12, 14). Scripture cautions us to keep it at its appointed time according to all its ordinances and statutes. I found ten Passover commands that are consistently named (Exo. 12, Num. 9).

1. On Abib 10, select a year-old unblemished male lamb or goat and keep it until Abib 14 (Exo. 12:3, 21).
2. If a family is too small, the lamb may be shared with a neighbor next to his house (Exo. 12:4).
3. Slay the lamb at twilight (between sunset and dark) on Abib 14 at the house or tent (Exo. 12:6, Num. 9:5).
4. Using hyssop, strike its blood on the sides of the door and top lintel (Exo. 12:7, 22).
5. Roast the whole lamb, its head, legs, and entrails with fire (Exo. 12:9).
6. Do not boil with water its meat or eat it raw. Do not break any of its bones (Exo. 12:9-10, 46, Num. 9:12).
7. No foreigner may eat it, including a sojourner and hired hand, unless circumcised. Only the circumcised and their servants in the household may eat it (Exo. 12:43-45, 48).
8. Eat the lamb in one house, do not carry any of its flesh outside the house (Exo. 12:46).
9. Eat the lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread (Exo. 12:8, Num. 9:11).
10. Burn the lamb’s remains (including skin and bones) by morning (Exo. 12:10, Num. 9:12).

The Exodus 12 Passover had two additional instructions not mentioned in Numbers 9. The Israelites must not leave their houses until morning (Exo. 12:22) and were to dress in travel clothes with staff in hand (Exo. 12:11). These seem situational for Israel’s first exodus only.

Numbers 9:13 further warned that the man who was clean and not on a journey and ceases to keep the Passover according to its statutes and ordinances, that same Israelite shall be cut off from among his people because he did not come near and celebrate the Passover to YHWH at its appointed time. And that man shall bear his sin. Those unclean or on a journey must keep the same Passover statutes and ordinances a month later on Iyar 14 at twilight. To not draw near and enter into YHWH’s Passover ceremony meant the family became separated from Israel’s community and could not partake of the Sabbaths and Feasts. They were exiled from God and Israel, from YHWH’s wisdom and light, becoming as uncircumcised.

To eat the Passover, the men of the house had to be circumcised and ceremonially clean (Num. 9:6). Circumcision was the outward sign of the covenant, the precursor to the circumcision made without hands, circumcision of the heart. Paul equated the circumcision without hands, putting off the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Yeshua, to being buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him. We have been brought to fullness in Him, cleansed and healed, and made a dwelling place of His holiness (Col. 2:9-11). Anciently, to enter the sacred presence of YHWH and ingest Him, a man could not be unclean or defiled by coming into contact with death or things related to death. Therefore, the Israelites purified themselves before celebrating any of YHWH’s Feasts.

Following the spirit of the Passover law, those things which are connected to death and defile us are defined by Yeshua as “those things which proceed out of the mouth coming from the heart defile a person. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, pride, foolishness, and blasphemies” (Mat. 15:18-19, Mar. 7:21-22). Paul instructed the Corinthians¹ not to take Passover in an improper manner and become guilty of sinning against His sacrifice, but to examine themselves before they eat and drink the cup of Passover. Examining ourselves brings us to understand why Yeshua had to die, to repentance, and to the reality of God’s grace. To profane the holy meal’s fellowship of His body and blood will bring judgment, like Nadab and Abihu were judged. We are to judge ourselves and repent so we will not be judged. Careless and unlawful participation is why many were weak and sickly and had died (1 Cor 11:27-32). James urges believers to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you” (Jas. 1:21). Historically, those who set their hearts on seeking YHWH before partaking of the Passover were forgiven and healed (2Ch. 30:18-20).

Takeaway:
Passover’s ordinances and statutes all revolved around defining the sacrificial lamb and the where, when, why, and how of handling it. The components of Passover’s meal were symbolic of Yeshua’s sacrifice and its impact on our lives. Coming under the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts of our minds symbolizes repentance, forgiveness, and protection from God’s wrath against sin. Eating the lamb and drinking the blood turned into wine portrays taking in every aspect of God, His wisdom of living love. The bitter herbs represented internal cleansing from the filth of sin, and eating unleavened bread meant taking the words of God into the heart. The intimacy of Passover consummated sharing His holiness, His righteousness and justice. In Yeshua’s words, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him,” define the covenant marriage’s oneness (Jhn 6:56).