"Not a bone shall be broken" - a few thoughts

These words are to do with the Passover lamb:

Numbers 9:11f
[i][color=003399] 11 On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it until morning, [b]nor break one of its bones[/b]. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. [/color][/i]
(the New King James Version)

John 19:36 [i][color=003399]For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.”[/color]

I began wondering why no bones were to be broken. Of course Jesus fulfilled the Passover lamb, so the specification in Numbers was prophetic, but why did it need to be like that at all (no bone broken)? What's the spiritual significance of this?

Is the bone part something to do with Christ as the Second Adam? The first Adam said about Eve that she was "bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh" When He rose, Jesus said "a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones as you see I have"

the first Adam had a rib taken out to make Eve, but none of his bones were broken either.

and apparently the rib would have grown back!

Apparently that's why surgeons often take a rib if they need to do a bone graft. If they do it carefully, without damaging the outer connective tissue sheath of the rib, it will regrow!

So Adam was made whole again, with nothing missing! Yet he had his Eve taken out of his side

Jesus, broken for us, yet ever Whole; so we are also made whole in Him...

Mmmm Wonderful

I'm sure others will have something to add...

In His love

jeannette

ChrisJD wrote:
Hi Jeannette. I don't have any additional insight into this but I did a quick search on the word [i]broken[/i] in the scriptures and I stopped upon this passage. It seems to be significant:

"And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord. Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land. Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you."

-Leviticus 22:21-25

Just now as I was posting this, in noticing the mention of [i]free-will offerings[/i] I thought of what the Lord said in the garden of Gethsemane,

[b][color=660033] Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.[/color][/b]

And then also, noticing the mention of [i]peace offerings[/i] I thought of something I read earlier today where Paul says in Ephesians

[i]But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. [b]For he is our peace[/b]...[/i]

Maybe someone more knowledgable about these offerings might be able to help us if there is any significance in these things in addition to what you already mentioned.

Chris

Of course ALL the OT sacrifices prefigure Jesus' life and sacrifice. I've come across some good books on this subject, but the best, I think, is to read oneself and let the Lord illuminate one aspect or another of His grace in it all.

For example, in the burnt offering, prefiguring Jesus' death and resurrection, the priest changed his garments, before he went out with the ashes: [i]Leviticus 6:9[color=003399] “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. 10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen trousers he shall put on his body, and take up the ashes of the burnt offering which the fire has consumed on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. 11 [b]Then he shall take off his garments, put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.[/b][/color][/i]

Compare Hebrews 13:[color=003399]11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. [/color]

In Him

Jeannette

ChrisJD wrote:
Hi again Jeannette,

"For example, in the burnt offering, prefiguring Jesus' death and resurrection, the priest changed his garments, before he went out with the ashes"

This brought a string of things to mind that I looked up for us...

[i]To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...[/i]

[i] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.[/i]

[i]But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.[/i]

[i]And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.[/i]

[i] For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:[/i]

Kind regards,

Chris

i just read leviticus today... it's quite ominous.... extremely severe..... all i said after i read was God have mercy on my soul for i am worth-less in the eyes of what you require...then, i thanked Jesus....there are truly gems in that book that i don't even know how to explain...plenty of passages that reveal the beauty of a Holy God that loves his people.... one more thing i remember i prayed to God after i read it... i was really depresed and asked God to heal this sadness and to give me eyes to see what Christ truly had to fulfill...i felt like in my mind, there was a dichotomy between the Old testament and the new testament