How do you fix an un-fixable situation?
The Passover was the most important of the three annual festivals of Israel. It was to be observed at a specific time and in a specific place and in a specific way. The rules of cleanliness, while many of them seem to be simply matters of hygiene to us, were intended to be constant reminders to Israel of the fragile nature of their relationship with God, and how important it was to be clean (holy) before Him. As the Passover approached, the people were to pay special attention to the laws of cleanliness so they could observe that festival. There were to be no excuses.
But sometimes things happen. Unavoidable things. Like someone dying in your family, forcing you to become unclean because of your contact with the body. And in chapter 9, God provides an allowance for unavoidable things. But God is careful to make plain: the offense must not be deliberate.
Life is full of opportunities to detour from the will of God. Sometimes, the detours are accidental, or even unavoidable. God’s grace has always made provision for such occasions. But blatant sin is different. It threatens our relationship with God, and with His people.
If you don’t believe God is serious about how we live, note how precise and exacting God is with Israel’s travels. They don’t move without Him. Neither should we.