THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
The next portion of The Feast of Passover was called The Feast of Unleavened bread. It lasted seven days. It began on the fifteenth day of Nisan (Abib) through twenty first day of the month. Required scripture readings:
Ex 23:14-15; Ex 12:8, 15-20;31-39; Ex 13:3-10; Duet 16:1-8; Num 28:17-25; Lev 23:6-8: Matt 26:17-19; Mk 14:12-21; Luke 22:1-2; 1Cor 5:6-8
With the coming of the feast, the children of Israel where to cleanse their houses of all leaven (a picture of sin). They were to keep their dwelling clean for the complete week of the feast. Anyone found with leaven in their houses would be cut off from the congregation of Israel. This ordinance was kept each year. They would light candles and do a search of the house if any leaven was found it was to be put upon a wooden spoon and cast into the fireplace and burned.
A. The Feast of Unleavened Bread- Ex 23:14-15; 34:18
This is the title of the feast. This was when the barely harvest began as you read in the book of Ruth when Naomi and Ruth returned from the land of Moab. The barely harvest was the first crop to be harvested in the spring in Israel, except the almond tree. Both are used by God as a picture of the resurrection. Which will be covered in the next lesson, the barely crop was considered the “poor man’s bread,” you can see this truth brought forward in the revelations of John “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. [6] And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine ” (Rev. 6:5-6).
What John is describing is a time of great famine during the tribulation. During the time of Christ a penny was a day’s wages. Remember when the Lord set forth the parable of the workers in the vineyard and those who were not working in the eleventh hour, they received a penny as well as those who labored all day.
This feast was considered part of the Passover, because they considered it an eight day feast from Passover to the end of The Feast of Unleavened bread. They were closely associated together that at times their names were used interchangeably.
B. Kept for Seven Days- Ex 12: 15-19
The Feast began on the evening of the Fourteenth day of the first month and lasted until the twenty-first day of the same month. Remember though this is considered the fifteenth day to the Jews because they begin their days according to creation of the world “the evening and the morning” were a complete day. The day began in the evening at 6 P.M. and finished at 6 P.M. In Lev 23: 6 it reads “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.” Again the Hebrew time is from “even to even,” or from sunset to sunset (Num 28:17).
The number seven is significant of fullness or completion. Its use is found throughout the entirety of the scriptures. The first use is in the creation of the world, for on the sixth day all his works were completed, and God rested and sanctified the seventh day. Israel was to separate and remove all leaven from their houses for seven days during this feast. For believers, this feast represents the whole of our Christian walk and life in Christ (hence the seven days). We are to live a life free of all sin or leaven in our dwellings “bodies” all our life. The seven day feast speaks of complete separation from all things that are leavened and that we are to feast upon Christ (Unleavened bread) who is the believer’s bread.
C. A Sabbath Day- Ex 12:16; Lev 23:7; Num 28:18
The beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was considered an extra Sabbath, as were all the feasts celebrated in Israel. It was a holy convocation, a Sabbath or a High day. This meant that in the Passover month or week that there would be extra Sabbaths besides the weekly Sabbath on Saturday. It is this which explains the Sabbath or High day besides the weekly Sabbath in the week of Christ’s crucifixion (Jn 19:31).
The Sabbath was a day when there was no manner of work allowed. It was a day of rest, and Israel was to cease from their work. In like manner the Christian ceases from his own works and enters into spiritual rest in Christ as he keeps the Feast (Heb 4:3, 9-10). Thus ceasing from his own works sins, into Christ's rest holiness.
D. Importance And Significance of Unleavened Bread in Israel.
The importance of unleavened bread and it significance in Israel can be seen in the various occasions when the Lord commanded it to be used.
1. Unleavened bread was used in the consecration of the priests to their offices and ministries. Read (Lev 8:2; 26; Ex 29:2, 23)
2. Unleavened bread was used in the vow of separation of the Nazarite unto the Lord. Read Num 6:1-12
3. Unleavened bread was used in the food of the priests, especially in the Meal offering (Meat Offering) as well as the Peace offering (Lev 2:4-5; 6:14-18; 7:11-13).
4. Unleavened bread was used in all the Feasts of Jehovah, except that in the loaves used at Pentecost (Ex 34:18; Lev 23:5-8)
5. Unleavened bread was used when the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon in his call to service (Jug 6:11-24).
6. Unleavened bread was used in the Passover as Israel was about to be separated from Egyptian slavery (Ex 12:17, 31-34).
The symbolic truths in unleavened bread are “consecration” and “separation” unto to the Lord. These speak of the doctrine of sanctification which we can receive after we have been born again as the second definite work of grace. The Christian is separated from all that corrupts and is consecrated unto the service of the Lord.
E. All Leaven Put Away- Ex 12:15, 19, 20
Every house must put away all leaven. It was a time of great cleansing and of separation. In the Old Testament the custom in Jewish homes was the “father” or the “head” of the house would tell his children they were to remove all the leaven in the house. There would be a search done with candles and if any leaven was discovered it was placed upon a wooden spoon and thrown into the fire.
The picture is easily discerned, one prophet describes this event “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem (the church) with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil. God reveals how he is going to perfect and cleanse his house (the church), by candles. The bible declares “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly (soul) (Proverbs 20:27). So we see that man’s spirit is the candle which has been lit or illuminated by the Holy Ghost. John said it is way “That he was the true Light (Jesus Christ), which lighteth (illuminates through divine revelation) every man (when he is saved or born again) that cometh into the world” (John 1:9). God has chosen “candles” or “men” who have been given divine understanding to preach the word of God to the house of God to cleanse all leaven (sin) from their dwellings. Paul said “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; [12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Moreover, if any leaven is discovered it is to be placed upon the wooden spoon (the cross of Jesus) and burned up in God’s holiness (Heb 12:29).
Now we will delve into the symbol of leaven in its natural and spiritual significance. Read Ex 23:18; 34:25; Lev 2:11; 6:17; 10:12.
1. Leaven Naturally-
Leaven (or yeast) is a little bit of sour dough, and when placed in a batch of dough has the action of fermentation. Leaven puffs up. It works silently, secretly and gradually, until the whole is leavened. All the dough is affected by its mysterious operation and fermentation. It causes the dough to rise. Its influence permeates the whole until all is leavened, until all becomes like itself.
So we see “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”. “The principle of leaven” is used politically and religiously in various forms of propaganda in all nations, permeating and influencing societies, cultures and concepts for either “good” or “evil”.
2. Leaven Spiritually-
Almost always leaven represents evil in the scriptures, either in doctrine or practice. There are several references to leaven in the New Testament we will now consider these of which we are to put away from us as evil. Leaven is symbolic of sin, human weakness, infirmities, and false or corrupt doctrines.
a) The Leaven of Herod- Mk 8:15; 6:14-28
Studies of the references to Herod show that he was a very sinful and worldly man. He feared the Word’s of God from John the Baptist’s mouth but was not prepared to repent. He was a sly old fox, sensual, proud and he was a murderer. He was controlled by the spirit of this world. Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the leaven of Herod which is the spirit of worldliness.
b) The Leaven of the Sadducees- Matt 16:6-12
Jesus also warned the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Sadducees. They were the ruling party in Jerusalem. Sadoc (Zadok 2Sam 8:17, 2Sam 15:24). There is no mistake what the leaven of the Sadducees was. It was their doctrine. The Sadducees did not believe in the supernatural, in the spirit, in angels, or in the bodily resurrection (Matt 3:7; Mk 12:18-27; Acts 5:17; Act 23:6-8).
This doctrine of the Sadducees works like leaven, corrupting the influencing all those who receive it. Modernism is the counterpart of the leaven of the Sadducees today. This doctrine slipped into the church of Corinth. Paul Addresses this in 1 Cor 15:1-34, obviously some Sadducees joined the church,” but brought their leaven with them. Paul stated “Evil communications corrupt good manners” speaking of the leaving aspect of the Sadducees doctrine. The beasts that he referred to that he fought with at Ephesus were the Sadducees. The truth about beasts relates to the pride that transformed Nebuchadnezzer into a beast Daniel 4, and is referred to in Jude 1:10, 2Peter 2:12, Revelation 13, Job 41-(sea and land beasts) to mention a few references. These people's pride blinded them from the truth of the gospel.
c) The Leaven of the Pharisees – Matt 16:6-12; Luke 12:1
Jesus also warned the church to beware of this leaven. No mistake could be made here because Jesus interprets this symbol as hypocrisy (LK 11:37-44; Matt 23:3). The Pharisees “say and do not.” They do not practice what they preach. Although the Pharisees were religious, fasted, tithed, believed in the supernatural, in the sacred scriptures, they were whited sepulchers. Externally clean, but inwardly they were full of sin. Moreover, they were caught up with the letter of the law, and not the Spirit behind it. They were caught up in legalism, they observed the Sabbath, but killed the Lord of the Sabbath.
Paul addressed this type of leaven to the church at Galatia. In Galatians 5:9 Paul said “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” It would do the reader well to read the entire epistle to the Galatians, yet some how the “leaven of the Pharisees” had entered this church, they where having problems with Judaizers teaching circumcision, Sabbath keeping, feast observances, etc as necessary for salvation, yet it is faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ through “his blood” that we find completion and perfect salvation. This leaven was not limited to the regions of Galatia only; Paul addressed the Colossians about very similar issues as well as the church in Rome. The leaven of the Pharisees which was affecting the churches was a mixture of law and grace as means for their salvation.
d) The Leaven of Malice and Wickedness- 1Cor 5:1-13
In this chapter the leaven is sensuality. Fornication to be exact, Paul told them that they were “puffed up” as a result of that leaven. (1Cor 4:18-19; 5:2; 8:1; 13:4). To be “puffed up” is also symbolic of pride and inflation. A study of this Epistle shows the sin of fornication, along with other sins, had not been dealt with in Corinth. It worked like leaven affecting the membership (2 Cor 12:20-21). Paul exhorted the church to “put away” that wicked person who was the leavening influence in the church. He told them to purge out the “Old Leaven,” reminding them that a little leavens the whole lump.
This purging out of the leaven as seen here is the proper exercise of church discipline. Paul spoke of the “leaven of malice and wickedness,” which is the “old leaven” and needed purging out. If people are not willing to repent if they sin, they must be worked with and then removed from the membership role, this is not optional, but required for the church of God to be in right standing with God.
e) How to Keep the Feast- 1Cor 5:7-8
Paul tells the Corinthians that “Christ our Passover is sacrificed (slain) for us.” He exhorts us “to keep the feast (holy day)… with the Unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Thus the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened bread are brought together in his letter to the church at Corinth.
This Feast must be kept:
1. In Sincerity- that is, in purity; the opposite of the corrupting influences of impurity and hypocrisy.
2. In Truth- that is the opposite of lying. These two words are used in contrast to the “leaven of malice and wickedness.”
The believer keeps the feast when he puts away all evil practices, when he lives a sanctified life. The separated life is the unleavened life; not allowing secret or corrupting influences of evil to puff up the believer or any area of his relationship with Christ, the Passover Lamb of God (Gal 5:19-26; Eph 4:17-32; Col 3:1-17). The believer also keeps the Feast in the Lord’s Supper, “ Holy Communion.” There he partakes of the bread of God, and there he is also part of that one bread, the church, and the body of Christ (1Cor 5:7-11; 10:15-21; 11:20-34; Act 20:6-7). As he keeps himself from evil and partakes of the table of the Lord in sincerity and truth, he indeed keeps the feast. Christ is to him the bread of healing, and the bread of life (Ps 105:37; 2 Chron 30:13-20; Mk 7:24-30). For Israel, the keeping of the Feast meant complete separation from Egypt’s gods, religion, bondage, food, works, and slavery, as well as its glory and wisdom and might. The putting away of the leaven therefore is the practical separation from all known evil, and all that has a corrupting influence in the life of the believer.
This is why the children of Israel took their dough before it was leavened. They could not tarry in Egypt. There was no time to let the leaven get in and work (Ex 12:34; 39). As a Christian we have no time to tarry in the Egypt of this world, but we need to move right on into separation, the moment we receive Christ as his Lamb.
f) A Memorial- Ex 12:14; 13:3, 9
The Feast was also celebrated as a memorial of their deliverance and separation from Egypt, the house of Bondage. Jesus established the Last Supper also and asked us to remember him who delivered us from so great of bondage (Luke 22:19-20).
1. Explanation of the Feast – Ex 13:8-9
Jehovah commanded the Jews to explain the Feast to their children. When their sons or daughters would ask what the sign of the putting away of the leaven meant, the head of the house was to tell them of the law of the Lord. He would explain how God brought Israel out of bondage with a strong hand, separating them from the leavening influences if Egypt. Israel was to be a new lump of dough unto the Lord, unleavened. Read (Rom 11:16)
So the law represents the work of sanctification. Remember Moses placed the two tablets of the law in the ark of the covenant which represents our spirit the manna represents our salvation, and the rod of Aaron which was the symbol of authority and power represents the Holy Ghost Baptism. The children of Israel received the manna first, which is our salvation, then God brought them to Sinai and separated them from all other people to himself by the law-(summed in Ten Commands -Words) which is a picture of sanctification, then he put the Rod of Aaron in the ark as a symbol of Authority and Power which represents the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The Feast was to be explained to Israel, and so it is the church is to instruct its ministers to explain The Lord’s Supper and Feet washing in communion services.
2. The Additional Offerings- Numbers 28:17-25
The feast days had special offerings besides the regular daily sacrifice. In the Feast of Unleavened bread additional offerings were presented to the Lord. These were as follows:
a. Burnt Offerings (Sanctification)- 2 Bulls *(Bullocks), 1 ram, 7 lambs
b. Sin Offering (Justification)- 1 Goat
c. Meal (flour) Offering (meat offering)- Fine flour and oil were to be presented with the burnt offerings totaling 6/10th deal of fine flour with oil (Offering of Thanksgiving).
d. Then the daily sacrifice(Daily walk or Consecration)(, which consisted of a morning and evening lamb for a burnt offering, with a ¼ of hin of oil with unleavened bread and a drink offering ¼ of a hin of wine.
The truth is the same as seen in the whole of the sacrificial system, the nation of Israel can only be acceptable to God through the blood atonement. The burnt offering speaks of the complete and total consecration of Christ to the Father’s will. The sin offering speaks of Christ substitution and atoning work on Calvary. The meal offering and drink offering speak of Christ’s perfect and sinless humanity, his sinless body and blood presented as a sweet savor to God. God accepted Israel in the perfections of the sacrifice. So God accepts the Christian in the perfections of Christ. In Christ we keep the Feasts.
I. Handfuls of Purpose for the Sower:
The following are outlines of reference showing the importance of bread in Israel. Bread is the staff of life. All this pointed to Christ as the bread of life. He is Unleavened bread indeed, for no sin or evil was found in him, nothing that puffs up was ever found or seen in his holy perfect sinless humanity. As Christians we must feed on the perfections of Christ as our food. He is the bread that came down from heaven, bread that a man can eat and never die.
A. Abraham presented three unleavened cakes to the Lord (Gen 18).
B. Israel fed on the unleavened bread as they left Egypt (Ex 12-13).
C. Jehovah fed Israel with manna from heaven for 40 years in the wilderness.(Ex 16).
D. The Meal offering was fine flour, leaven and honey were forbidden to be baked therein (Lev 2).
E. The Table of Shewbread in the Tabernacle of Moses had 12 loaves upon it as the food for the priests (Lev 24:5-9; Num 4:7; 2 Chron 2:4).
F. A golden pot of manna was placed in the Ark of the covenant for a memorial ( Heb 9:4).
G. Abraham received bread and wine from Melchizedek at the time of the covenant (Gen 14:18; Heb 7:1-12).
H. The Angel of the Lord that appeared to Gideon accepted his sacrifice of unleavened cakes on the altar (Jud 6:19-21).
I. Godly kings and leaders in Israel always brought the people back to the keeping of the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread (2 Chron 8:13; 30:13-21; 35:17; Ez 6:22; Ezek 45:21).
PASSOVER LINK (If you would like to look at the study of passover here you are enjoy):
1. https://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2020-02-13T19:23:00-08:00&max-results=100&reverse-
2. paginate=truehttps://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2019-06-29T02:14:00-07:00&max-results=100&start=47&by-date=false
3. https://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2019-06-29T02:13:00-07:00&max-results=100&start=2&by-date=false
4. https://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-feast-of-passover-part-6-conclusion.html
PASSOVER LINK (If you would like to look at the study of passover here you are enjoy):
1. https://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2020-02-13T19:23:00-08:00&max-results=100&reverse-
2. paginate=truehttps://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2019-06-29T02:14:00-07:00&max-results=100&start=47&by-date=false
3. https://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2019-06-29T02:13:00-07:00&max-results=100&start=2&by-date=false
4. https://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-feast-of-passover-part-6-conclusion.html
If you have never accepted or if you have fallen away from Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:
You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a Bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)
May God through Christ bless you!
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