The Festival of Unleavened Bread
Leviticus 23:6 – “On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast.”
As Christians living in the 21st century, why do we need to study from the Old Testament and about the Old Testament feast which Jehovah God ordained for Israel?
Is there any message for us today from these old festivals?
Jesus’s preaching and teaching were only from the Law the Old Testament (OT)
Because it is a shadow, Jesus came to fulfill it:
Hebrews 10:1 – “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves.”
The law is only a shadow of the good things to come, it’s not reality.
What is reality? Christ and His Church!
In each and every chapter in the OT we see the SHADOW of Christ and His church.
But in each and every chapter in the NT we see the REALITY that is Christ and the nature of his church.
Leviticus 23:6 – “On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins.”
Immediately after they slaughtered the Passover lamb, they would apply the blood on the door, eat the lamb, and start their journey from the land of slavery to the promise land.
What is the new Testament revelation?
Immediately after we accept Jesus, our Passover lamb, into our life, we are redeemed by his blood, and we begin our Christian walk.
Exodus 12:15 – “For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.”
Exodus 12:20 – “Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.”
The number seven stands for completion (perfection, fullness) - that means all the days of our Christian life.
What does the yeast stand for?
Yeast stands for evil, wickedness, and worldliness.
On the first day, remove the yeast (evil, wickedness, and worldliness) from your houses (your lives)
Without yeast, there is no softness in bread – but it is a celebration with Jehovah God.
Yes, we cannot go with the world – we cannot enjoy as the world enjoys – we cannot accept the worldly views of pleasure.
There may not be fun, like worldly people have it.
We cannot enjoy half the world and half of God – we must hate the world, hate sin, and hate the standard of a worldly lifestyle.
There must be no yeast in our heart, no yeast in our rooms, no yeast in our secret or personal life.
Christian life is a celebration, walking with Jesus is our unending joy.
Exodus 12:17 - “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread,"
Exodus 12:19 – “For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel.”
There will be people will be in the church with yeast, but they are not with Christ. Jesus is cut off from their relationship.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 - “ Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
Old yeast refers to our sinful nature of malice and wickedness.
To keep the festival means to maintain our Christian life in sincerity and truth.
Jesus warned about two kinds of yeast:
Mark 8:15 - “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
Yeast of Herod
Mathew 16:11-12 – “But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Luke 12:1 - “Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."
What is the yeast of Pharisees and Sadducees?
It is the false or wrong teachings of the scripture – interpreting the holy scriptures to fit their own convenience or for their benefit.
Interpreting the holy scripture to fit the system of this world.
Their hypocrisy – honoring God with their lips only and their heart is far from God
What is the yeast of Herod?
Sexual immorality
A Wicked life – unholy lifestyle
Christians (the true disciples of Jesus Christ) should keep their doctrine and life clean.
Look at what Paul instructed Timothy:
1 Timothy 4:16 – “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
What we hear and what we understand from the holy scripture is very important for our holy walk with Jesus.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 - “ Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
Being a partaker of the Lord’s Table (Lord’s Supper), we eat of our Passover lamb (Jesus) and unleavened bread of life (Jesus), so let us get rid of the old yeast, which is mentioned in the below scriptures:
1 Peter 2:1 – “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”
Galatians 5:19-21 - “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20. idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21. and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Ephesians 5:1 – “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.”
Therefore, let us celebrate our Christian life as a festival,
not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.