Feast of Unleavened Bread – First Day

Feast of Unleavened Bread – First Day                March 31, 2018 

Every spring, we go through the same routine, we clean our entire home, and our car or vehicle.  If we go out to eat, we say “No, thank you” to any complimentary bread at restaurants.  

While we are children of the Father, we understand the meaning behind these actions—removing physical and spiritual leaven from our lives; but there is much more to the Feast of Unleavened Bread than this. 

The Spring Holy Days depict the beginning of God’s plan for salvation. The season begins with the Passover which we celebrate 2 nights ago.  During this New Testament feast, leavening is portrayed as wickedness or sin that Christians strive in our lives to overcome with the Holy Spirit living in and directing us. 

We are here to celebrate the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning {or to instruct us}, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.   {encouragement} 

Let’s turn to the chapter that covers this subject.  

Feasts of the Lord 

Leviticus 23:1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying 

Leviticus 23:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations {sacred assemblies}, these are My feasts.   {appointed times} 

Sabbath 

Leviticus 23:3 'Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.   {wherever we live} 

Passover 

Leviticus 23:4 'These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations {sacred assemblies} which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. 

Leviticus 23:5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD's Passover. 

Feast of Unleavened Bread 

Leviticus 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread. 

We are told we must eat bread made without yeast (leaven) or Unleavened Bread during this 7 days of the feast. Planning on it. 

Leviticus 23:7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. 

Leviticus 23:8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.' " 

Exodus 13:6-7  Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. (7) Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. 

This Feast begins and ends with a feast - a party. A walk of purity in the LORD is a life filled with joy. 

Did Jesus and His parents observed the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread?  

Luke 2:41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 

Luke 2:42-43 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. (43) When they had finished the days {or festival was over}, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 

Notice Verse 43 states, “the finished the days” which meant the Passover and the seven days of Unleavened Bread. 

Did Jesus observe the Days of Unleavened Bread as an adult? 

Mark 14:1-2 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. (2) But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people." 

Remember, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is only 7 days long, the Jewish Leadership counts Passover as a day and that makes it 8 days.  Verse 1 and 2 pertain to the planning of Christ’s enemies to arrest Him.  

Mark 14:12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?" 

They were well aware that He would be observing the Days of Unleavened Bread. Verse 12 show how Christ directed His disciples in arranging for the Passover meal.  

Did the Apostles observe the Days of Unleavened Bread after Christ’s death and resurrection?  Doctor Luke wrote: 

Acts 12:3 When he saw how this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter, too. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.     {about 50’s A.D.} 

Acts 20:6 After the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days.   {about 55 A.D.} 

Luke uses this reference as an event that was observed by the Church this many years after Jesus resurrection. 

What instruction or command did Paul give Christians in regard to observed this festival? 

1 Corinthians 5:6-8  Your boasting is not good. You know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough, don't you? (7) Get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough, since you are to be free from yeast. For the Messiah, our Passover, has been sacrificed. 

(8) So let's keep celebrating the festival, neither with old yeast nor with yeast that is evil and wicked, but with yeast-free bread that is both sincere and true. 

The Apostle Paul wrote about 20 years later to the Church members (Gentiles) in Corinth and told the Christians to observe this festival.  Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

Paul was expressing that as Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us, we should proceed to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Remember, Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles.  

Paul commanded the Corinthian Christians—mostly gentiles—to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. His instructions show that Christians from non-Jewish communities and cultures kept the Days of Unleavened Bread.  

Setting an example for all Christians today, these Jews and non-Jews observed these days in accordance with God's laws. 

These seven days of self-examination prove invaluable in helping us to devote our lives to God and Jesus Christ. They also picture our eventual triumph over sin, made possible through the sacrifice and aid of Jesus Christ 

We’re all are still flesh and human beings and suffer temptations and trials today, as before conversion. We have or are slaves to sin and in its power except we have the covering of Jesus blood and the Holy Spirit living in us.   

We read that sin is the transgression of the law:  look at again,  

1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness {or disobedience or transgression of the law} 

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in union with the Messiah Jesus our Lord. 

There was, and is, nothing wrong with eating things containing yeast at other times, but for the purpose of the Days of Unleavened Bread it was used as a symbol of sin.  Coming out of sin. 

Observing the Days of Unleavened Bread and trying not to eat anything that has leaven, we realize quite quickly, it is not our own that enables us to overcome sins, but it is the righteousness that comes as a result of partaking of that Bread of Life, of Jesus Christ living His righteous life in us, His people and empowering us to conquer sin. 

As we eat daily the Unleavened Bread, it is to remind us that this is the body of the Messiah and to have the Holy Spirit living in each of us.   

To effectively remove sin and to prevent it from regaining a foothold in our lives, we must do something—we must replace our human weaknesses and sinful tendencies with something far better. And we learn this from God’s instruction to eat unleavened bread throughout this feast. 

Jesus Himself what the unleavened bread represent as we eat it this week?  

1 Corinthians 11:24 I gave thanks for it, and broke it in pieces,

saying, "This is my body that is for you. Keep doing this in memory of me." 

Mind boggling.  It is a reminder. 

John 6:35 Jesus told them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never become hungry, and whoever believes in me will never become thirsty. 

John 6:50-51 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a person may eat it and not die. (51) I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. And the bread I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." 

It explains that by letting Christ live in us, we can be transformed. Only by taking on Jesus' character and nature can we truly overcome sin. 

We are powerless to overcome sin on our own. And, yet, God commands us to stop sinning and put on Christ, since we are the Temple of God, with the Holy Spirit living in us.  Think about that, the Temple of the God. 

1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 

John 16:13 Yet when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own accord, but will speak whatever he hears and will declare to you the things that are to come. 

Realize what Jesus just said, not me guiding you personally, not your spouse guiding you, but the Holy Spirit will guide you, personally.  

The final thing: The Days of Unleavened Bread remind us that with God's help we must remove and avoid all types of sin in all areas of our life. 

We must replace our human weaknesses and sinful tendencies with something far better. And we learn this from God’s instruction to eat unleavened bread throughout this feast. 

So, during this week, every time we eat Unleavened Bread, Yes, we are to eat, unleavened bread, think and mediate about what it really means.  

Let’s enjoy ourselves during the Feast of Unleavened Bread because of the Truths that the Holy Spirit lead us in.