The entire concept of leaven and the very specific meaning
it holds in regards to Passover is incredible.
Hang with me for a moment while I try to place our dots on the page,
then connect them.
·
According
to Mirriam-Webster, leaven is a substance (such as yeast baking soda and baking powder) that makes
dough rise and become light before it is baked. 1
·
Leaven could not be offered in sacrifices or
offering to the Lord. Though scripture
does not state why specifically, it is believed that leaven spoils and
corrupts the bread it is mixed with, making it unsuitable for God. 2
·
The Passover: God gave specific
instructions to the Israelites through Moses regarding the meal they were to
eat the night of Passover. As part of
the meal, they were instructed to eat unleavened bread.
with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they
shall eat it. Exodus 12:8
And the Egyptians urged the people, that
they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the
people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls
bound up in their clothes on their shoulders.
Exodus 12:33-34
And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt;
for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not
wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves. Exodus
2:39
·
The Festival of
Unleavened Bread: Each year after the Exodus, the week leading
up to the Passover, each family is to commemorate the Exodus by eating
unleavened bread for 7 days. The first
day of the Festival they were to remove leaven from their houses.
So this day shall be to you a memorial; and
you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations.
You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the
first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. Exodus
12:14-15
·
Leaven is used as a symbol for sin in the New Testament. Paul writes
to the church in Corinth regarding sin that has spread through the church and
has been overlooked or ignored. He uses
leaven as a symbol of “malice and wickedness” and advises the church that they
must remove the sin or it will continue to spread and further corrupt the
church.
Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the
whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven,
that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ,
our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore
let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the
leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Time
to connect the dots…
Our Jewish heritage through Christ points us back to the Exodus and Israel’s salvation from Egypt. They were commanded not to leaven their bread the night of Passover. Though scripture does not specify why, we see that leavened bread was not allowed in sacrifices and offerings to the Lord. It may also have been because the Lord knew the leaven would not have enough time to rise in the bread before the Israelites had to make their hasty flea from Egypt. Both ideas serve to point to the purity of God and his expected obedience from His children.
While you may not choose to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in your home
by removing all leaven, you can do some symbolic removal of other things in your house. Maybe clean out a drawer, closet or room. Allow those items you throw away to represent sin in your life. Throw them away and do not allow them a place back in your home, or heart. If you want something that provides a more physical reminder, remove chocolate, soft drinks, sugar or bread from your diet for seven days. When you are tempted to indulge in those items, reflect on the Exodus.
If you decide not to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in your home, you can celebrate it in your heart. Paul was clear of the implication of a little sin in the life of the church. A little spreads and eventually corrupts the entire body, individually and the church.
So, in preparation of Passover and Resurrection weekend, spend some time focused on the purity of God and His desire to forgive and remove the sin in your life. Ask God to search your heart reveal your sins to you. It won’t be easy. It will likely be painful. Regardless, face it head on. The Israelite’s Exodus was not easy. However, God was faithful to His children then, and He will be faithful to His children today. Allow Him to speak to your heart about things you need to remove from your life. Then allow Him to give you the strength and wisdom to remove those things.
Remember, the Israelites did not free themselves from Pharoah, GOD freed them. You cannot remove your sin from your own life, GOD must do it for you. But, He won’t do it unless you ask.
Search me, O God, and know my
heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any
wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting Psalm
139: 23-24
If we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1
John 1:9
Yes and amen!
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