Monthly Archives: March 2019

There are times when, usually in the early learning stages of our Spiritual walk, we can get so involved in the ‘mechanics’ of what we are to do, we lose sight of the higher-level Spiritual trues that are to be learned in ‘the doing’. Each year, as we approach the season of Passover, I am reminded of this true story . . .

They were a kind and loving middle-aged couple that loved the Lord and strove to please Him in their endeavors. Each year, as Passover approached, they would begin the process of removing the leaven from their home and property. They would meticulously comb through their cabinets and pantries, refrigerator and freezers until they were convinced that ‘all the leaven was out’.

They would then pack it safely and securely in heavy trash bags, place the bags in a large, heavy duty trash can, and proceed to take the trash can to the back side of their property and set the trash can across the fence onto their neighbor’s property.

After the week of Unleavened Bread was completed,  they would promptly journey to the back-side of their property, reach across the fence and retrieve from their neighbor’s property the large, heavy duty trash can containing all the leaven they had dutifully removed from their home just a week before.

They obediently followed the ‘mechanics’, ‘the letter’ of the observance, but somehow missed altogether the greater Spiritual lesson involved in the physical celebration.

Did our Father ransom us from ‘Egypt’, then begin the process of getting ‘Egypt’ out of us, just so we could reach across the fence and bring it all back into the house?

Merely performing the physical aspects of Torah is, in fact, ‘the milk of The Word’. But The Law is Spiritual, therefore, in the midst of the physical observance of The Law of YHVH, are the higher Spiritual Truths that we learn in the doing. Apostle Paul illustrated his understanding of this mystery in his conclusion – ‘first the physical, then the Spiritual.’ (1 Corinthians. 15:46)

So why is there a commandment to observe Unleavened Bread ? The answer is at least two-fold.  First, the plainly spoken words of our Creator – ‘For seven days you shall eat Unleavened bread . . . For in that day, I (Father YHVH) brought you out . . .’ (Exo. 12:15,17)

Ok, so we eat unleavened and have no leavening, but why ‘seven days’? Yes, ‘7’ is the number for ‘completion’, but it is much more than that. ‘7’ is the Hebrew word ‘sheva’, which comes from the word ‘shava’ which means ‘oath or promise’. Father YHVH promised He would bring them out, and He fulfilled His promise ‘in the day He brought them out’.

So why should WE keep Unleavened Bread for seven days? Our Father promised He would make a way to bring us out, and on the day we surrendered to Him through the convicting, convincing , drawing power of the Holy Spirit, He did just as He promised.

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart¹ ” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:8-9)

So whether understanding it or not, my first Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread was the day I came to faith in Yeshua/Jesus as my Lord and Savior. That day, I was brought out of Egypt and into the Kingdom through The Door, Who is The Way, The Truth and The Life.  From that point on, until I reach Sukkot (The Ultimate Family Reunion) the remainder of the pattern of the feasts is the process by which I am prepared to be a member of The Kingdom of our Father YHVH.

Again, we are reminded of the words of Apostle Paul spoken to the church. “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you are truly unleavened. For indeed Messiah, our Passover, was slain for us. ⁸ Therefore let us keep the feast (Passover), not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened-ness of sincerity and truth. (1Co 5:7-8)

Observing Passover and the week of Unleavened Bread is about much more than just obediently gettin’ all the crackers out of the cupboard. It is a reminder of what has been done for us, the Plan that was put in place before the foundation of the world was laid, that we might be reconciled to our Father through the redeeming and atoning work of Messiah on the cross; the work that brings us out of Egypt in to His glorious Kingdom.

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Rom 5:10)

Therefore, keep the Feast. Shalom