The Feast of Unleavened Bread--Dealing with the Sin in Your Life

Exodus 12:14-20

L/W—In studying of the institution of Passover; we learned of the first basic essential for redemption—the necessity of an unblemished Lamb and foreshadowed the Perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

T/W—Our passage today details The Feast of Unleavened Bread; in the study of this feast, we will learn of the second basic essential for redemption; the necessity of putting all leaven (evil/sin) out of one’s life.

(READ EXODUS 12:14-20)

Contextually and historically, The Feast of Unleavened bread was to serve, for the Israelites, as a memorial and a reminder of the time they had to rush out from the evils of Egypt, of what enslaved them and held them in bondage.

Compare the scene from the night of Passover to the next morning:

The fear of death, which loomed over them the night before, gave way to the joy of life, as songs and shouts of praise and rejoicing were sure to have echoed the walls of Israel’s homes, as God had delivered on His promise

Centuries of bondage which left such a heavy burden, gave way to jubilant shouts of freedom and liberty as word spread about their deliverance

In their deliverance, the Israelites were instructed to be ready---to make haste---to run (race) out of Egypt, and embark on a journey to the promised land of Canaan.

Included in this instruction was God’s commandment to refrain from the use of leaven in making bread. Leaven (what we would call yeast), when it’s allowed/added, ferments and spreads; this process takes time and in light of the haste they were to leave Egypt, adding leaven would serve only as a hinderance in the Israelites run/race/flee from Egypt (bondage).

The Biblical application for today? We must be believers who, in remembrance our redemption from sin, also be people who deal with our sin—to purge the sin/evil in our lives—in order that we might rightly live in and pursue the righteousness of Christ.

Salvation carries with it the Biblical imperative a believer must give no place for sin to ferment and permeate their life---they must immediately flee the sins of their past life and deal with any sins they are currently involved in.

In order to run the Christian race—the race of the believer, according to God’s standards—a believer MUST deal with the sin in their life, b/c the manner in which we deal with our sin, reveals the manner is which we pursue Christ

Salvation carries with it the Biblical imperative, a believer must rather give allowance to the working of the righteousness of Christ in their life—they must immediately and diligently rush to live a life of righteousness as they sojourn to the believer’s promised land

As we get into the passage today, a big emphasis today will be on God’s Word—(it should always be); yet today even more so, given the Biblical application of dealing with sin and evil on our lives. How often and to what extent does the Bible speak to dealing with our sin?

In the context of our Scripture today, God’s instruction concerning the necessity to flee evil/sin is so vital, leaven is mentioned 8 times alone in these 7 verses. Throughout Scripture leaven symbolizes evil. Sin and evil, when it’s allowed and added, ferments and spreads, bringing corruption and defilement to the heart.

For this reason, it is utterly necessary for any believer to flee from the world and it’s evil (leaven) and to rush toward the promised land of heaven. This is what God had in mind in instituting the Feast of Unleavened Bread and this is what we, as believers, should draw from it.

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I. (v.14) The Significance of the Feast

Exodus 12:14 “‘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.”

(CONTEXT)-The significance can be seen in 3 facts:

The feast was instituted by God Himself

God instructed Moses and Aaron to establish this feast

God held the necessity of Israel fleeing their bondage in such so vitally important, He felt compelled to establish this feast, not just as a one-time celebration—but as a lasting celebration

“…you shall keep it.”””

“keep” means a continual action, not a one-time act. In this context it alludes to the spiritual discipline to diligently and intentionally flee

“…throughout your generations,” means this wasn’t merely for the current generation of Israel, but in the generations to follow.

“…everlasting ordinance”—the purpose behind the feast was so paramount for the Israelites, they were to never abandon their observance of the feast

While considered a separate and distinct, The Feast of Unleavened Bread was part of the Passover

About the feasts:

The books of Exodus and Ezekiel refer to both feasts as Passover,

The books of Deuteronomy/2 Chronicles/and Ezra refer to both feasts as the Feast of Unleavened Bread)

The O/T also states that both feasts are also treated separately

The N/T uses each name to refer to the same feasts

Passover—John 2:13, 23; 6:4; 11:55)

The unleavened break (Matt 26:17, Luke 22:1,7)

About their observance:

They were celebrated and observed at the same time and were part of one another,

Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread were two distinct feasts, symbolizing two distinct truths (which we will see in a moment)

Leaven symbolizes evil, while un-leaven symbolizes righteousness—(REMEMBER--God’s deliverance and Israel’s subsequent demand to flee quickly, dictated they only had time to prepare unleavened bread)

Leaven was to forever symbolize evil—contextually that of Egyptian slavery

God did not desire the Israelites to waste one more moment living in bondage/slavery

God knew that if Israel remained in Egypt—Israel would be inviting bondage/slavery back into their lives,

Israel needed to move, they needed to flee from what held them in bondage---so they could live in freedom…but what to run with?

Unleavened bread forever symbolizes righteousness

Partaking of the unleavened bread served to represent the utter necessity of rushing:

To their new life in the promised land, and

To their new life of righteousness under God’s sovereignty and rule

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—YOU and ME)

Along with the Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread symbolizes two different but linked truths:

(FIRST) Salvation carries with it both the (1) necessity and (2) intentionality of fleeing from the sin/evil that once held us in bondage

(SECOND) Salvation dictates that—in the new nature we’ve been imputed (2 Peter 1:4), we put to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13), flee ungodliness (1 Timothy 6:11) and live according to the newness of life (Colossians 3:1).

Salvation cannot be the belief that we are saved to live as we were, cannot be the belief we were saved to keep the grave clothes on—cannot be the belief we were saved to live according to our old self—our old nature, rather

Salvation is the understanding and belief we are to live according the new nature we’ve been given, live according the new creation we’ve been born into, live according to the purpose God established for those who are born again, and live with a new focus/mindset

2 Peter 1:4 “by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Colossians 3:1-4 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

In the symbolism of leaven and un-leaven, comes the understanding of the utter necessity as believers to (1) take up, (2) walk in/towards, and (3) race with, is the righteousness of God—of Jesus Christ

A Biblical directive and necessity must take place before we walk in these ways, however:

We must deal with the unconfessed sin(s) in our hearts & lives

Repentance must ALWAYS come first, b/c we cannot run the Christian race weighed down/ensnared/or hindered by unconfessed sin (Hebrews 12:1)

Repentance of our sin is such a vital of a spiritual discipline:

(REPENTANCE) Between the O/T and the N/T testament, repentance--in all its’ forms pertaining to a person’s turn from sin—is recorded some 70 times (+/-)

Repentance must be the discipline included in how we begin our day, how we go through each day, and how we end each day—we must continually possess an intentionality towards repentance

True and Biblical repentance must mean we

First--dispense with:

The blaming & justifying

The aversion & self-reliance

The fear of finding out

Second—take up

Acceptance and responsibility

Ownership and selflessness

Complete trust in God’s promise of forgiveness of our sin

It is in our repentance and confession of our sin, we experience God’s forgiveness and the liberty in which we can then pursue, live in/walk in/and run, in the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ

Listen to this quote from John Bunyan: ”When a person becomes a Christian, it is no longer a priority to listen to the world. It is no longer a priority to care what the world may think. Everything changes. The world looks completely different. All of the temporal pleasures of this world become less enjoyable because greater joy has been found. Thus you place your fingers in your ears, for you know longer care about the world’s opinion, and you run like a lunatic crying, ‘Life! ‘Life! Eternal life!”

In the Biblical application—we are given a charge as believers

A charge to live a righteous and godly life

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Ephesians 6:13-17 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”

1 Peter 1:16 “because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.””

2 Peter 1:5-8 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Timothy 6:11 “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”

A charge to live a life studying the pure, “unleavened” Word of God

Psalm 1:3 “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

Psalm 119 (the vast majority of it)

John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”

Acts 17:11 “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,”

Note another application from v.14 (Exodus 12:14 “‘... 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.”)

The necessity of remembering the day the Lord delivered you/redeemed you/saved you is paramount to your race as a Christian—b/c in that moment of your life, the course of your life changed

There’s a danger/warning in forgetting—not laying hold of—or letting God’s salvation grow dim—you risk losing the intimacy of your walk w/God. When the intimate relationship you have with God’s Word becomes more like an acquaintance, you risk being more acquainted with the world than with God.

Revelation 2:4 “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

There’s a slippery slope—a slow fade into sin, that’s the result of forgetting—not laying hold of—or letting God’s salvation grow dim. Why? Because as we neglect such a great salvation—the world and it’s enticements become bigger, while God becomes smaller

Genesis 4:7 “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.””

II. (v.15-16) Instructions Concerning the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Exodus 12:15-16 “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. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you.”

(CONTEXT)

The feast was to be celebrated for 7 days and only unleavened bread was to be eaten during those 7 days.

God desired His people to spend an entire week—seven full days:

Focusing on their flight from evil (sin)

Focusing on their exciting flight to freedom and to the promised land

A person was to put all leaven (evil) out of his house, out of his presence (v.15)

This speaks to an intentionality

The importance of the feast can be understood in the punishment for those who were disobedient to observe this feast

Those who disobeyed and ate the leaven, were to be cut off (v.15)

“Cut off”—the Hebrew word used here translates to mean, “to be excluded from an association or membership

Some commentators suggest this means the disobedient would be excommunicated from the community of believers

Some commentators suggest this means the disobedient would be executed

God’s people were to observe two special holy days of worship (v.16); only the preparation of food was allowed, no other work was to be done on these two days

The first day—the celebration of the Passover

Passover actually began the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which lasted 7 days)

The seventh day—which ended the Feast of Unleavened Bread

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—You and Me)

As born again believers, we should be both mindful and diligent to remember and rejoice over God’s redemption of our lives, of:

What God delivered us from

Sin/death

Wrath/judgment

Being eternally separated from Himself

How God delivered us

Through the sacrificial and atonement working blood of Jesus Christ

What God delivered us towards

Abundant real life in Christ

John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

No condemnation/peace in Christ

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

The blessed hope of Jesus Christ returning;

Titus 2:13 “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

As born again believers, we should be both mindful and diligent to put ANY and ALL sin out of our lives (This, again, is a Biblical imperative, one of which the Bible speaks on numerous times)

What the Bible says about sin:

John speaks directly to this:

1 John 1:6 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”

1 John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

1 John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

It’s a fallacy to think you can profess Christ—but be unwilling to purge the sin from your life.

James tells us how we fall to sin

James 1:14-15 “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

It’s a fallacy to think your sin comes from someplace other than yourself, or you can blame someone other than yourself.

Paul teaches us a little sin corrupts the whole:

1 Corinthians 5:6 “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?”

It’s a fallacy, “if we fail to remember that all of our sins—even the “small ones” that don’t seem to harm anyone—are acts of rebellion against our Creator.” In failing to recognize that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump,” we adopt ourselves into culturally acceptable behaviors and fail to recognize that “God’s Word remains unchanged.” (taken from a quote from Shaq Hardy)

What the Bible says about dealing with sin—in the words of the very same writers who spoke about sin:

John speaks to this in the preceding verses from above:

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

“Walk”

“…in the light...” (truth)

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

“Confess” to agree with what God says about your sin, while agreeing Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the only means by which you sin can be forgiven you

1 John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

“Confession” of Christ—as both Lord and Savior (this is different than the confession of sin)

James tells us what is needed 6 verses later

James 1:21 “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

“Lay aside”—same word (Greek) used in Hebrews 12:1 about “laying aside all weight and the sin that so easily ensnares.”

Paul instructs us in very next verses in Corinthians

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 “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.”

“Purge”—is to cleanse thoroughly—to get it ALL—to leave none left)

*Just as the Israelites were to be intentional in removing all the leaven, so to must the believer today be intentional to remove what is evil in their hearts—at the first sign of it

(Example of Savannah making bread this week: Adding yeast to the dough she was making took 2-24 hours to ferment and produce the rising)

It doesn’t take long; so we should daily be as David says:

Psalm 139:23-24 “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.”

In light of the context of verse 15:

“Cut off” (Hebrew)—Remembering and taking God’s Word for what it means, the point here is matter of fact—it is striking just how paramount repentance is

For the believer:

Though we are covered under and live in grace—at the same time, while our sin has been dealt with on the cross, God does not give allowance for the believer to live in license

Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”

Galatians 5:13 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

If a professed believer carries the belief they can walk into sin thinking, “It’s OK, I’ll just play the grace card,” or believing the lie of, “I’ll just ask for forgiveness after the fact,” it’s best they listen carefully to what God’s Word says

1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”

If there’s no struggle with sin—if there’s no struggle to fight against the sin in your life:

It’s time to DTR

It’s time to run to the altar and get right with God

For the unbeliever—the only way you can avoid being “cut off” from God is to heed God’s Word concerning repentance

Acts 2:38-39 “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.””

Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,”

In light of v.16

If the Israelites were instructed to celebrate, how much more should we remember holy days, days set apart by God to celebrate/rejoice/remember His great work of salvation in our lives:

We should celebrate:

The birth of Christ (Matt 1:21 & Matt 2:1-2)

The death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-5)

The conversion and baptism of new believers (Matt 28:19-20)

The death of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:19-20)

We should celebrate:

In times we gather for worship, prayer, Bible study

In our homes, with our families

In every aspect of our lives, we should live in great rejoicing for God’s Work of salvation

III. (v.17-19) Two Purposes for Celebrating the Feast

Exodus 12:17-19 “So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land.”

(CONTEXT)

Remember, Egypt represents the evil/sin of this world, the evil and sin that encases man in bondage and slavery.

The world/sin entices man

Bright lights

Pleasures

Possessions

Power/position

Recognition

Honor/Fame

Greed/wealth

Comfort/Ease

Addictions/strongholds

The world/sin at it’s core is corrupt, which leads to defilement/wasting away/eventual death

We must remember, the ways or evils of this world we fall to, are not what defile us, they are merely the product of what actually enslaves a person—sin

Apart from Jesus Christ—sin is what carries us to the grave and delivers a person over to spiritual death

Just as the bondage and slavery of Israel was overcome by God’s hand, so to has our bondage and slavery to sin been overcome in us, by God’s hand through Jesus Christ

It is for this reason, God placed the imperative for observing this feast

Just as the Israelites were to celebrate God’s deliverance with such intentionality, so should the believer today, intently, humbly, and graciously rejoice in God’s work in their lives

The feast was the great celebration of eating only unleavened bread

Remember God’s instructions concerning Israel’s preparation to leave Egypt

They had little time to prepare before God’s judgment fell

They were to immediately get ready, get ready to flee, and begin their journey to the promised land

They were to leave in such haste, they had to only take unleavened bread—there was no time to allow yeast (leaven) ferment the bread.

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—You and ME)

For the believer there is an utter & vital necessity to immediately flee the evil of this world—this is symbolized in the unleavened bread: (HELP ILLUSTRATE FLEE)

We should give not allowance for sin to ferment and spread in our lives

We should, at the earliest recognition of sin in our lives, flee in repentance away from sin and towards the cross

We should, at our core, understand that “leaven” (sin) serves only to distract, deter, and disrupt our march towards the believer’s promised land

For the believer this carries a second vital necessity—in fleeing the evil and sin in our lives, there is another imperative:

We must be believers to seek to partake of the righteousness of Christ—(this too is symbolized in the unleavened bread)

Hosea 10:12 “Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.”

Romans 6:4 “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

John 6:58 “This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.””

IV. (v.19-20) The Importance of Observing the Feast

Exodus 12:19-20 “For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’ ””

(CONTEXT)

Again we see the importance of obedience

A person, no matter who (Egyptian or Israelite) was to be cut off, executed, or excommunicated from the congregation if he ate the leavened bread (v.19)

The penalty was to apply to both Egyptians and Israelites

Again—the Feast of Unleavened Bread was so important a person had no choice—

NOTE: It was NOT the religious activity of eating the unleavened bread that was so vital—it was what the unleavened bread symbolized & represented which was so important.

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—You and Me)

We, as believers (whether new in the faith or mature in the faith), must not have any part, must not have anything to do with evil. We must never:

Partake of evil

Assimilate evil

Digest evil

Take evil into our lives

(WORSHIP)

“The Feast of Unleavened Bread was to remind God’s people of the time when they had to rush to their new life in the promised land of Canaan”

There’s a race—our race has a command and a focus (Hebrews 12:1-2), which includes the necessity to lay aside every weight and lay aside the sins that so easily ensnare

There’s a pursuit—sanctification, to

Be more and more like Jesus

Take on/live in the righteousness of Christ

There’s a resource—God’s Word—Scripture itself speaks of how utterly dependent we should be on God’s Word

Its our daily bread (Luke 11:3 “Give us day by day our daily bread.” )

It should be delighted in (Psalm 1:3 “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”)

It lights our path (Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”)

It should be digested (Jeremiah 15:16 “Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.” )

It makes people wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15 “and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”)

But the race must be entered before a person can pursue

For the race to be run with endurance and effectively there’s a call and command: so we will end with the following questions

What’s the leaven (the sin) in your heart right now?

What’s the sin you are allowing to ferment or corrupt your heart?

Anger/bitterness

Jealousy/covetousness

Addiction

Gossip/slander

What sin is slowing you down, hindering the race you are running?