The Feast of Unleavened Bread by Rav Sha'ul The Feast of Unleavened Bread  (Abib 15th) Celebration of the coming Millennial Kingdom Exodus 12:15 Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away yeast [fermented starter dough] out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel (Promised Land or Coming Kingdom) . Exodus 29:2 Unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil: you shall make them of fine wheat flour. Exodus 2:4-7, 11, 13 (the "Preparation" of Unleavened Bread) 4 When you offer an offering of a meal-offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine (wheat) flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. 5 If your offering is a meal-offering of the baking-pan, it shall be of unleavened fine (wheat) flour, mingled with oil. 6 You shall cut it in pieces, and pour oil on it. It is a meal-offering. 7 If your offering be a meal-offering of the frying-pan, it shall be made of fine (wheat) flour with oil. 11 No meal-offering, which you shall offer to Yahuah, shall be made with yeast [Starter Dough]; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahuah. 13 Every offering of your meal-offering shall you season with salt; neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal-offering: with all your offerings you shall offer salt (abundant symbolic salt). Matthew 5:13 You [the spiritual children of Yahuah] are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Hebrews 10:16-29 (The New Covenant) 16 "This is the covenant (marriage vow) that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says Yahuah, 'I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'" then, 17 "I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more." (Because they will be Spiritually Perfected and purified through Mikveh) 18 Now where there is remission of sin (through Mikveh), there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place (and offer your life as a living sacrifice) by the blood (Living Sacrifice) of Yahusha, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us (to follow his example), a new and living way (a living sacrifice offered), through the veil, that is to say, (the veil was torn in two by the offering of) his flesh (providing us bold access to the mercy seat of Yahuah); 21 and having a great (High) priest (Yahusha) over the house of Yahuah (even The House of David) ; 22 let us draw near with a true (circumcised) heart in fullness of faith (that we have been granted access to the Altar of Yahuah through Yahusha’s sacrifice which tore the veil to the Holy of Holies) , having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience (sanctified), and having our body washed with pure water (Spiritual Cleansing through Mikveh), 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope (that Yahuah will accept our living sacrifice). For he who promised is faithful. 24 Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together (on Passover/Unleavened Bread), as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching. 26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. 28 A man who has set at nothing Moses' law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of Yahuah, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? Numbers 9:10-13 (If unable to keep The Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread due to travel or uncleanness) 10 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be on a journey afar off (possible living or sojourning in a foreign country other than Israel), yet he shall keep the Passover to Yahuah. 11 In the second month on the fourteenth day at even (twilight dusk) they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs: 12 they shall leave none of it to the morning, nor break a bone of it: according to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man who is clean, and is not on a journey, and forbears to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people; because he didn't offer the offering of Yahuah (living sacrifice) in its appointed season(according to the Plan of Salvation), that man shall bear his sin.   The Way and the example set by Yahusha John 10:3-4 For I have given you an example (Spiritual Path), that you should do as I have done (offer our own lives as living sacrificial lambs on Passover). 1 Peter 2:21 21 But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it (you will be perfected just like Yahusha was perfected through suffering ultimately perfected on Passover), this is commendable before Yahuah. 21 To this (giving your own lives as living sacrificial lambs on Passover) you were called, because the Messiah suffered (on Passover) for you (and tore the veil giving you access to the Altar of Yahuah), leaving you an example (of what to do as he fulfilled the spiritual meaning of Passover), that you should follow in his steps (and bring your own body as an offering on Passover to the Altar of Yahuah). What is that example?  There is a very specific “way” that we become members of the family of Yahuah.  It is through “the narrow gate” of Passover and it has never changed.  It has simply been transposed in The Yahushaic Covenant just like the Alter, the Temple, The Law, the priesthood, etc. It is the spiritual equivalent of the Torah requirements in which you make the transition from a pagan gentile to a member of the commonwealth of Israel.   The requirements for a pagan gentile to become a full member of the commonwealth of Israel was that they had to be circumcised, Mikveh’d, and bring a lamb to sacrifice on the altar. Nothing changed, you still must be circumcised, Mikveh’d, and bring an offering to Yahuah and sacrifice it on His Altar.  Yahusha elevated the physical requirements to become a member of the family of Yahuah to their true meaning in The Yahushaic Covenant and gave us the example that we are to follow each year on Passover: Yahusha was mikveh’d on Passover John 13:2-11 – the Mikveh on the Chagigah in preparation for the beginning of Passover 1 And (the Chagigah) supper (on the eve of the 13th of Abib with leavened bread) being ended (and the 14th of Abib began which is Day of Preparation or Passover Day), … 4 He (Yahusha) arose from supper, and laid aside his garments (took off his clothes and Mikveh’d himself); and (then) took a towel (to dry himself off), and girded himself (wrapped the towel around his waist).  5 After that (he cleansed himself through Mikveh, dried himself off, and wrapped a towel around his waist) he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet (Mikveh his disciples feet they had already been immersed), and to wipe [them] with the towel he was girded with. Yahusha was circumcised Yahusha demonstrate a contrite heart and reverent submission to the Will of Yahuah which is true circumcision of heart: Luke 22:42 …41And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." Yahusha brought an offering on the Altar of Yahuah Yahusha brought an offering of a lamb on Passover.  He offered his own broken body as a living sacrifice to Yahuah.  This is the way, the example, that Yahusha set that we are to follow each Passover.  We are all to: 1.     Mikveh our bodies ritually clean with living water 2.     Be circumcised of heart or “have a heart for His Laws” and do His will not our own 3.     We are to offer our lives as living sacrifices on the Altar of Yahuah which our hearts In Ephesians we see Paul use the spiritual truth of Passover, circumcision, and the Mikveh to prepare the bride to meet her husband for the “appointed time” as spotless Passover Lambs.  We see below the 3 requirements again which are Mikveh, sacrifice, circumcision: Ephesians 5 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the body and gave himself up for her (as The Passover Lamb) 26 to make her holy, (ritually) cleansing her by the washing with water through the commandments (Mikveh), 27 and to present her (with a circumcised heart) to himself as a radiant assembly, without spot or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless (as a spotless Passover Lamb of Yahuah). Romans 12:1 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Yahuah’ mercy (who offered His first born son Yahusha as a sacrifice on Passover which tore the veil giving us all access to the mercy seat), to offer your (own) bodies (not just Yahusha, we too must follow in his footsteps) as a living sacrifice (living sacrificial lamb on the Altar of Yahuah each Passover as commanded 2 Peter 3:14), holy (set apart and prepared through Mikveh) and pleasing to Yahuah (with a circumcised heart for His Law)—this is your true and proper worship (on Passover as commanded by Yahuah that each man should bring his own Passover lamb to the altar Exodus 12:3). Hebrews 10:16-29 (The Passover) 16 "This is the covenant (marriage vow) that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says Yahuah, 'I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'" (circumcision of heart) then, 17 "I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more." (Because they will be Spiritually Perfected and purified through Mikveh) 18 Now where there is remission of sin (through Mikveh), there is no more offering for sin. Note: Our sin is forgiven in covenant with Yahusha the same way it has always been forgiven, through the ritual cleansing of living water or Mikveh.  We look forward to the fulfillment of Mikveh when Yahusha returns: Zechariah 14:4  On that day his ( Yahusha the Messiah’s ) feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives  Zechariah 14: 8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem (to Mikveh the land), half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. Zechariah 13:1 “In that day there shall be a fountain (of living water) opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem (to Mikveh) for sin and for uncleanness.” 19 Having therefore, brothers, (being Mikveh’d clean we have) boldness to enter into the holy place (and offer your life as a living sacrifice on the Altar of Yahuah) by the blood (Living Sacrifice) of Yahusha, 20 by the way (example) which he dedicated for us (to follow), a new and living (sacrificial) way (a living sacrifice), through the veil, that is to say, (the veil was torn in two by the offering of) his flesh (providing us bold access to the mercy seat of Yahuah); 21 and having a great (High) priest (Yahusha) over the house of; 22 let us draw near (to the mercy seat of Yahuah to offer our lives as living sacrifices) with a true (circumcised) heart in fullness of faith (that we have been granted access to the Altar of Yahuah through Yahusha’s sacrifice which tore the veil to the Holy of Holies) , having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience (sanctified), and having our body washed with pure water (Spiritual Cleansing through Mikveh), 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope (that Yahuah will accept our living sacrifice). For he who promised is faithful.   Summary of Yahusha’s Example So Each Passover we are all to follow Yahusha’s example: 1.     Present ourselves to our King properly through Mikveh 2.     Demonstrate a circumcised heart for His Law 3.     Present our own bodies as living sacrificial lambs on His Altar This is the “Narrow Gate” that leads us out of our life of sin (broken body/leavened bread) and into a new and living way (our new bodies with sin forgiven represented by unleavened bread).  So once we have walked through The Passover Gate we then inter into The Kingdom of Yahuah which is a High Holy Sabbath that begins with The Feast of Unleavened Bread.   The Feast of Unleavened Bread So on the night before we all should have re-affirmed out commitment to The Yahushaic Covenant by eating leavened bread and drinking the blood of the covenant i.e. wine.  We should have prepared ourselves on Passover The Day of Preparation by following the example set by Yahusha.  Now on this High Sabbath we celebrate the Kingdom of Yahuah for 7 days.  We do this as a Moedim or “rehearsal”. It should be remembered that prior to dusk (prior to UB) "Leavened Bread" (Artos) may be eaten, however, once the "Sacrificial Lamb symbolic of each or our own bodies offered as living sacrifices without spot or blemish" is served, then "The Passover Meal" on the Feast of Unleavened Bread is eaten with "Unleavened Bread” representing our new life free from sin (leaven). The "Passover" meal (now without leavened bread) may continue well into the night (after Dusk), but the meal must end prior to dawn and in plenty of time to burn any leftover lamb and-or discovered uneaten leaven (crumbs, etc). This act of purging “leaven” is symbolic of the purging of all “sinners” from Earth prior to the establishment The Kingdom of Yahuah on Earth.  Leaven representing sin and all law-breakers: Matthew 13:41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers Moreover, whenever a fire will be needed for cooking the Passover Lamb, that fire must be kindled prior to the beginning of the High Sabbath of The Feast of Unleavened Bread. This burning (fire) must never extend into the dawn (morning twilight) of Abib 15th because it is symbolic of Yahuah’s wrath.  This burning fire is symbolic of The Word of Yahuah which consumes all those who are disobedient i.e. sinners PRIOR to the Millennial Kingdom: Jeremiah 5:14 Therefore, thus says Yahuah, the God of hosts, "Because you have spoken this word, Behold, I am making My words in your mouth fire And this people wood, and it will consume them.  This consuming wrath of Yahuah ends as we enter His Kingdom and all sinners (leaven) has been purged.  Therefore the restriction on “kindling a fire” on The High Sabbath of the first day of The Feast of Unleavened Bread which is an annual rehearsals of the coming Kingdom.  During the Millennial Reign or The Kingdom of Yahuah on Earth; Yahuah’s wrath is not kindled and there is no sin or law-breakers. So The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a celebration of what happened in our lives on Passover the Day of Preparation as we became full members of the household of Yahuah called the commonwealth of Israel and celebrate the coming Kingdom of Yahuah on Earth.   Next:

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