Church of God, New World Ministries

The Days of Unleavened Bread

The Passover pictures the DEATH of CHRIST for the remission (forgiveness) of sins that are past. Note that well. Sins that are past! Sins you committed before accepting the blood of Christ. The accepting of His blood does not forgive sins we shall commit. It does NOT give us license to continue in sin—therefore when we accept it, our sins are forgiven only up to that time—PAST SINS.

Shall we stop there with only past sins forgiven? We are still flesh beings. We still suffer temptations. Sin has held us in its grasp! We have actually been slaves to sin—held in its power. We are powerless to deliver ourselves from it. We have been in bondage to Egypt! Egypt is a type of sin. (Heb. 11:24-26). We were in bondage to sin just like the Israelites were in bondage to Egypt!

Now we begin to see the significance of the literal fulfillment of the “Days of Unleavened Bread,” in our lives. Sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4). “The wages of sin is death;” (Rom. 6:23). Paul asked, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid, How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Paul is saying that we are dead to sin. Our PAST sins have been forgiven. Shall we continue in sin? Absolutely not! We must put sin out of our lives.

The seven days of UNLEAVENED BREAD following Passover, picture to us the complete putting away of sin. The KEEPING of the Commandments after our past sins are forgiven. They picture the life and work of the RISEN CHRIST who ascended to the throne of God where He is now actively at work in our behalf as our HIGH PRIEST, cleansing us of sin…delivering us completely form its power.

Now turn to the Old Testament account in Leviticus 23 and read where God commands the keeping of these days. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work therein.” (Lev. 23:1-4, 6-8).

Leavening is a type of sin. “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, (sins) that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.” (I Cor. 5:6-7). Paul mentions that Christ passed over our past sins. We have been forgiven once we accept the blood of Christ. What then must we do? “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (I Cor. 5:8). The early church kept the Days of Unleavened Bread. Notice Acts 20:6—“We sailed away from Philippi, AFTER THE DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD.” Paul and his companions plainly had observed the days of unleavened bread at Philippi. The Holy Spirit inspired these words as all scripture is given by the inspiration of God. Seven is God’s number symbolizing COMPLETENESS; we are to follow the Passover with seven days of unleavened bread symbolizing the putting of sin out of our lives COMPLETELY!

We are powerless to overcome sin on our own. And, yet, God commands us to stop sinning and put on Christ. The answer to that problem is found in the ] next Holy Day—Pentecost. Read how God helps us put sin out of our lives and actually put on Christ by keeping His Commandments.

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