Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread

From “The Kingdom of Heaven is” Perspective

Passover is a time for followers of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) to reflect on and celebrate the redeeming power and grace of the cross. That power is none other than Yeshua. We have so much to be thankful for and grateful for every day of our life while here on this earth. Thankful because each day is anew and we can have daily communion with Yahweh the Father, through His Son, Yeshua, and the Holy Spirit. Grateful because we know that our relationship with the Three continues to grow and improve; and, as it grows, our heart becomes more One with Yahweh and His love flows through our very being which then can flow to others. This transformation process is made possible ONLY by way of the Cross on that glorious day in 30 A.D. when Yahweh offered up His only begotten Son as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. We didn’t deserve it and yet because of His unfailing love for mankind, He did it! What a gift to be thankful and grateful for. 

Yeshua’s finished work on the cross fulfilled the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread of the Old Covenant. All debts of mankind’s sin were paid in full by the blood of the Lamb of Yahweh and the redeeming power of His love and forgiveness became free for the taking for all those who will believe In Him. Yeshua became our sacrificial Passover and because He was pure, perfect, and without sin, He is the unleavened bread. His resurrection from the dead on the third day also was the fulfillment of the Feast of First Fruits as He alone became the first fruit of eternal life. There are many Christians who do not understand this.

Many Christians celebrate the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread in the method of the traditions of man while still attempting to figure out how and what is the appropriate way to do so. Questions like, “Do we sweep the house and remove the yeast, baking soda, baking powder, bread, crackers, everything with a leavening agent in it? Do we make a Sedar plate as the Jewish non-believers in Christ do commemorating coming out of Egypt? What’s the protocol?” If not careful, one can end up making a mockery of our God and of the enormity of what the day truly means. I, too, had these same questions a few decades ago and I got on the computer and began researching how and what to do for Passover and to my surprise, there is a lot of information. I was looking at the seven things the Jewish people put on the Seder plate: A roasted shank bone represents the Pescah sacrifice, an egg represents spring and the circle of life, bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery, haroset (an applesauce-like mixture with wine, nuts, apples, etc.) represents the mortar used by the Jews in Egypt, karpas (or greens, often parsley) to represent spring.

As I sat with my fingers on the keyboard, I felt a hand gently but firmly slap my right hand and I heard the Holy Spirit say, “It’s not a ritual! Don’t make it a ritual! It is about your heart celebrating all Christ Jesus did for you on the cross.” Oh, that hit me so hard in the spirit that I immediately asked for forgiveness for my ignorance. I was so convicted in seeking out the internet for answers instead of the Bible.

Let’s look in the scriptures and see what Yeshua has to say. As always, I encourage you to open your bible and do your own research and study.

In the Gospel of John, Yeshua reveals Himself as the Bread of life (6:35), the light of the world (8:12), the door (10:7), the good shepherd (10:11, 14), the resurrection and the life (11:25), the way the truth and the life (14:6) and the true vine (15:1). These are known as the seven ‘I Am’ statements and the number seven represents completeness, fullness or fulfillment, perfection. 

In Matthew, Chapter 13, Yeshua is speaking parables to a crowd of people and He speaks the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:1-9). This particular parable lays the foundation for all the other parables spoken and then Yeshua privately tells His disciples they are receiving mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 13:10-23). He then speaks a parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matt 13:24-30) and we begin to see how the tares are figuratively liken to leaven. Tares resemble wheat, but are poisonous to humans. They are indistinguishable from wheat until the final fruit appears. In other words, they pertain to a type of leaven that can spoil the whole batch (i.e., congregation, church, self), tares are a counterfeit to the real fruit or pure leaven (they are the false teachers, prophets, apostles).

Yeshua continues speaking parables about the kingdom of heaven and likens it to a Mustard Seed– again something that must be sown into the earth so as to grow into a fruitful shrub or tree. (Matt. 13:31-32). We see how the Parable of the Sower is being expanded upon to bring home a point.

Then comes His Parable of the Leaven (Matt. 13:33), a one sentence verse:

Another parable He spoke to them. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

Yeshua is submitting to us what pure leaven is. 

Leaven is yeast. Strong’s Concordance #2219 – (Def.: To be present throughout, to exist in every part of.; (figuratively) the spreading influence of what is typically concealed (but still very dramatic).

Leaven is what permeates our thoughts (mind), emotions (soul), and actions (willpower) and it can either spoil the batch of bread or it will make it the most wonderful savory and satisfying batch of bread you’ve ever tasted and seen. The one (1) and final Passover (Yeshua) happened so that the pure leavened Bread of Life could redeem us from the unpure leaven in our life.

I also want you to know what Yeshua is saying when He says, “the kingdom of heaven IS …”  The Strong’s concordance reveals the following:

IS
ἐστὶν (estin)
Verb – Present Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular
Strong’s Greek 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

Yeshua is literally saying that He is the kingdom of heaven. He is the ‘I am, I Exist in the first person” and He is pure.

I submit to you the following: 

1) If you are a believer in Yeshua and you know He is your Redeemer–that He is, He exists, then you are no longer a slave and you do not want to follow any traditions of man that might re-enslave you to sin or works of the annulled law of Moses. (Read Hebrews 7:11-19 below)

Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 

For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies:

“Your are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. (Hebrews 7:11-19)

2) If you are still struggling and/or walking in sin (a form of slavery) and you know you need to purge the unpure leaven from your mind, soul, and body, then take this time to truly repent and turn from the things of this world that keep you held in captivity so you can partake in the Bread of Life. This Bread of Life (Yeshua) is the good leaven whereas as the fleshly works of sin is the bad leaven. The veil between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant has been torn and victory over sin and death was finished on the cross by our Passover Lamb. Cry out to Him, seek Him and His righteousness and you will be set free.

With the above being said, you may still be asking if you are to focus on the unleaven bread or the leaven bread? Both is the correct answer depending on where you are in life and what church you are (dead, sleeping, sleep walking, glorious). For followers of Yeshua, our focus is on leaven as it pertains to the Kingdom of Heaven because that is our inheritance here on earth and in eternity. We are to be about our Father’s Kingdom business daily by putting Him and His righteousness before ours. 

Christianity is not a matter of places and days, rites and observances; it is a matter of having the leaven of God permeate within the very essence of our whole being (spirit, soul, and body) so that we shall be transformed into the gentle and pure, unselfish and sympathetic likeness of the Father and Son. 

“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

The analogy of a woman hiding the leaven in three measures of meal till it is all leavened is the amazing characteristic effect of Christianity with the woman being the body of Christ (aka, the Church or Ekkelsia). Pure leaven hid in three measures is the fullness of who we are in Christ by the infilling and indwelling of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit causing us to want to live a life of Christ within. It is a hidden mystery revealing Yeshua’s best and most powerful work, quietly expanding and victoriously advancing the kingdom of heaven right here on earth as it is in heaven.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

(Ephesians 2:1-10)

In conclusion

Notice that in the parable the woman put (hid) the yeast (leaven) into the dough; the dough did not develop the yeast. History did not produce Christ: He came into the world from beyond and above. The Law, too, came into the world; it was not a Mosaic transplant from Egypt, but entered the world at the point where Sinai and the sky meet. Yeshua came into the world, born of woman yet fully God, as our redeemer. His ministry began on the very mountain, Mt. Sinai, where Yahweh had met Moses 1430 years earlier. His first order of His Father’s business was to address the Pharisaic oral traditions that had placed heavy burdens upon the people. 

Every day, we are exposed and succumb to influences that are not in alignment with the word of Yahweh. We live in a world of unseen facts and forces that operate behind the scene to deceive us and cause us to be separated from Yahweh. We need true discernment to know what is bad and what is good leaven. However, we can be strong and of good courage and Fear not! The victory was won at cross. The tares are almost at maturity as are the wheat. Until then, we must know that we have an unseen power that dwells within us. We are not alone nor are we forsaken. We have a Redeemer and He has hidden three measures of leaven within us and He who has begun a good work within us is faithful to complete it. The kingdom of heaven has come on earth to stay and to work a whole work. 

In my opinion, Passover is to be celebrated every day and can also be observed on the Holy day with a meal, breaking bread, and sharing the gospel of good news with others, or by spending time with family giving praise and glory to the King of Kings. However you are led, celebrate the Passover with the New Covenant understanding and with a pure heart. It is not a ritual nor should it be treated as such. If you are a new or young believer and in need of healing and repentance, then take the seven days to reflect on what He did for you by becoming your Passover Lamb, get serious with Yeshua as your Savior and start anew. But please know that your walk is a daily journey of transformation so please do not wait for only once a year to examine the leaven in your life.

Blessings in love and faith.