Feast of Unleavened Bread, Seventh Day - 2019
Feast of Unleavened Bread, Seventh Day – 2019 April 26, 2019
We are here today to celebrate the last, the seventh, day of unleavened bread and is one of the annual Holy High Days. What do we do now, as we go forwards after this feast. What does the Scriptures revealed about this day:
Leviticus 23:6-8 On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. (7) On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. (8) For seven days present a food offering to the LORD. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.'”
Exodus 12:18-20 In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. (19) For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel. (20) Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.“
So, today (the 21st of Nisan or Abib on the Hebrew calendar) we are off work/school and attending a type of church Service before the Lord and He is with us during this Service.
What does the Scriptures really say about this day:
Exodus 13:9-10 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead {Why} that this law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. (10) You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (8) Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
- We are to live in sincerity and truth by keeping God’s law
- that we are not to continue in a false religion, not to continue in sin.
- The seven Days of Unleavened Bread to picture that after our sins have been forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus (Romans 3:25, I Corinthians 5:7)),
- that we are to no longer continue in the old ways but to walk in the true ways of the Bible (I Corinthians 5:8).
- The Days of Unleavened Bread helps us to understand that sin is to put out of our lives and reminds us about this, sin:
1 Peter 5:8-9 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (9) Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. {we seem to read vs 8, but not vs 9}
- Think about a western story by Louis L’Amour of the cowboy trying to escape from the robbers / killers.
- He sees a small opening in a mountain wall / cliff and goes through hoping he can escape.
- While the robbers is closing in, the cowboy realizes the canyon he enters was a closed or box end canyon
- Just within 50 feet away is a sheer wall of solid rock, no escape.
- His refuge he wanted was a boxed canyon.
- A canyon wall to the left, a cliff to the right,
- The way blocked to the front,
- Pursuers approaching fast from behind
The old saying he was “between a rock and a hard place.”
- We know, the Bible has its own version of this story (the old ‘boxed canyon).
- It occurred just about this time of the year
- On the last day of Unleavened Bread,
- The Israelites were about to escape completely out of the land of Egypt.
- For the Israelites, this was a literal escape from “boxed canyon.”
- Let’s us realize this occurs at the end of the week of Unleavened Bread on the Last High Day, not at the beginning.
- God had to deliver the Israelites from Egypt by a miracle.
Numbers 33:3-4 The Israelites set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover. {time period} They marched out defiantly {or boldness or high hand} in full view of all the Egyptians, (4) who were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them; for the LORD had brought judgment on their gods.
- This is a very concise description of the events of the first day of Unleavened Bread. Now, look at the tone of that.
- They came out with a high hand. They were very bold. They were happy.
- They were FREE! They had just been redeemed.
- They had gotten the permission of Pharaoh to leave.
- They had plundered the Egyptians and been “paid,” as it were, for their many years of slavery to them.
- Do think the Egyptians wanted revenge?
Another little detail here.
Exodus 12:30-32 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.
(31) During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested. (32) Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.”
Exodus 12:33-35 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!” (34) So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, {starter batch} and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. (35) The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing.
Exodus 12:36-39 The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. (37) The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. (38) Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. (39) With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.
They wanted to get out, as quickly as possible.
Exodus 12:41-42 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years; on that very same day; it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. (42) It is a night of solemn observance {night of the LORD to be observed to the LORD} for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.
They were thrilled to leave
We can walk out of Satan’s world which is often easier for us than it is staying out, because of the trials that come on us later.
Exodus 13:15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD {animal} the first male offspring of every womb and redeem {payment} each of my firstborn sons.’
Exodus 13:17-18 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” (18) So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle {orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt}..
- It was also a major war route between Egypt and the rest of the civilized world, particularly Mesopotamia
- The Egyptians at this time were quite strong militarily.
It is always the right way when God is leading them and us personally.
Exodus 13:20-22 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. (21) By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. (22) Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
We are told to walk by faith and not by sight, but God had quite a bit of mercy on Israel. They had a visual aid that was there all the time, by day and by night, a cloud or a pillar of fire. All they had to do was look up, and their faith could be encourage. Cloud for shade, fire for light and warm
We also have a visual aid, the Holy Scriptures to instruct us and the Holy Spirit to lead us. Jesus gives us a promise.
Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
- Do we believe it? Do we trust it?
- Do we act as if He is there with us all the time?
- Or do we allow ourselves to become discouraged and fearful,
- When we seem to be facing a boxed canyon?
Exodus 14:1-2 Then the LORD said to Moses, (2) “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.
They have been going eastward, but God told them to go south and camp by the sea.
Verse 3 gives the reason why:
Exodus 14:3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’
- Let’s look at the map, notice a ridgeline goes down the western edge of the Red Sea and cliffs become close to the water’s edge.
- The cliffs blocks them in front as they were traveling north,
- To their east was the Red Sea.
- They were closed in on three sides
- The Sea on the right, and the cliffs before them and to the left.
- And guess who was coming from the south (behind them).
- The robbers / killers caught them in a canyon.
Exodus 14:8-9 The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. (9) The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.
We find that Israel is a type for us, and had to be baptized in the Red Sea as we are to be baptize. Warning from the Apostle Paul.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. (2) They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. (3) They all ate the same spiritual food (4) and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:11-12 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. (12) So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
Terrified is a typical human reaction when you have 100,000 men (and their horses and chariots) coming down on you, wanting your blood.
Exodus 14:10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD.
Exodus 14:13-14 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. (14) The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Tradition says the crossing of the Red Sea was on the last day of Unleavened Bread. This crossing of the Red Sea signified that Israel was, at long last, finally free from Egyptian domination. Freedom was then a reality.
What was God’s reaction to Israel:
Exodus 14:15-18 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. (16) Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (17) I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. (18) The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”
God said to move on or forward.
Exodus 14:19-20 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, (20) coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
Two things, Angel of God and pillar of cloud.
- The cloud’s movement did two things,
- It stopped the Egyptian army from attacking, giving God and Israel time to act: God to open the sea, and Israel to cross it.
- The second thing that it did, was that it blocked the Israelites from returning to Egypt. They could not go surrender. They were forced to move forward.
- Are we not forced to move forward in this Way of Life.
Exodus 14:21-25 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, (22) and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (23) The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. (24) During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. (25) He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.”
A remarkable miracle has occurred.
Exodus 14:26-27 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” (27) Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea.
The Egyptians seems as if they got confused, fleeing the wrong direction.
Exodus 14:28-31 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. (29) But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (30) That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. (31) And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
They were caught in a box canyon and God delivered then a way out.
If we get caught in a box canyon or trials in our lives, God promise that He will deliver us from trials in our lives.
Oh, the cowboy, we know from cowboys stories, he spotted a narrow trail angled up the face of the cliff and escape the robbers / killers. There was always a way for him to escape.
God will provide a way for us to escape.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
- The truly great story about the Days of Unleavened Bread to what we are to take away is the story of the resurrected Christ living His life in those of us who have repented of our sins and have received the Holy Spirit!
- This empowers us to overcome sins in a way that previously was simply not possible.