The Feast of Unleavened Bread
"You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt and none shall appear before Me empty-handed. (Exodus 23:15)
The Seven Feasts are staples of the culture that Yahweh instilled in Israël; meant to be followed by their children and those who follow them. While the general population knows about Passover, the second feast - which begins immediately after Passover, as prescribed by the Holy Calendar - should hold importance to any follower of Christ. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a fascinating look at the way that Yahweh wants His children to follow Him. Why unleavened bread? What is the Feast of Unleavened Bread? What does it mean for the modern follower of the Messiah?
A general understanding of the Feast of Unleavened Bread can not be had without understanding the title. Beginning with the word feast, it is a celebration and a convocation that will be joyous in nature. With that being said, unleavened bread is bread that doesn’t have an additive that makes it rise, hence it is flat. The most common additive is yeast. Yeast is a symbol of sin (1 Corinthians 5:7-13). When yeast is added to bread, it rises, just like sin. Sin rises and multiplies when added to your life. An example of this would be a little white lie about catching a single trout fish, that grows exponentially into becoming an international expedition where you caught a whale shark. Therefore, life without sin is like bread without sin.
In essence, The Feast of Unleavened Bread, as the second Feast of the Lord (Exodus 12:15-20), is a celebration meant to remove sin. It is made to sanctify. As you pass over from death to life with the feast of Passover, you begin your new life in sanctification. That’s why Yahweh tells the children of Israêl that they must remove the yeast from their houses (Exodus 12:15) and cast out anyone who doesn’t live this feast (Exodus 12:19) as they will make whatever is around them unholy. Those who are unholy cannot see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Hence, you need sanctification to have a relationship with Yahweh.
In the New Testament, it is shown that Yeshua lived the Feast of Unleavened Bread in all four books of the gospel. The first one, the Gospel according to Matthew, is much more explicit, with the story of the last supper beginning with “Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?” (Matthew 26:17). With the passover dinner done, everything that happens in the garden of Gethsemane happens during the feast of Unleavened Bread: from the prayer, to Yeshua crying and everything else that will happen for that week. He celebrated the feast of sanctification in prayer, spending time in communion with Yahweh.
The feast of Unleavened Bread is a mystery to many, but remains very simple: it is a time to make yourself holy so that you may connect to the Holy One of Israël. Sanctification is essential in ones walk with Yahweh, and this is the opportunity that He gives you to make yourself presentable before Him.