Feast of Unleavened Bread

Leviticus 23:6-8, Numbers 28:16-25, Deuteronomy 16:1-8, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is one that is closely connected with the preceding Feast, Passover, and had another Feast, Firstfruits, occur on its second day. The primary features of this feast is that it lasted for seven days, that their houses were to be without leaven, the sacrifices of the feast were to occur consistently each day, and that no work was to be done on the first and least day of this feast seeing it was a Sabbath.

This feast pictures the complete life of the believer who has been redeemed. The Passover feast’s purpose was to look back to their Redemption out of Egypt, and to look forward to a future complete Redemption that would be found in the Lamb of God (Exodus 12:27, John 1:36). With the price of redemption paid in the past the feast commences.

Seven days was to be the length of the feast. As meanings are often linked with numbers, seven is often called the perfect number, the number of God, or the number of completion. It is scriptural numerology that finds this to be a period that is complete.

How is it that the complete life of the believer opens? It is through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Entering into life as a believer begins with no work. Ephesians 2:9 clearly states that salvation is, “not of works.” As on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread no servile work was to be done, even so the beginning of the complete life of the believer commences with no servile work.

How is it that the life of the believer on earth ends? It is through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. As sovereign grace has brought a sinner into salvation, even so sovereign grace will bring a believer into glorification. Though man has become a “new creation” upon salvation (2 Corinthians 5:17), there is still a need for man to become exactly like the Lord Jesus Christ in practical standing before God as we are not good enough still. Thus when we see Christ, we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2). We are sure of salvation and sure of glorification based on sovereign grace, the work of Christ, and not any work on our part. Romans 8:30 expresses this clearly, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Thus the seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread fell on a Sabbath, and the Israelites were commanded to do no servile work on that day like the believer at the completion of life will be glorified based on no work of their own.

Through the middle days of the Feast there was to be work done. Work was not to stop on days 2-6 even though they were enjoying a feast of the Lord and were Jehovah’s honored guests to share in His joy. The believer like the Israelite needs to continue to work. Work must be done for the Master during the time that we have been allotted to live upon earth. Ephesians 2:10 states that, “We are His workmanship, created unto good works.” Matthew 5:16 the Lord Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Work must be done during the life of the believer, but it must be done in a sinful world without sin. The Feast of Unleavened Bread featured the characteristic of no leaven. Leaven always speaks in scripture, without exception, of sin. No leaven was to be found and ate, or found in the house or borders of their land that they owned (Exodus 13:7). The believer’s life must have this attribute in it, as Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us, thus we must keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread and purge out the old leaven while working for the Redeemer (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

The last, and likely the most important feature, of this feast were its sacrifices. Numbers 28:16-25 goes into detail concerning the sacrifices that were to be made on this day, each one being a beautiful picture of the continual efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ. There were to be 10 burnt offerings unto the Lord each day with their accompanying meal offering, plus one sin offering per day unto the Lord. The fact that there were 10 burnt and meal offerings, appeals again to the numerology of scripture. F.W. Grant in his opening to the Numerical Bible with Numerical Structure, explains the number ten as this:

“It is 5 X 2, as I have already said. The ten fingers and toes are plainly so, and they give us respectively man’s capacity for action and competence for an upright walk. But the measure of capacity is that of responsibility, and the measure of responsibility is that of judgment or of reward. Thus ten plagues fall upon Egypt… ten commandments are given on two tablets… man’s responsibility.”

It is the responsibility of man to apply the death of Christ, which was perfect in character and wholly for God, to them. During this present dispensation of grace, after which the Lamb of God has been slain, the responsibility concerning this sacrifice is placed upon man. Those who take this responsibility are observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread: leaven is to be purged and no work for salvation has been grasped. The fact that this sacrifice was consistent each day speaks to the unchanging efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ. It is still as powerful and accepted of God on the behalf of unbelievers today as it was 2 000 years ago.

The one sin offering was also to be sacrificed each day. The picture carries over concerning the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice for sin. However, since there is only one sacrifice for sin it loudly shouts to the complete work of Christ as being once for all (Hebrews 10:10). Those who know the scriptures, and hear the words “one sacrifice for sins,” must surely be reminded of Hebrews 10:12 perhaps referring to this sacrifice each day of the Feast of Unleavened bread. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”

How glorious the features of this second Feast of Jehovah, as they speak of the believer but magnify Christ. Justification and glorification are both entered into by the believer through no work, but based on sovereign grace and a redemptive Lamb having been slain. The believer must work to bringing glory of the Lord, and helping them share in the joy of Jehovah. The sacrifice of Christ is ever unchanging and efficacious, whether in relation to His burnt offering or sin offering. To the Israelite this feast connected with the Passover must have seemed very much like a mere ritual, but to us presently it is evident the joy it must have brought to Jehovah when considering the perfections of His Son soon to be revealed.