LORD’S DAY, JUNE 16
Leviticus 23
1 Corinthians 5:7-8
“In the fourteenth day
of the first month at even
is the LORD’S passover.”
PASSOVER AND UNLEAVENED BREAD!
The Feast of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two feasts to be understood as one since they were observed immediately one after the other. The Feast of Passover reminded the Israelites of their exodus from Egypt when the nation was born. The angel of the LORD passed over and spared the firstborn son of every Jewish home that had believed and killed the Passover lamb, and dabbed the blood of the lamb on the top and two side posts of their main door. When the angel of the LORD saw the blood of the lamb, the life of the firstborn son was spared. The LORD passed over that home. The spiritual significance was that of Christ being the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was to be observed immediately after the Passover, except on this first occasion when Israel had to depart from Egypt in haste. They did not observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread as described here even though they had removed all leaven from their homes before the exodus.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread taught the importance of holiness in the lives of every Israelite. Leaven represented sin and all forms of uncleanness that could easily permeate through every fabric of the Israelite’s home, just as a little leaven will leaven the whole lump! The first and last days were a holy convocation as they began with reflection and repentance of sins before the LORD and ended with re-consecration of lives to the LORD and a promise to live in holiness. Leaven could be used in normal times to bake bread, but when it was time for the observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, they had to get rid of all the leaven. This means that whenever they used actual leaven to bake their bread, they were also reminded of leaven’s spiritual significance. The Israelites were to be careful throughout the year and not just when they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The spiritual significance of the two feasts combined would be thankfulness for salvation in Christ and the need to live in holiness as evidence and testimony of one’s salvation in Christ.
MEMORISATION: Leviticus 23:7-8
PRAYER: I thank Thee, Father, for saving me from my sins. Help me to live in holiness for Christ always. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
