PERFECT TIMING
We humans spend a lot of time talking about getting all the clutter out of our lives.
The Seven Days of Unleavened Bread speak directly into this subject. Uncluttering our lives can be BOTH a spiritual AND a physical act.
Do you participate in the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread that begin on the first day of the Passover season each year?
Observing and participating in The Seven Days of Unleavened Bread is mostly a spiritual and symbolic exercise. It could be comparable to Lent in a lot of ways; but it is NOT Lent. These were days commanded by God in the days of Moses.
We talk about the spiritual aspects a lot; but today I’m going to turn the tables a bit and go into more of the physical details and why they are so good for us.
LEAVING EGYPT
As I’ve already mentioned; the observance is a physical action that shows our respect for a spiritual concept. The concept is that of leaving Egypt; which equates to leaving sin behind. Leaving Egypt right after the first Passover was for the Israelites a physical, yet symbolic time, that represents a spiritual time for Christians of today who are trying to leave the sinful ways of the world behind.
The ancients were (by God’s command) leaving behind all the pagan things, like idolatry and the false, wrong acts that paid homage to false gods instead of The One True God. All of this was sinful and they were coming out of sin; aspiring to be a holy nation dedicated to God’s ways to live.
On the first Passover the people of Israel had to be prepared to leave in a hurry. They did not need to wait around and give Pharaoh the chance to change his mind again.
They left before their bread had time to rise; and that is one aspect that we are looking at.
They left the leaven behind in Egypt.
Leaven is symbolic of sin. On the days of Unleavened Bread, those who are faithful to remember these things participate physically by cleaning and removing the leaven from their homes. For 7 days they do not eat anything baked with leaven.
Think of cleaning the leaven out of your house being symbolic for leaving the old worldly ways of Egypt behind.
Think of cleaning all the leaven out of your life as being symbolic of coming out of the bondage of slavery to sin.
It is very popular this day and time to remove the gluten from your home. Some have decided that this is a more healthy way to live. They are very dedicated and strict about doing this physical activity. They want to be healthy!
We could make the same comparison with removing sugar. No one would think twice about you physically removing all of the sugar from your home. They would pat you on the back and say what a good job you are doing with intentionally living more healthy. Yet; some will still question this good spiritual exercise of removing leaven for seven days during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Getting the leaven out of your spiritual life would definitely make for a healthier spiritual life; since leaven is symbolic of sin. The physical reenactment simply shows your faith and willingness to be obedient to God. Like baptism; it is an outward picture of an inward change.
Think of leaven as sin and get rid of it.
These actions are almost like a prayer offered up to God that says you believe in His commandments and you want to be faithful in all things that He has commanded. Participating in the Days of Unleavened Bread shows your desire for obedience to God’s Word.
You can find the scriptures in many places; but we can start here:
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you. You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land. You shall not eat anything leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.” (Exodus 12:15-20)
OBEDIENCE MEANS BEING DIFFERENT
Maybe you are finally willing to try something that you have never considered before just because God said to do it. That is a perfectly good reason for doing anything.
Would that be so strange?
Have you ever stepped out in faith like that?
That was the same type of faith Moses had when he told the people to take that first step into the Red Sea. No one knew the sea would actually part and let them walk across on dry land.
Moses simply trusted God and was obedient. Moses had no idea what God was going to do that day. Sometimes that is how we go into the time of unleavened bread. You never know what God is going to do; sometimes you see great miracles.
Sometimes God asks us to do things that we don’t totally understand. Often this means that He is wanting us to show our faith and obedience.
It is often hard to see why God wants us to do certain things. Most of the time we catch ourselves thinking we might look stupid, or stand out in the crowd, or appear peculiar or different from those around us.
Well; I guess that fact is actually part of the point. God DOES want His people to be different. He called His people a “peculiar” people.
I love that popular song by Micah Tyler and Kyle Lee with the words that speak about being “different.” One of the lines repeats the words: “I don’t want to trade your plan for something familiar.” Most of the world isn’t familiar with Unleavened Bread and the observance would seem strange to them. But that was the plan that God gave to His people.
Do we really want to trade God’s plan to go the way of the world?
God’s whole plan for mankind is spelled out in his annual Holy Days. Until you actually physically keep the Days of Unleavened Bread; you will never understand the full meaning of this statement. It IS an act of faith.
Why would we NOT follow God’s commandment to keep His days?
Let’s get busy cleaning out those pantries!
REMOVING THE BAD
The kitchen pantry is where I try to start my once-a-year deep physical housekeeping that removes the leaven from our home. I see so many things there that contain leaven; some of it is old and needs to be thrown away anyway.
I take out the obvious first – the breads, the rolls, the snack cakes, the cereals, the marshmallows (yes – they contain a leavening agent), the jello (jello is made from the bones of unclean animals, mostly pork), the baking powder (it is a leavening agent), the baking soda, the beer,etc. Anything that contains leaven or a leavening agent needs to go.
Most of us who have been doing this for years have learned to use up those products earlier in the year and not to replenish them until after the Holy Days in order not to be wasteful.
I remove the all-purpose flour, the pancake mix, the cake mixes. Some types of crackers. Some types of chips and the packages of bread crumbs. Anything that contains leaven. It isn’t such a hard task; just read the labels. If you are unsure use google. We have it easy these days; but then again we have so much more to ponder. Those old Israelites moving around in the wilderness didn’t even have pantries.
Then I do something else.
STOCKING UP ON THE GOOD
I replace what I took out with several boxes of unleavened bread. You can find Matzoh at almost any local grocery store.
We will use this at the Passover Seder; but we will also be eating unleavened bread with our meals for the next seven days after Passover. It is just as important to put the “good” in as it is to take the “bad” out. The unleavened bread symbolizes Jesus. See how it is striped? See how it is pierced? This is how He suffered for you and me. By His stripes we are healed. He has scars in His hands where the nails pierced Him.
We need to be putting more of Jesus into our days.
Removing the leaven is much easier if you are all filled up with Jesus.
He satisfies.
He keeps us from temptations.
He fills us with goodness.
FOLLOWING THROUGH TO THE END OF THE RACE
Now the pantry is finished except for cleaning the shelves good with a vacuum cleaner and sweeping, vacuuming and mopping the floor. You always need to follow through and finish the things you have begun. You can’t “quit” in the middle of the race, you keep moving forward taking one day at a time and trying to make that day count for The Kingdom of Heaven. Removing the leaven is just part of the ongoing purification process. These holy days are an annual reminder of that fact.
I’m always amazed at how many crumbs accumulate in these shelves over the months. I try to clean weekly; but often I miss things. I’m not so focused; I’m distracted; I’m often too busy, too preoccupied to pay the proper attention. During unleavened bread it is time for focused cleaning. I look around things; I look under things; I look everywhere to be sure it is all gone.
The leaven hiding in the pantry shelves is just like the deepest, most hidden places of my soul. Sometimes I let things that are not good for me accumulate there. I forget to address them and confess and get them out in the open before God so He can help me clean them out of my days. I clean the pantry and I’m thinking of those little things that I have not addressed yet for this year. It is easy to think while you are cleaning.
I often take a prayer break right in the middle of this cleaning process; because the spiritual cleansing suddenly seems more urgent. I’m thinking more about it. I’m considering how much spiritual leaven I’ve let accumulate. God set these days up to help us to remember our priorities.
They do!
TEMPTATIONS WILL ARISE ALL AROUND YOU
The minute you begin to participate in unleavened bread the devil will begin to scheme. He will put temptations all around you. You will clean out your desk space at the office; determined at least to have your little area in the appropriate fashion. That very day the person who NEVER brings snacks to share at work will practically shove a Krispy-Kreme doughnut of your favorite flavor right down your throat. Mark my words! It always happens. Be prepared. Be ready. Be on guard. Temptations will arise. Be an over-comer. Don’t make a show of it though; unless God’s Holy Spirit leads you to do so for a witness. Use good discernment. Be wise.
You will spend hours diligently getting the crumbs out of your automobile; then you will be kind and give a non-observant person a ride to the store. They will pull out their chips and munch on them all along the way. Crumbs will fall everywhere. Be kind. Be merciful. Don’t offend your friend and your neighbor by your desire to honor God; after they leave go quietly out and clean your car again. Be diligent to ward off the worldly things for the next seven days. It gives you a preview of what life in eternity will be like.
For many in the world Resurrection Day will be marked as Sunday on their calendars. They will be feasting on pork and consuming hot rolls and cross-buns.
You will still be in the days of unleavened bread; and you will be celebrating the Resurrection on Early First Fruits; which will begin on the second day of Unleavened Bread right after sunset (Three days after Passover.) Some unknowing friend will bring you treats and foods full of leaven when they come to visit on Sunday.
You will need to smile and be generous. You will have to decide whether or not to tell them you aren’t eating leaven on this day. Listen to God’s Holy Spirit for guidance.
As soon as the person leaves remove their gift from your home. Be thankful for their thoughtfulness and move on.
Unleavened Bread is full of lessons about grace and mercy and kindness. You may even have to endure a few well-intended speeches from friends who think you are ignorant. You may need to smile at them and be patient with them instead of explaining how ignorant they could be. Two wrongs will never make a right. Show grace and mercy. Silence is sometimes our greatest friend.
DIFFERENT AREAS REQUIRE DIFFERENT CLEANING METHODS
I finish that task in the pantry and begin to wipe down the counter-tops, the cabinets and the appliances. Each different part of the room requires a different type of cleaning. I’m amazed at how the dust and the particles cling and hide in the little corners and the unseen and unnoticed areas. Our lives also require different tools for cleaning in different ways.
I wash the windows and see how much clearer the glass becomes. I didn’t notice how dirty it had been getting all this time. There are scriptures that help us to look into our souls, that compel us to allow God to clean us up until we shine and we can once again see clearly. The Word of God helps our vision.
I put the stainless steel polish on the appliances and watch them take on a whole new shine and I think that is how I feel after my prayers have cleared up a few things that were making me unclean before God. God’s Holy Spirit moves into the new clean places and fills my heart with love instead of sin. Now it feels like both my appliances and my soul are shinning out with sparkles that I wasn’t even aware I could possess.
I sweep, vacuum, mop and wax the floors. Sometimes we just have these little sins on the surface that need a little removing. Once they are gone, it is amazing how much different life can be. There are actions that I do daily that can be done in a different manner. I can smile instead of frowning, I can be compassionate instead of complaining. I can think of others instead of constantly considering my next purchases. I am reminded while I am cleaning and shining and polishing everything that God is working on me too. Every day He is opening my eyes up to new and better ways to live. How wonderful to belong to such a loving Father!
I step back and look at my kitchen. It looks like a brand new room. All has been refreshed and made new. I put a bouquet of yellow flowers on the table just because they add to the cheerful, clean newness. Sometimes getting all the leaven out of your life makes you feel more giving. The kitchen is done; now I can move on to the other parts of the house.
SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO LOOK IN THE OBVIOUS PLACES
I take two steps down the hall then think of the refrigerator. Oh dear! It is full of leavened foods. I go back and sort through the things in the refrigerator. I pull out the drawers and wipe down the shelves.
Finally, I think I’m done again. I’ve learned not to be surprised when I miss something. Lots of time our sin hides from us. Often it is hiding right in front of our faces.
These days remind us of that fact.
PROGRESS IS SLOW BUT GOOD
That sense of urgency to meet the spring cleaning schedule is a little less now. With God’s help I can check one room off the list. I decide to take a room at time until I’m satisfied that it all is done.
It is best not to wait until the last-minute to do this type of cleaning.
It is best not to wait until you are on your death-bed to confess your sins and come clean with God. Every day is a new opportunity to communicate with the Creator. He knows already; He just wants you to talk to Him. You could have a shiny new, sparkling clean life right now; while life is still abundant and full of days. Why waste the days of your youth on foolish things when God can give you the abundance that you have always wanted? Why wait to do what you know God requires of you?
A CLEAN HOUSE AND A MERRY HEART
There is a great amount of joy that comes from this annual cleaning.
I find myself humming, then singing as I go through the chores.
They suddenly don’t seem like such a burden; and actually the finished rooms give me this unexpected feeling of delight.
You know; crumbs can hide all over the place! It is almost like playing hide and seek.
I wash the bed sheets; turn the mattresses, vacuum the carpets, move the furniture pieces to see what is hiding behind them. I clean the blinds and check the drawers. Did my grandchild stash some cookies behind the cushions of the sofa? Better check to see. I clean all the little places where things are usually hiding.
Funny how we learn those little hiding places. Our souls are like that too; they have hiding places that need to be cleaned. Now is the time.
I check and clean each room of the house.
The bedrooms.
The bathrooms.
The living areas, the dining room, the den, the basement (oh dear) and the garage (oh dear again!)
There is a lot of leaven that has accumulated since last year. I find it everywhere. I take out all the trash cans and clean them with disinfectant.
Finally my house seems to be clean.
It feels really different. It feels really good!
WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW
If you don’t keep these days you won’t go to hell.
God will not turn his back on you and you will not lose your salvation.
It is no longer a “requirement” but those who love God consider it to be a special privilege. It is such a joy to do the things that God has asked us to do!
I find it amusing that a lot of people think observing this time means that you have no faith or true knowledge of the concept of grace; and even that you have stepped backwards and moved back into the dark ages again.
Don’t they know that God never changes?
COMING INTO THE JOY
I suspect that those ancient Israelites doing their spring cleaning felt just as wonderful as I do right now after they were done.
It is just one of those “faith and obedience things” that you have to DO to understand. You know; like confessing your sins, being baptized, repeating public vows before God and man. You don’t really understand the joy until you’ve come out on the other side.
It is something visible and tangible to the rest of the world that says “I am a child of God and I chose to follow His commandments and keep the Holy Days He commanded to be kept by His people forever.”
It is one of THOSE things.
If you aren’t prayed-up and you don’t have your attitude in the right place though; it can turn into a time of complete stress; just like anything else. If you don’t believe me just go back in time and ask Martha. She was Mary’s sister. Mary didn’t stress though; you could always find her sitting right at the feet of Jesus. I suggest you invite Him to join in with you while you are doing all of this spring cleaning. He really does make it all a totally different experience. You will come out of it refreshed and you will find yourself living in a fresh new world. He does that you know; He makes all things new; even tired, old, worn-out hearts.
God didn’t intend for it to be any other way.
So many of us are so busy with just the day-to-day keeping of our lives and the rush-rush world that we live in that we get nervous when we find out we will need to completely clean all the leaven out of our homes – physically too; and that we will have to think a little harder about what types of foods we are going to put on our dinner tables for the next seven-days.
We will need to buy certain foods and prepare them ahead for the Passover. It IS a lot to do and a lot of thinking ahead. We have let ourselves become so overburdened with the cares of the world that just these few extra, yet very necessary things added to our plate for a week during the annual Spring Holy Days can seem overwhelming.
I have some good news for you.
God doesn’t ever ask more of us than we can do.
Just take a deep breath and do what you can do. Recruit your family members to help. Make it a family affair and a time to teach teamwork. Make the first step and you may soon find that the rest just becomes a lot easier as you go along.
I’ve observed Passover and Unleavened Bread and Early First Fruits for many, many years now. Each year is more special than the last. Each year God shows me something new and exciting. I always go in feeling a bit overwhelmed; especially because so many that I know and love do not even consider the importance of these days. I always come out feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and very happy that I was able to participate. It is one of those life experiences that you can’t explain in words.
You simply have to live it out.
It is my prayer that you will!
Be blessed!