The Feast of Unleavened Bread

Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, depicted by the Passover, is the beginning of God’s master plan of salvation. Many in mainstream Christianity believe that upon acceptance of that sacrifice, the only remaining obligation is to “just believe.” Although genuine belief is crucial, there is much more a Christian must do to qualify for eternal life.

Jesus’ sacrifice covers the sins of those who truly repent. The definition of sin is found in I John 3:4: “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” To truly repent of sin, one has to stop breaking the Law of God. This means the Ten Commandments, as well as every other law of God in the Bible. Jesus plainly taught, “If you will enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matt. 19:17).

Once someone has come under the blood of Christ, having been forgiven of past sins, he has the opportunity for a new start. But he must keep the commandments and overcome sin.

Even after their slate has been wiped clean, true Christians work at overcoming and preventing sin as a way of life. Coming out of sin is not instantaneous—it requires many years of building character. This second step of God’s Plan, the Days of Unleavened Bread, pictures putting sin out of our lives.

This Bible study will examine the origin and meaning of these days.

Unleavened Bread Basics

(1) Can valuable lessons be learned from the experiences of ancient Israel as they came out of Egypt? Romans 15:4; I Corinthians 10:1, 5-11.

(2) In review of the Passover, was the lamb to be eaten at a designated time, and was a memorial of this event to be observed at that precise time annually? Exodus 12:6, 11, 14.

(3) In the wake of the Passover, was Israel commanded to do more? Exodus 12:15-16.

The First Day of Unleavened Bread immediately followed the Passover. There were seven days of Unleavened Bread, in which the first and seventh days were holy, requiring a convocation or gathering and an offering to be presented to God.

(4) Were the Days of Unleavened Bread only to be kept for a limited time? Exodus 12:17; 23:14-16.

(5) What did God further explain had to be done during these seven days? Exodus 13:6-10; Deuteronomy 16:3-4.

Leaven had to be put out of the Israelites’ homes and away from their property. And they were to instruct the following generations about what had happened in Egypt during that time. God’s people were commanded to eat unleavened bread for the entire seven days of Unleavened Bread.

Christ and the Apostles Kept the Days of Unleavened Bread

(1) Did the parents of Jesus Christ keep the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread? Luke 2:41-43.

Verse 43 states, “when they had fulfilled the days,” which meant the Passover and the seven days of Unleavened Bread.

(2) Did Jesus observe the Days of Unleavened Bread as an adult? Mark 14:1-2, 12-16.

Verses 1-2 pertain to the planning of Christ’s enemies to arrest Him. They knew Jesus would be observing the Days of Unleavened Bread. Verses 12-16 show how Jesus directed His disciples to prepare for the Passover meal.

(3) Did the apostles observe the Days of Unleavened Bread after Christ’s death and resurrection? Acts 12:3; 20:6.

Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts (Acts 12:3), used this event observed by the true Church as a reference. Likewise, this timeframe was used again as Luke later traveled with Paul in Asia Minor (Acts 20:6).

(4) Does the Bible explicitly command us to observe the Days of Unleavened Bread? I Corinthians 5:7-8.

Paul said that, as Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us, we should continue to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Symbols That Represent Sin

(1) Does Scripture refer to Egypt as a symbol of sin? Hebrews 11:24-27.

Moses rejected the pleasures of sin that Egypt had to offer, choosing to obey God and suffer along with His people while looking beyond the attraction of this temporary evil world.

(2) How was Israel treated in Egypt? Exodus 1:11, 13-14; 2:23.

All the world has likewise suffered in the bondage of sin since the time of Adam.

(3) Are those called by God charged to resist this present evil world and the sin it promotes? I John 2:15-17; Hebrews 12:1-4.

Resisting and turning from sin in this world requires diligence and sustained effort.

(4) Why did God command Israel not to eat leavened bread (or leaven in any food) during the Days of Unleavened Bread? Exodus 12:15, 20.

A leavening agent causes bread to rise or become puffed up.

(5) What is wrong with someone being “puffed up”? I Corinthians 5:2, 13:4; Colossians 2:18.

Being “puffed up” is a condition of self-exaltation or pride resulting from a sinful or defiant attitude. It is clear that a “puffed up” condition results from sin. Just as bread rises because it contains leaven, people can be “puffed up” due to sin. Note that it was permissible to eat leavened bread at any other time outside of these days.

Israel Comes Out of Egypt

(1) When and where did Israel begin their exodus from Egypt? Was Israel very joyous and excited upon first leaving Egypt? Numbers 33:3; Deuteronomy 16:1.

Rameses was located in Goshen, where the Israelites lived. After having approached the Egyptians on Passover day to “borrow” (Ex. 11:2) treasures from them (actually to receive the fair wages they were never paid as slaves), they assembled on the night beginning the 15th of Abib. This was the “Night to be Much Observed” as the cloud first formed over the Israelites, providing light by night and shade by day (Ex. 12:42; 13:21-22). Soon after gathering and organizing according to tribes, they began their journey. Israel disembarked that night and continued traveling through the next day.

(2) Where did Israel go from Rameses? Numbers 33:5.

They traveled on the route called “Way of the Red Sea” until reaching a point near Succoth (a name which means “temporary dwellings” or “tents”). On the following morning, they proceeded to the next campsite.

(3) What was Israel’s next destination after Succoth? Numbers 33:6.

They continued eastward on the Way of the Red Sea until reaching Etham. Etham was located on this major travel route near the eastern edge of Egypt, where the wilderness began.

(4) Where did God instruct Israel to go from Etham? Exodus 14:1-2, Numbers 33:7.

The logical way out of Egypt was to continue straight ahead to the east, but at this point, God instructed Israel to “turn” or change direction from where they were previously headed. Apparently, they turned sharply to the south from Etham just before reaching the region of the Red Sea.

(5) As Israel headed south, did God cause Pharaoh to have a change of heart? Exodus 14:8.

Israel camped in the region of Migdol, as Numbers 33:7 states. Here the land was more rugged, and progress was much slower in this wilderness between Baal-zephon and Migdol, just west of this upper portion of the Red Sea. This Migdol is also mentioned in Jeremiah 44:1 and 46:14 as being in Egypt.

(6) Did the people of Israel panic upon learning that they were trapped by the Egyptians? Exodus 14:10-12.

As Israel was escaping Egypt, the Egyptians appeared to have trapped them between the Red Sea to the east and the Pihahiroth mountains to the south (Ex. 14:2-4). Pharaoh intended to destroy as many of these helpless Israelites as possible with his well-equipped army—the most powerful army in the world at that time. Jewish historian Flavius Josephus recorded that the Egyptians who pursued Israel included not only 600 chariots, but 50,000 horsemen and 200,000 footmen (Antiquities, bk. II, ch. 15, par. 3). Pharaoh had pursued those who were leaving the bondage of Egypt, just as Satan attempts to block anyone’s efforts to flee the bondage of sin. As Egypt typified sin, Pharaoh represented Satan.

(7) How did Israel escape their deadly entrapment by the Egyptian army? Exodus 14:13-16.

Only by God’s miraculous intervention of opening up the Red Sea was Israel delivered from the Egyptians. The seven days of Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:15) picture leaving spiritual Egypt and completely coming out of sin. Coming out of Egypt required effort on the part of Israel, as well as God’s intervention. Likewise, we must exert sustained, persistent effort with God’s help to escape sin.

Commanded Observance

The day Israel started their exodus was the 15th of Abib, and the day they completely came out of Egypt was the 21st of Abib. We will see that both days are commanded to be observed as Holy Days—times of commanded assemblies.

(1) What does God command concerning the First Day of Unleavened Bread and the day immediately preceding it? Leviticus 23:4-7; Numbers 28:17-18.

(2) What does God command us to do on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread? Leviticus 23:8; Numbers 28:25.

Both Holy Days (also called High Days) fell within the first month of the sacred year, which occurs in the spring. “Abib” was the name of this first month, which was later called “Nisan.” On these two Holy Days, no servile work was to be done, commanded assemblies were to take place, and special offerings were to be given.

Avoiding Spiritual Leavening

(1) Did the apostle Paul have to address a particularly grievous sin in Corinth before the Days of Unleavened Bread? I Corinthians 5:1.

(2) Did the brethren who tolerated such sin disregard the seriousness of the situation? I Corinthians 5:2.

(3) What did Paul command to be done with the offender in this matter? I Corinthians 5:4-5.

(4) What did Paul say to those with this puffed-up condition? I Corinthians 5:6-7.

After condemning their puffed-up condition, Paul warned that even a tiny amount of leaven can leaven a large amount of dough, just as even the smallest sin can corrupt one’s character. He then charged them to purge out the old leavening, as they did about the time Passover arrived (as true Christians practice both then and now).

Paul was emphasizing putting away the spiritual leaven of sin, pride and self-righteousness to become unleavened or pure from sin. This analogy would have been useless if the brethren had not been familiar with putting out of leavening during this season on an annual basis.

(5) Having put away the old leavening, both physically and spiritually, what did Paul command these brethren to do next? I Corinthians 5:8.

Paul explicitly commanded the Corinthian brethren to keep the Feast. The old leavening, which was thrown out, represented malice and wickedness, while the unleavened condition represented sincerity and truth. The meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread pointedly defines what God expects of His people—we are to put out sin as a way of life!

Kings of Judah Observed Unleavened Bread

(1) As King Hezekiah ascended to the throne, did he institute reforms? II Chronicles 29:3-10.

Hezekiah feared God and sought to obey Him in all things. Hezekiah charged the priesthood with putting the temple in order and preparing to resume the sacrificial system that had been neglected for many years.

(2) After keeping the Passover, did Judah and those of Israel who journeyed south to join them keep the days of Unleavened Bread with great gladness? II Chronicles 30:21.

(3) After having rejoiced during these days (for the first time in many years), did those of Judah and Israel take counsel to observe another seven days of Unleavened Bread? II Chronicles 30:23.

Nowhere else in Scripture do we find this ever happening. So joyous was this event that the people celebrated 14 days of Unleavened Bread with God’s approval and blessing!

(4) Did Hezekiah’s great-grandson Josiah likewise institute reforms after Judah had departed from following God? II Chronicles 34:1-5.

Josiah sincerely sought to obey God and did so with all his heart.

(5) Did Judah (and the remnants of Israel who had previously relocated to Judah) keep the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread during the reign of Josiah? II Chronicles 35:1, 16-17.

(6) Was that Passover and the following Feast a memorable occasion? II Chronicles 35:18.

The term “Passover” (or Passover season) has often been used to describe both Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. This occasion was so memorable that such a Passover had not occurred in all Israel since Samuel’s time, about 500 years before then. This was surely a joyous time of celebration and heartfelt worship of God. After having been deprived of the worship of the true God for a number of decades, the people once again rejoiced to worship Him according to His laws and statutes.

Far from being a burden, worshipping the true God in the way He commands is a joyous privilege for those who follow His Way with all their heart.

To learn more, review our booklet God’s Holy Days or Pagan Holidays?