Hag HaMatzot – The Feast of Unleavened Bread
Hag HaMatzot, better known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread (FUB), is Yahweh’s second annual feast and follows Passover. The FUB is a seven-day feast with the first day as High Day #1 (15th of Abib) and the seventh day as High Day #2 (21st of Abib). High Days are Sabbaths and Yahweh instructs us on those days to have a Holy Convocation and not to do any customary work, except for simple food preparation. The FUB is one of seven annual feasts of Yahweh found in Leviticus 23. It is one of Yahweh’s “appointed times”.
As we read the Scriptures about the FUB, we see two key requirements to this feast. The first requirement is to remove leaven (i.e. yeast, baking soda, baking powder) and foods containing leaven from our dwelling prior to the start of the FUB. The second requirement is to eat unleavened bread each day during the feast. In addition, believers are not supposed to eat leavened foods during the previous 24-hours, which is Passover, although leavening need not be removed completely from our dwellings until the end of Passover. So for eight days, unleavened bread is eaten when you include Passover and for seven days leaven is removed from your dwelling.
Leviticus 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Numbers 28:17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:
Deuteronomy 16:3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. 4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days;
Exodus 12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. (1)
(1) As a side note we see that for the FUB and most likely all other Feast High Days other than Atonement, simple cooking is permitted. There is a complete prohibition on cooking during the weekly Sabbath. For more information on this topic, please read “Food Preparation: On the Sabbath?”
17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever
eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
Exodus 23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib;
Exodus 34:18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.
Exodus 13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. 5 And it shall be when Yahweh shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Yahweh. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
So what is the spiritual significance of removing leaven from our homes and eating unleavened bread during the feast? Leaven in Scriptures can be a picture of false doctrine and sin. So the removal of leaven symbolizes the elimination of false doctrine and sin from our lives (i.e. repentance). And not only eliminating false doctrine and sin but removing it quickly as we see the Israelites leaving Egypt in haste not having time to leaven their bread (Deuteronomy 16:3).
1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity (purity is a better translation than “sincerity”) and truth.
Matthew 16:6 Then Yah’shua said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8 Which when Yah’shua perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (Also see Mark 8:15-21 and Luke 12:1)
Luke 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Eating unleavened bread and not eating leavening during the FUB is a picture of routing out sin and replacing it with the righteousness of Yahweh (i.e. repentance). Believers have put off the old man and his sinful ways and are called to follow Yahweh’s ways, becoming new men! And becoming new men starts with repentance.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Messiah, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after Yahweh is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Saints must realize the importance of not only removing sin from our lives, but replacing the sin with righteousness (i.e. good works).
Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Why is it important to replace sin with good works?
Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Also see Luke 11:24-26)
For believers, the FUB is a time for self-examination and a renewed commitment to remove false doctrine/sin out of our lives replacing it with Yahweh’s righteousness.
High Day #1 during the feast, which is the first day of the feast, represents our initial decision to come out of sin including the ways of the world that lead to sin. Remember that Satan is the mighty one of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). The rest of the feast until High Day #2, which is the last day of the feast, represents our struggle to overcome sin and the temptation to go back to Satan’s worldly ways, just like the Israelites experienced after they left Egypt.
Numbers 11:4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
Exodus 14:8 And Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto Yahweh. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Sovereign and Saviour YahwehShua Messiah, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Coming out of Egypt in the Scriptures symbolically represents coming out of the world and sin. And not only will the ways of the world lead to sin, they can produce bondage to sin and Satan.
Exodus 13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Sovereign of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Remember, sinners are under bondage and have become servants of sin, Satan, and the world.
John 8:34 Yah’shua answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
2 Peter 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
We all need faith to leave sin, Satan, and the ways of the world and trust that Yahweh has a better plan for us, just as Moses trusted Yahweh rather than the pleasures of sin for a season in Egypt.
Hebrew 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of Yahweh, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Messiah greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Messiah came so that we might have faith to be freed from our bondage to sin and to allow us to follow Messiah’s righteousness. Therefore if we want to be free from the bondage of sin we must walk with Messiah and not be entangled again with the ways of the world.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Messiah hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Messiah: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of Yahweh, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Believers look to the risen Messiah to deliver us from sin’s power and help us live righteously. Saints have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them and can choose to walk by the Spirit of Messiah or walk by the flesh. Why do we want to walk by the Spirit of Messiah and not our flesh?
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Messiah YahwehShua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Believers must walk by the Spirit of Messiah to be free from sin and receive abundant life. Messiah told us He is the (unleavened) bread of life!
John 6:31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Yah’shua said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of Yahweh is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Sovereign, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Yah’shua said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 6:51 I (Yah’shua) am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
The FUB culminates with the last day of the feast, High Day #2. This last day of the feast represents believers finally leaving the world, being water baptized for the remission of sin, and preparing our bodily vessels for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This parallels Moses parting the Red Sea for the Israelites to finally leave Egypt for good, symbolizing water baptism. For more information about High Day # 2 and what it represents, please read “The Night to be Much Observed”.
1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
Lastly, we see that the FUB, which represents repentance from dead works (i.e. sin) and baptism, is part of the Doctrine of Messiah.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Messiah, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward Elohim (FUB and Passover), 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms (FUB High Day #2 and Pentecost), and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Did you know that Messiah’s feast days represent the plan of salvation and His plan for the ages?
Passover, Yahweh’s first feast, represents faith that there is an Almighty of the Scriptures and that He sent His Son to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. For more information about Passover and its meaning, please read “Passover and Easter”.
And as we just discussed, the FUB, Yahweh’s second feast, has to do with turning away from sin and filling that void with the righteousness of Messiah (i.e. repentance), culminating in water baptism.
Yahweh’s third feast, Pentecost, represents the infilling of the Holy Spirit, which leads believers into all truth and righteousness and is the seal of salvation. For more information about this feast, please read “Pentecost”.
Yahweh’s first three feasts (i.e. Passover, the FUB, and Pentecost) parallel Peter’s instruction regarding Yahweh’s salvation plan as seen in the following passage.
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of YahwehShua Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as Yahweh our Elohim shall call.
Finally, believers need to praise Yahweh for delivering us through His Son from the horrible bondage to sin, Satan, and the world and placing us in His marvelous kingdom.
1 Peter 9:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of Yahweh: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
HalleluYah
(4/14d)