The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a commanded holy day on God's sacred calendar. It is observed for seven days, during which participants are instructed to eat unleavened bread every day of the feast. This emphasis on eating unleavened bread is central to the feast, as it is mentioned repeatedly in the instructions given in Exodus 12, Exodus 23, and Leviticus 23. The apostle Paul in I Corinthians 5:8 refers to the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a type, suggesting that the unleavened bread symbolizes sincerity and truth. Sincerity represents an inward quality of tested purity, akin to holding a piece of cloth up to the sun to reveal its flaws. It implies a spotless mind or heart, flawless integrity, transparency, honesty, and having no ulterior motives. Truth, on the other hand, stands for the outward manifestation of genuine Christian character, which is the active right doing or the living out of that pure mind or heart. The feast serves as a reminder to focus on ingesting, incorporating, and assimilating the bread of life, which is Jesus Christ, into our daily lives. This practice of consuming Christ through diligent study helps develop the sincerity and truth needed to exhibit holiness and righteousness. The feast encourages the habit of daily spiritual nourishment, akin to eating unleavened bread every day, to grow into the image of Christ and have the mind of Christ. The Feast of Unleavened Bread also commemorates God's redemption of Israel from Egypt, symbolizing the spiritual journey from bondage to freedom. This redemption came at a great cost, with the death of the firstborn in Egypt, and Israel's deliverance was secured by the blood of the Lamb. This event is a type of the spiritual redemption and freedom from sin that believers experience through Christ. The feast underscores God's agency in calling and leading His people, both physically and spiritually, out of bondage. It reflects God's love, faithfulness, and His plan to build a nation of people resembling Abraham, both physically and spiritually. The ultimate focus of the feast is on Christ's role as the bread of life, leading believers in their walk of faith and righteousness toward the Kingdom of God.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is first mentioned by name in Exodus 12:14, 17-20, where God ties the command to observe this Feast with His deliverance of Israel from Egypt. In all of God's instructions for this Feast, there are more references to eating unleavened bread than to putting out or avoiding leavening. The instructions, then, are weighted toward the positive aspect of eating rather than the negative aspect of avoiding. Even the name of the Feast gives us an obvious clue to what God intends the focus to be: eating unleavened bread, rather than avoiding leavening. Moses records a third witness of this in Exodus 34:18: "The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, in the appointed time of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt." We see the same two elements here, and thus the same emphasis. The focus of this Feast, then, must remain on God's activity.

The instructions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread reveal that the primary reason for its observance is to remember God's deliverance. The second instruction is to eat unleavened bread every day for the duration of the Feast. A third, vital aspect of this Feast is that we must eat nothing leavened nor have leavening in our houses, as stated in Exodus 12:19-20. This aspect of avoiding sin, or overcoming, is important but not at the top of the list for this Feast. If we overlook God's deliverance or neglect the eating of unleavened bread, we will be unable to perform the third aspect of putting away sin that God requires.

God's instructions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread emphasize remembering that He is the One who delivers us from sin's grasp and that we are required to eat the Bread of Life which is truly unleavened. It is only through continually feeding on that spiritual sustenance that we abide in Christ and have access to spiritual strength. Without the Unleavened Bread of Life, we have no means to overcome and are powerless to avoid and put out the corruption of sin that leaven represents. The spiritual strength required to overcome is a result of eating the Bread of Life continually, and that Bread is available only to those whom He has delivered from spiritual Egypt. The Feast of Unleavened Bread reminds us of our duty to put out sin, but even more, it is a joyous memorial of the spiritual deliverance that has been given and the salvation that comes through the Bread of Life that sustains us through the sanctification process as long as we continue to feast on Him.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, observed by members of the church of God, memorializes the redemption and exodus of the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery. God commands in Exodus 13:3, 8-9 to keep this feast as a reminder of His deliverance of them from the Egyptians. Its symbols picture God's deliverance of the elect from this evil world and the corruption of a life of sin. In Exodus 12:17-18, God instructs the Israelites to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on that day He brought their armies out of Egypt, and they are to eat unleavened bread from the fourteenth day of the first month at evening until the twenty-first day at evening, with no leavening found in their houses for seven days. Additionally, in Exodus 12:50-51, it is recorded that the children of Israel followed the LORD's commands through Moses and Aaron, and on that very day, the LORD brought them out of Egypt according to their armies. The earliest mention of unleavened bread, or matzah, appears in Genesis 19:3, where Lot in Sodom served it to his angelic guests during a feast, connecting it to his divine deliverance from corruption.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread holds a significant focus on both removing leaven and consuming unleavened bread. Initially, the emphasis was on diligently cleaning houses and automobiles of everything containing leaven before the feast, ensuring that nothing with leaven was consumed during it. While keeping leaven out remains important, the primary focus should shift to eating unleavened bread. Scripture repeatedly commands the eating of unleavened bread for seven days, as seen in various passages, highlighting its central role in the observance. This act of eating unleavened bread symbolizes becoming unleavened, purified, and perfected in love, reflecting the divine nature of God. It serves as a reminder to transform human nature into the likeness of Jesus Christ, the perfect Unleavened Bread of Life from heaven. The number seven, symbolizing perfection in Scripture, underscores this journey toward perfection through the seven days of the feast. Ultimately, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is about replacing sinful, carnal nature with the divine nature of love, aligning with the command to be perfect in love as the Father in heaven is perfect.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is highly disruptive, not only due to the effort required in deleavening but also because it affects our diets, which certainly captures our attention as God intends. This feast stands out among other days, prompting us to consider its significance. It is first mentioned by name in Exodus 12, where God provides the fundamental reason for its observance: it serves as a memorial of His deliverance, specifically recalling the day He brought His people out of Egypt. God commands this feast to be observed to continually remember His act of deliverance, which forms the foundation for all other aspects of the feast. The eating of unleavened bread and the avoidance of leavening are actions taken in response to this memorial, yet the primary reason God gives is to commemorate His deliverance. Although rejoicing is not directly mentioned in the instructions, it is implied as this is a feast, and rejoicing should result from remembering God's deliverance, even if the food, often referred to as the bread of affliction, is unusual compared to typical festive fare. The Bible consistently calls the seven-day observance the Feast of Unleavened Bread, emphasizing it as a time to celebrate. Physical Israel kept this feast as a memorial of God's deliverance from Egypt, while spiritual Israel observes it as a memorial of a greater, spiritual deliverance. Repeated references in Scripture, such as in Exodus 23:15 and Exodus 34:18, tie the command to observe this feast with God's act of deliverance, reinforcing that the feast is not a celebration of human actions but a memorial of what He has done. God emphasizes that the Israelites came out of Egypt only because He made it possible by intervening and leading them out, highlighting His role as the initiator and primary actor in their liberation. The feast also serves as a reminder of the environment from which God delivered His people, symbolized by Egypt as a place of affliction and slavery under a hostile ruler. Eating unleavened bread each day recalls this former oppression and the hardship endured before God's intervention. The instructions for the feast, as reiterated in various passages, consistently focus on remembering God's deliverance, with the act of eating unleavened bread serving as a token to reinforce this memory and signify a new beginning. Furthermore, the feast involves having God's law in our mouths, suggesting that both speaking about and taking in God's teachings are significant aspects of the observance. This dual application encourages reflecting on God's work and communicating it, as well as feeding on His word more intently during these seven days. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is ultimately a feast to the LORD, centered on His deliverance and the provision of the bread of life, which helps His people remain free from the world and its influences. Avoiding leavening in all its forms is dependent on taking in the unleavened bread that represents Christ and His words, ensuring that the spirit of the world loses its hold as the spiritual value of what has been given becomes paramount.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread holds a significant place in the journey of salvation, closely tied to the spiritual progression that leads to the giving of God's Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. This festival, observed by eating unleavened bread for seven days, is directly intended by God to serve as a reminder of what He has done to bring His people out of bondage. The keeping of the first day of Unleavened Bread, in particular, emphasizes God's role in this deliverance, as at that early stage of conversion, little has been overcome by the individual. The Days of Unleavened Bread are indeed about overcoming, but primarily they highlight God overcoming satan, this world, and sin, rather than the efforts of individuals. This understanding is crucial to recognize that He is the leader, the guide, and the Captain of salvation, breaking His people free from their bondage. The eating of unleavened bread does not picture coming out of sin but rather serves as a memorial of what God did. Israel came out of Egypt already eating unleavened bread, symbolizing their obedience in following Him. Eating unleavened bread during this period is an act of righteousness, not a depiction of emerging from sin. It represents doing what is right by obeying God's command. If one follows God in righteousness, they will not sin, as they are aligning with His will. The emphasis in eating unleavened bread is on performing righteous acts through obedience, underscoring the importance of following God as the central focus of this observance.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread holds a significant place in reminding us of what God has done for our salvation. The keeping of the first day of Unleavened Bread, along with eating unleavened bread for seven days, is intended by God to serve as a reminder of what He has accomplished in bringing us out of bondage. This is emphasized in the personal nature of the command, as it is about what the Lord did for each individual when they came forth out of Egypt. Eating unleavened bread is not primarily about coming out of sin, but rather about remembering God's actions and submitting to His lead by following Him. It symbolizes righteousness, which is doing things as God would have us do them. When we follow God proactively, it becomes almost impossible to sin, shifting the focus from avoiding sin to actively pursuing righteousness. The Days of Unleavened Bread are primarily about God overcoming—overcoming satan, the world, and sin—rather than our own efforts. They memorialize what God did to free us from bondage, serving as our starting point. Eating unleavened bread every day during this feast is a reminder to follow God's way every day of our lives, focusing our minds on His instruction in righteousness to live in harmony with Him. This annual seven-day observance is a concentrated effort to reinforce that following God's lead, as Israel did out of Egypt and through the wilderness, is crucial to preparing for the Kingdom of God. It underscores a two-pronged approach: remembering what God did to make this way of life possible and symbolizing our proactive pursuit of righteousness by following Him, which naturally leads to leaving sin behind.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread holds a significant place in understanding God's work in our salvation. The eating of unleavened bread during this feast is not primarily about coming out of sin, but serves as a memorial of what God did in releasing us from bondage. As recorded in Exodus 13, we eat unleavened bread because of what the Lord accomplished, not because of our own actions in leaving sin behind. God initiated and performed the work of freeing us, and the observance of this feast reminds us of His pivotal role in our liberation. The Days of Unleavened Bread, along with the eating of unleavened bread for seven days, are intended by God to be a reminder of His actions in bringing us out of captivity. This feast is primarily about God overcoming the world and its influences, rather than our personal efforts in overcoming sin. The initial context of eating unleavened bread is tied to following God's lead, as exemplified by the Israelites who followed Him out of Egypt, obeying His guidance through the pillar of fire and cloud. Egypt, in this context, represents the world, not sin directly, and serves as the place of our bondage. The act of eating unleavened bread symbolizes following God's direction, which inherently leads to righteousness. When the Israelites left Egypt on the first day of Unleavened Bread, they were no longer of the world, even though they were still within its territory. Their journey began by following God, signifying obedience and a departure from the influences of the world. The command to eat unleavened bread for seven days during the feast underscores a continuous call to righteousness. God does not offer an option to deviate from this path; we are always under His command to follow Him. Unleavened bread represents sincerity and purity, reflecting the pure Word of God that we are to follow without fail. This feast pictures what God does—virtually everything in bringing us out—and our small but essential part, which is to follow His lead in righteousness. The emphasis during the Days of Unleavened Bread is not on avoiding sin but on doing what is right by following God. This positive approach mirrors the life of Jesus Christ, who did not sin because He always did what was right. God's command to eat unleavened bread each day of the feast reinforces that we are to walk in righteousness continually, as He leads us out of the world and toward His purpose.