1 Corinthians 5:7-Get rid of the old hametz, so that you can be a new batch of dough, because in reality you are unleavened. For our Pesach lamb, the Messiah, has been sacrificed (CJB).

 Yeshua is our Pesach

How appropriate for this time of year wouldn’t you say. And this of course fits right within our discussion series on being “under the Law/Torah.” So in the interest of continuing along in our series within a series so that we can ultimately answer the question of what Paul meant when he wrote that sin no longer had dominion over his Roman readers as they were no longer under the Law but under grace, I want to touch upon the concept of “sin consciousness” and give you my thoughts and reflections on the Spring Feasts of YHVH which begins this weekend for most of us.

 

So let’s begin our discussion by conducting a brief contextual overview of 1 Corinthians 5:

 

Paul Receives Bad News from the Corinthians

 

We learn from verse 1 of this chapter that Shaul had received word from a member of the Corinthian Assemblies that a male member of their assemblies was engaged in a most inappropriate sexual relationship with his father’s wife (5:1b). And based upon the apostle’s response to this situation it would seem that he was taken aback by the exceptionally disgusting nature of this man’s sin. (I find it interesting, as an aside, that the apostle only makes mention of the male who was involved in this sinful relationship; making no mention of this man’s mother-in-law. Is it possible that this man’s mother-in-law was not a member of the Corinthian Assemblies, but only this man? Just throwing that out there.)

 Paul Shocked Over the News

Continuing: For what we know about Shaul is that he was a well-traveled soul who by virtue of his apostleship to the Gentiles or “goyim,” would have no doubt been exposed to a vast array of cultures and social practices. And his response to this situation, based upon his own travel-experiences, compelled him to inform his readers that such disgusting sinful behavior was not even practiced by the peoples of heathen nations. Shaul’s direct accusative statement here causes me to believe that the transgressor in this case was a Messianic Jew for the simple reason that the apostle comments that not even heathens behave in so vile a manner as this.

 Corinthian Man’s Sin a Serious Violation of Torah

The apostle, of course, would have immediately recognized that such shocking behavior was in violation of Torah, specifically Leviticus 18: 8 and Deuteronomy 22:30, which reads:

 

“The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.” 

 

Shaul would have also realized that the punishment to be had for such an exceptional violation of Torah was divine judgment (I.e., a curse) as indicated in Deuteronomy 27:20, which reads:

 

“Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt” (KJV).

 

(And the phrase “uncovereth his father’s skirt” is a circumlocution or vague way of saying, “he dishonors his father” because of what he is doing. I also believe that the use of this vague manner of speaking, which is seen throughout the scriptures, is the ancient writers’ method of exercising decorum by not giving any more attention to the heinous act than already is readily is known.)

 The 12-Sins that Bring About Curses Chapter of Torah

Deuteronomy 27 is recognized by some as the “12-Curses” chapter of Torah. The curses mentioned in this chapter are directly attached to certain behaviors or actions by people that fall into a class of sins the Almighty has deemed particularly troubling. These sins include:

 

• Idolatry
• Exercising dishonor of or disrespecting one’s parents
• Moving property boundary lines with the intent of absconding a portion of another’s rightful property
• Intentionally harming the blind
• Causing injustices or harm to come upon the helpless of one’s community
• Incest and other forms of sexual immorality
• Murder
• Bribery, especially for purposes of perverting justice
• And outright disobedience of Torah.

 

The Eternal Himself would mete out His righteous judgment upon those who commit these transgressions. Thus the use of the term “curseth” to describe what is to happen to these particular transgressors.

 Curses in the Hebrew Mindset

The Hebraic understanding of one being cursed goes well beyond mere wishing that some form of ill-will or bad fortune would overtake the transgressor. In fact, the curse itself carried with it power to bring about a negative effect. A sin that Yah has deemed worthy of a curse signifies that at some point He would intercede in the situation and render judgment Himself, which would most likely result in the transgressors’ death. The harshness of the judgment was intended to bring an end to that evil which has the negative spiritual capacity, if you will, of tainting the Land. (What did Shaul write: “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”? In other words, when such transgressions are allowed to go un-addressed and unpunished, that sin acts as though it were a contagion. And that contagion has the great potential of spreading and infecting other members of the community. Thus, such transgressions must be immediately addressed and purged from the community before it spreads to the rest of the community.)

Action Needed to be Taken

So Shaul recognized that he had to put an immediate stop to this disgusting affair before its effects would spread throughout the assemblies, or Yah Himself brought down judgment upon the whole of the community.

 

This situation was made all the more tragic and troublesome to Shaul in that the assembly members were aware of this cursed-relationship. The Corinthians, in particular the leadership, were in fact tolerating and allowing the cursed-behavior to go on in their midst unabated (5:2). (Obviously, at least one person–the soul who reported the transgression, was as troubled about the problem as Shaul was.) Thus the apostle took those who either turned a blind eye to the transgression, or who encouraged it (I.e., those proud or puffed up over the situation), and shamed them for their lack of righteous responsibility in dealing with the situation. The community, Shaul chided, was responsible for removing the fornicator–the transgressor–from their midst.

 That Heart-Thing Again

Thus the supposed-renewed hearts of the community and her leaders (that is their attitudes), according to Shaul, should have been diametrically opposite to the permissive heart or attitude they were displaying in response to this situation, which essentially favored the transgressor and his transgression to persist in their midst. The renewed heart of the people of the assembly should been one that mourned over the occurrence of this situation in their midst (verse 2). According to the apostle, it should have been all the more apparent to them upon their learning of and confirming the existence of this evil, that they would have to immediately expel the individual from their midst. In fact, Shaul in verse 3 inserts himself in the equation by stating that he was outraged by this situation and he had already formed judgment in his heart and mind as to how this situation should have been handled by them. Shaul, in effect, was shaming the assembly members by saying that he himself did not need to be there to know what needed to be done (5:3-4). Instead of proudly permitting such evil to transpire in their midst, they should have acted in accordance to Yah’s word.

 

It is obvious to me that there were at the very least some Jewish Messianic members of the assemblies who would know better and who should have been the first to step forward and speak out against this situation. 

 Paul Rules on the Issue

Thus the apostle directs the assembly members to imagine him being in their midst when they meet together to address the issue. Knowing the apostle’s mind and heart on this issue, they  had no other choice but to expel the sinner from their midst, leaving him to the consequences of his sin. The ultimate goal of such an action on the part of the community leaders was not so much to render harsh judgment upon the offender. Indeed, as we noted just previously, such transgressions according to Torah had the potential of being directly addressed by the Almighty Himself. So righteous judgment would at some point be rendered or meted out upon the offender by Yah. The ultimate purpose in expelling that member from the Corinthian assemblies was to purge out the evil that had occurred within their Faith Community and stem any spread of sin amongst the membership. Furthermore, the expulsion could potentially serve as a wake-up call for this individual that he had to turn from his evil ways and seek forgiveness from a forgiving God. In so doing, the gentleman might, at some point, be restored to the Body and his salvation (5:5).

 Paul Chides His Readers for their Inaction and Tolerance of Sin in Their Midst

So Shaul again chides the assembly members for their permissive and grossly negligent mishandling of this situation. And he provides the members of the assembly a reason why their lack of spiritual responsiveness and irresponsibility in dealing with this situation was as troubling and dangerous as the fornicator’s sin. Shaul reminds the assembly leaders that their permissiveness (I.e., their boasting) of this situation was shameful (I.e., not good). And he reminds them that it only takes a little leaven–the fermenting agent that makes dough rise–to cause the whole batch of dough to rise. The use of the concept and term leaven here by Shaul is brilliant. For the apostle’s metaphoric use of the concept and term leaven was effective in relaying how sin–corruption and evil within the Body or Community–although at times starting off with or involving just one or two individuals, can quite easily in time spread and pervert others within the community (5:6). That’s why, in great part, Abba did not tolerate “unresolved” or “un-addressed” sin to exist among His people. For Abba clearly recognized that if sin is permitted to go un-addressed among a people, that sin would spread throughout the community and cause that community to turn away from Him and His ways (Deu. 13:5; 19:19; 24:7; 17:7; 21:21). And so the Eternal sees or views such a situation as was described in our discussion here today from the perspective of sin being contagious in nature. Thus He established that His set-apart community has the potential of being defiled as long as the transgressor, along with their sin, is allowed to operate in the community’s midst (Num. 35:33; Deu. 19:10). In other words: There must be an immediate reckoning of the situation and righteous actions taken to expel that evil from their midst.

 Purge Out the Old Leaven

So Shaul instructs his Corinthian readers to “purge out” (I.e., ekkathairo; which means to cleanse out; to clean thoroughly) the old hametz from their lives (5:7). In other words, the apostle was metaphorically instructing his readers to clean out–get rid of–remove from their lives that which has the potential of corrupting them and leading them to sin. The apostle instructed them to root out sin from their lives and in effect, become “sin-conscious” in their walk with Mashiyach because when that metaphorical leaven is allowed to fester in their lives, it has the very real potential of spreading and causing systemic and organizational breakdown; corruption; and a community-wide turning away from the Ways of Yah.

 

I mentioned “sin-consciousness” here. Let me take a brief moment to explain what I mean by this term.

 Sin Consciousness–Torah Gives us Understanding of What the Creator Hates and Approves Of

We know that Torah was given to us so that we would have knowledge of that which Yah disapproves of and considers to be sin. Thus, Torah serves to inform of that which Yah hates and of those things that we must avoid as His chosen ones.

 Sin Consciousness–A Twisted Definition and Explanation

According to some in fundamental Christianity, there is an inherent danger that is tied to one being focused on whether or not they are walking in covenant with Yah and His Ways and whether or not they are pleasing Father and not sinning. For some, it is believed that when one dwells too much on their sin that they become “sin-conscious.” Sin-Consciousness, according to some, is “an attitude or state of mind wherein we tend to focus on sin’s power, magnifying IT instead of God’s grace in Christ Jesus.” In other words, constantly thinking about sin “makes us want to do it” (J.B. Cachila, 11/19/2016, Christian Today).  

 

The author concludes his rather lengthy article on the subject of being “sin conscious” by admonishing his readers to be “grace-conscious” instead; meaning that they should always be filling their hearts and minds with gratitude for what Messiah has done for them. Others also support this same thinking or a similar understanding that sin increases with knowledge of Torah. These contend that the Law actually “provokes sin” as some, in my opinion, understand or interpret Romans 7:8 which reads:

 

“But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment [to express itself], got a hold on me and aroused and stimulated all kinds of forbidden desires (lust, covetousness). For without the Law sin is dead [the sense of it is inactive and a lifeless thing] (Amp).

 Opposition to the Twisted Understanding of Sin Consciousness

Now, I’m not entirely opposed to the entirety of J. B. Cachila’s premise and understanding of “sin consciousness.” The problem I have with his/her explanation of this concept, however, is that it misses the fact that we who are Yah’s elect, have by virtue of our redeemed status as Yah’s covenant-keeping people, inherited the power and wherewithal to say “NO” to sin through the power and agency of Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh.

The other thing I want to mention that is in opposition to the traditionalists’ understanding of “sin-consciousness” is that the introduction or gifting of Torah to Yah’s chosen-ones, caused the knowledge of or understanding of what Yah considers as sin to increase. And because of this reality, the very same introduction of Torah coupled with the work of Yahoshua Messiah also caused grace to abound all the more. We, through Torah, learned that we were in a desperate situation and in need of a savior.

 Sin Consciousness Not Something to Shy Away From

My view of “sin consciousness” is diametrically opposite of that of most fundamentalists. For I see sin consciousness, not as a thing to avoid or fear or marginalize, but as something that every child of the Most High must possess.

 

Knowing how Yah views certain behaviors and what Yah identifies as sin is paramount to the child of Yah maintaining a substantive covenant relationship with the Eternal. And in order for the child of Yah to be scripturally sin conscious, he or she must know and understand Torah; he or she must live Torah; he or she must study Torah to the point that he or she recognizes what behaviors Yah approves of and what He does not approve of.

 Orthodoxy’s Rejection of Torah Influencing Their Understanding of Biblical Sin Consciousness

You see, orthodoxy, fundamentalists and evangelicals, in their rejection of Torah, demand their adherents focus on their version of God’s grace. They don’t want their people keeping Torah nor do they really want them having a relationship with the Almighty. Instead, they want their people to have a true and substantive relationship with the Church Triumphant and they want them keeping their Laws–their organization’s torah if you will. Thus the organizations’ leaders have encouraged their adherents to not study their bibles and learn what “thus saith Yah.” Instead, these organizations have underhandedly taught their followers to study and learn and follow the teachings and ways of the Church Triumphant. For the Church Triumphant tells the people what to believe; how to act; how to live; what to do and not do; what to focus on in their lives and what not; etc.

 Orthodoxy’s Refusal to Address the Sin Issue

If you notice, when you turn on Christian television shows today, there is rarely, if any, mention or teachings given by church leaders directly from scripture. Church pastors, teachers, preachers and what have you, are not interested in teaching their followers to abstain from sin and resist taking the broad pathway that leads to destruction (Mat. 7:13). You’ll rarely, if ever, hear these leaders demand that their followers enter the strait gate and walk the narrow way that leads to life. No. The only concern they have for their followers is their entering the broad gate and walking the smooth and wide pathways of their organizations. (I remember a song we used to sing in the Baptist Church of my youth: “It’s a highway to heaven…”) And maybe, it is hoped, in the process of their followers walking out that highway to heaven, that their followers will kick down some money to them and advance their organization’s goals.

 

There is no true sense of sin consciousness in the hearts and minds and souls of most would-be believers. There’s no sense of abhorring evil and sin; recognizing that they’ve fallen short of Yah’s established principles and Way of life and that they are in desperate need of a redeemer (Rom. 3:23-25).

 

 Torah Does Not Cause One To Sin–We Sin Because of our Stubbornness  to Conform to God’s Ways

 

Frankly, I don’t understand the thinking that one who possesses sin consciousness is prone to commit sin. So then, in other words, according to the fundamentalists–anti-Torah crowd–when one focuses on their sinful state or their propensity to violate Yah’s Torah, he or she will be prone to violate Yah’s Torah.

 

I don’t know about you, but when the scales were dropped from my eyes, my heart was softened and my ears were opened to Yah’s Truth and Way of Life, and I studied Yah’s Word and learned that I was in error and in sin for not keeping His instructions throughout my whole life. Thus, I did not seek to, nor was I enticed to continue, violating Yah’s Torah. In fact, I was mournful and sorrowful and anxious to make things right with Yah. I sought vigorously to change my ways and do what “thus saith YHVH.” I had no thought to return to my old ways. When I studied and found the error of my ways, I sought forgiveness for my sinful life from the Eternal through Yeshua my Master and I changed my ways to Yah’s Ways. I believe I, like many of you, ultimately became sin conscious as I studied Yah’s Word. I in fact became conscious of my missing YHVH’s established marks as outlined in His Torah. And I learned that I was in desperate need of a savior and redeemer that would rescue me from the penalties associated with my violations of Yah’s Torah and that would ultimately open the door to my having a true and substantive relationship with the Eternal.

 

True, biblical sin consciousness leads to life. A lack of sin consciousness leads to destruction 

 

This concept of sin consciousness, I feel, is very timely as we enter into the Pesach season. For it is through this sacred 8-day period that we rehearse the sacrificial-atoning ministry of our Master Yahoshua; the sanctification process that all Yah’s chosen-ones must participate in; and the prophetic significance of Yahoshua, our Master, being the Firstfruits of all who will enter into life eternal through a true and substantive relationship with the Almighty. And throughout this whole spring feast season we are reminded to be sin conscious so that we may walk in covenant with our heavenly Father  through the help and inspiration of Yah’s precious Ruach HaKodesh (cf. Gen. 17:1; Mat. 5:48; 2 Cor. 7:1). Our model for walking in covenant with the Almighty is our Master Yeshua.

 God’s Set-Apart People as New Lumps of Dough Devoid of Leaven

Still touching upon the concept of the true Child of the Most High being dead to sin (which we discussed in great detail last installment–Part-2–Torah Meets Grace), Shaul reminds the Corinthian Messianics that they are supposed to be without corruption and sin. They in fact were supposed to be new creatures in Mashiyach; or in Shaul’s metaphorical framework here, they were supposed to be new lumps of dough that is absent any leavening agent (I.e., absent corruption and evil). Yah’s people are receiving a “start-over;” a new beginning; a make-over; a clean slate that would allow Yah’s Ruach (I.e., Yah’s Spirit) to be infused into their beings.

 Paul’s Brilliant Merging of the Corinthian’s Problem with the Significance of Passover

And Shaul brings this metaphor of that which is leavened versus that which is unleavened  home by infusing into his discussion here the underlying, prophetic meaning of Pesach (I.e., Passover). The apostle brilliantly acknowledges that all of this–this purging out or cleaning out of his readers’ old, corrupt ways and bringing them to the place of being new lumps of dough, was made possible by the vicarious sacrifice of Mashiyach. As Shaul states it, Yahoshua HaMashiyach is our Pesach (I.e., our Passover) (5:7).

 

And maybe, as evident by the wording of verse 8, this letter of 1 Corinthians was written sometime close to Pesach (5:8). For Shaul encourages the Corinthian Messianics to keep Pesach (which includes the Feast of Unleavened Bread) with a spirit and mindset of them being new lumps of dough devoid of any leavening (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15).

 The Apostle Demands the Corinthians Purge Leaven From Their Midst

So Shaul essentially instructs his readers that all the foolishness that the Apostle was hearing related to their corrupt ways needed to be removed/purged from their midst and from their respective lives (5:8). As individuals they would be required to stop sinning. Equally important, they were not to tolerate nor entertain sin in their assemblies (5:9). In particular Shaul brings the original issue that prompted this discussion back to their attention; that being the fornication issue he wrote about in verses 1 and 2. But the apostle goes on to include all manner of sin that if left unchecked by them as a community, would bring shame and destruction upon the assembly (5:10-12). These and all such transgressions, Shaul commands, are to be purged from their midst, as they ultimately would end up doing to the fornicator mentioned at the start of this chapter. And what happens to those that they purged from their midst because of sinful behavior would be up to Yah and His righteous judgment (5:13).

 Spring Feast Discussion

So having looked at this issue of sin-consciousness using the story of the Corinthian assembly and their failure to properly address the fornicator in their midst as a backdrop, I want to spend the remainder of our time here today discussing the upcoming Spring Feasts of Yah, which we all know includes Pesach or Passover; Unleavened Bread or the Feast of Matzah; and the Day of First Fruits. And we also know that the feasts of Yah, which are embedded in His holy Torah (Rom. 7:12), are shadows of good things to come (Heb. 10:1). And the spiritual relevance and substance of these set-apart days can never be overstated nor honored enough in my humble opinion.

 Yeshua Would Be Crucified on a Set-Date on the Creator’s Calendar

Father appointed that our Master would die for our sins at an appointed time (Rom. 5:6). Thus, it should not be a stretch for any who walk in covenant with the Almighty, that Yahoshua was appointed to die specifically on Pesach or during the Spring feasts. Whichever date Pesach/Passover fell on the day Yahoshua was crucified–some say 27 CE; others 30 CE/AD; still others 33 AD/CE–Pesach ranks as one of the most important set-apart days on Abba’s sacred calendar. The prophetic shadow-picture that was embedded in Pesach and the Spring Feasts of Yah was indeed brought to its fullest realization during the days in which our Master was crucified, buried and resurrected.

 Pesach Foreshadows the Sanctification Process

And we’ve already seen that the apostle Shaul makes a poignant correlation between Yeshua’s sacrifice and Pesach in 1 Corinthians 5:7:

 

“Clean out the old yeast (I.e., leaven) so that you may be a new batch of dough–you are, in fact, without yeast (I.e., leaven). For Christ (I.e., Messiah/Mashiyach), our Passover (I.e., our Pesach) has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7; NET).

 

Shaul here is touching upon the sanctification process that every would be covenant walking child of the Most High is committed to undergo. The purging of sin from our lives and then walking out our Faith as new creatures, or as Shaul mentions, new lumps of dough,  is prophetically pictured in the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

 The Brilliance and Wisdom of our Creator

Yah, in His brilliance (and I can’t imagine how He pulled it off but He did in the greatest fashion) pulled together 2-set-apart dates on His calendar, separated by at least a millennium and a half, to usher in His great Plan of Salvation, Restoration and Redemption.

 

In the process of redeeming His chosen people Yisrael from Egyptian bondage, YHVH commanded they select for themselves a perfect yearling-lamb or goat on the 10th day of the first month, otherwise known as the month of the Aviv (Exo. 12:5). And then on a specific day at a specific time of that day (sound familiar), slay the creature and apply its blood on to the door posts and lintels of their homes (which was the 14th-day of the month of the Aviv). And soon after this was done, they would prepare the slaughtered lamb to be consumed with other elements as Yah instructed. The women would prepare bread without leaven in anticipation of a rapid departure from Mitsrayim/Egypt the next morning. As their meal, they would consume the roasted lamb or goat as the death angel passed through Mitsrayim; passing over the homes of those who’s doors were marked with the blood of the lamb or goat. The 1st born of those households that were not marked by the blood of the lamb/goat, succumbed to the death angel.

 

This of course foreshadowed the sacrificial ministry of our Master Yahoshua. In prophetic-shadow likeness as our Pesach–our Passover Lamb–our Master was perfect and without sin. Thus, as Shaul stated, the man who was without sin, died for those with sin–the realization of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (2 Cor. 5:21). And then, our Master’s resurrection was prophetically foreshadowed by the Day of First Fruits or the Wave Sheaf Offering.

 Passover Can Never Be Replaced by Easter

It can never be overstated: Yeshua’s death, burial and resurrection can never be tied to pagan horror days such as lent; good Friday and Easter while denying the Truth of the only wise Elohim, His Word and His Son. Everything about our Master and His ministries are intricately tied to and foreshadowed by Yah’s glorious feasts (I.e., Yah’s set-apart days). As the writer of the Cepher of Hebrews wrote regarding the set-apart elements of worship of YHVH, which include Yah’s set-apart days or Feast Days:

 

“They serve as shadows of good things to come” (Heb. 10:1). Praise Yah!

 Passover is About Repairing the Breach Between YHVH and Humankind

As our Pesach, the breach that existed between YHVH and humankind since the Garden incident was repaired. The blood of our Pesach, Yeshua, covers us from all unrighteousness. In so doing, we escape eternal death, which is a natural byproduct of sin. Upon entering in covenant with the Almighty, we become sin conscious–biblically speaking–not consumed over the sins we’ve committed in our lives as orthodoxy has defined sin-consciousness. But we’ve become conscious of the fact that we are called and chosen to be new creatures in Mashiyach. As new creatures in Mashiyach, we are as a corpse to sin. Sin is supposed to be a foreign entity to us; even an enemy if you will. And anything that hints of sin in our walk with Mashiyach, especially during our time of being sanctified or set-apart unto YHVh, we are to purge it from our lives; we are to turn away from it with the ever-present help of Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh.

 Why Can’t Orthodoxy See This Truth?

And the thing that drives me uber crazy is that orthodoxy and fundamentalists reject the significance of Yah’s set-apart days, and they even marginalize the spiritually-charged historical significance Pesach and Unleavened Bread must play in the life of Yah’s set-apart people.

 

No, these choose to hang their spiritual hats on a set of pagan holidays instead; attaching to what I like to call horror-days, the death, burial and resurrection of our Master Yahoshua. As honorable and well-meaning as the orthodox and fundamentalists may appear to some related to their keeping of Easter in lieu of Yah’s Spring Feasts, these are sincerely wrong and mistaken in their understanding and beliefs. There’s is a willful disobedience that will ultimately lead to their being judged by a holy and righteous Elohim.

 We Have Been Called to Image YHVH on this Planet

But we, on the other hand, who have been called and chosen to image YHVH Elohim on this earth, in particular image Him within the confines of communities and spheres of influence He’s placed each of us into, we recognize and cherish which side our spiritual bread is buttered. We recognize that the Feasts are not the Feasts of the Jews, but of YHVH, He who gifted them to us. And because we’ve chosen to walk in covenant with Him and to love Him with our whole being, dying to self-in the process and walking in the newness of life, we keep and walk-out (I.e., halach) His commandments, which include His annual feasts. And we keep and walk-out these feasts in Spirit and in Truth, knowing that each set-apart day on the Eternal’s calendar serves as a reminder of that which He has, is and will be doing for us in His great plan of redemption, restoration and salvation.

 We Must Prepare to Receive the Spring Feasts of Yah

So as the Spring Feasts of Pesach, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits approach this coming week, we prayerfully, and meditatively prepare to receive the days. If you’re like me, I love re-reading, studying and meditating on The Exodus and our Master’s Passion stories. Some of you may also benefit from listening to or watching teachings on various aspects of Pesach, as well as attending fellowship gatherings and services during this time. However the Ruach leads you, do it with joy and passion.

 Honoring and Keeping Yeshua’s Last Supper

Then the night before Pesach–Erev Pesach–3/27/21, I would encourage you to honor the occasion of the last meal our Master had with His inner core of disciples (famously referred to as the Last Supper). And many of you will attend special services that not only mark this most solemn historic event on a true Messianic’s annual calendar, but also delve into the spiritual meaning and applications associated with the various elements of that sacred gathering. I’ve personally attended a number of services and gatherings on this most solemn night of the Month of the Aviv, and I’ve always been blessed by those experiences.

 

Generally speaking, bread and wine is shared and consumed by attendees of these gatherings in solemn memory of, as Shaul wrote to the Corinthian Messianics, “the Master’s death till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). This is popularly referred to of course as communion. And many Messianics actually overlook this beautiful ritual since it is not part and parcel of the Exodus Story. But, again, in my humble opinion, ignoring or intentionally failing to honor this spiritually rich and poignant historic event would be in violation of our Master’s instruction to perform this beautiful ritual in solemn remembrance of Him and what He has, is and will do for us (Luk. 22:19).

 

There is, in fact, historical precedence that the early first-century Messianic Assemblies kept this solemn ritual, with some assemblies going so far as to keep this ritual and instruction of our Master each Sabbath.

 

Some groups, in addition to honoring our Master’s last meal, partake in a foot-washing ritual to imitate our Master’s washing His disciples’ feet. This is done in response to Master’s instructions to His disciples: “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (Joh. 13:14; KJV).

 

Now, many in our Faith Community today reject and decline to participate in foot washing ceremonies, citing that this was done by and passed on by our Master as part of a common, hygienic practice of first-century Middle Easterners and is not applicable or necessary for today’s Messianics to keep or practice. These set aside any relevant spiritual application that Yeshua may have been attempting to convey to His disciples at the time.

 Convocations–Gathering Together to Keep the Spring Feasts of God

I’ve participated in a number of foot-washing ceremonies throughout my walk in this Faith of ours. And I understand where those who reject foot washing ceremonies for today’s Messianics are coming from. However, I find such reverential practices as foot washing ceremonies to be an individual, Ruach-Spirit-led choice that each Messianic must come to terms with. I will say also that any who would be led to participate in such a ritual or ceremony, Yah bless you and may you find rich meaning in your honoring of Yahoshua’s example. Regardless which side you go with on the issue of foot washing, to use Shaul’s vernacular, let no one judge you in your keeping of the foot washing tradition or not; especially as it relates to your doing that which the Ruach HaKodesh leads you to do. Obviously, if you are not privy to being a part of a fellowship or Messianic group that honors our Master’s Last Meal ceremony, earnestly seek Yah’s will for you in that respect. And if He leads you to keep this honoring ceremony of the Master’s Last Meal alone, then keep it alone with as much reverence, Truth and joy that you can muster. But it is always preferable that we be in convocation with other like-minded brethren as Yah makes those opportunities available to us. The writer of Hebrews actually addressed this concern when he wrote:

 

“And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works (I.e., good deeds), not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near” (10:24-25; NET).

 

The point of covocating with other like-minded brethren, especially during this set-apart season, is to not only facilitate our personal growth in Mashiyach, but also to encourage one another in these last and evil days.

 Keeping Passover–Pesach

Moving on: Pesach of course, falls on the next evening at sundown, 3/28, which by the way, dovetails seamlessly into the start of the 7-day Feast of Unleavened Bread; also referred to by some as the Feast of Matzah. As Torah-honoring people of Yah, we keep this night to the best of our ability as Yah’s Ruach so leads. Hilary and I generally read the applicable Exodus passages as we partake in a modest meal consisting of roasted lamb and bitter herbs. And we also begin our week-long eating of Unleavened Bread at this juncture.

 

A couple things come to mind in my discussing our keeping of Pesach and Unleavened Bread:

 

At the very least, prior to our having the Pesach meal, Hilary and I will have saw to it that all leaven and leaven-type products have been discarded from our home in obedience to Exodus 12:19; 13:7.

 

Secondly, it should be noted that Pesach Day itself is not a so-called “high-holy day.” That being said, one is certainly permitted to work if it is necessary for them to do so. However, once sundown hits, and as we go directly into our Pesach meal and the Feast of Unleavened Bread commences, we will enter into a “high holy day” whereby we are to convene/proclaim a holy convocation and we are to do no servile work during that 24-hour period. Our focus must then be upon Yah and what He’s done, is doing and will do for us. And we are encouraged to keep this set-apart time as Shaul instructed his Corinthian readers: “…with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8). 

 

Now, as a Faith Community, we are all over the place as it pertains to our keeping Pesach. For instance, many Messianics choose to go the route of the traditional Jewish Seder. Hilary and I, on the other hand, do not participate in Seders, so to speak.

 Partaking of the Orthodox Passover Seder

The reason we do not participate in Orthodox Jewish-type Passover Seders is because they are highly regulated by Rabbinic traditions, and unfortunately, over the centuries, paganism has seeped into and tainted Yah’s commanded Passover meal. Torah outlines what the actual Passover meal is supposed to consist of. The orthodox Passover Seder, on the other hand, includes elements and traditions that Yah never told us to include in His meal. Abba commanded us not to add to nor diminish from that which He has commanded us to do.

 

Nevertheless, I recognize that a sizable chunk of the members of our Faith Community are drawn to and are loyal to many such Jewish traditions. And of course, it falls to each of us to walk out our Faith, as Shaul wrote to His Philippian readers, “…with fear and trembling.”

 

So I would only advise caution when choosing how you will keep, observe and honor Pesach  and the Passover meal. Let Yah’s Ruach properly lead you this respect.

 The Feast of Unleavened Bread

The 7-days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is similar to Sukkot (I.e., the Feast of Tabernacles) in that we are to proclaim and convene holy convocations as well as do no servile work on the first and last days of both these week-long feasts (Lev. 23). However, the days that fall between the first and the last days we are free to go about our day-to-day affairs. The thing that sets both these week-long festivals apart from some of the other set-apart days of Yah is that they were originally “pilgrimage” feasts.

 Feast of Unleavened Bread a Pilgrimage Feast

Of the 7-mandated Feasts or set-apart days of Yah’s sacred calendar year, Father appointed 3 of them as pilgrimage feasts: Pesach-Unleavened Bread; Shavuot or Pentecost; and Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles (Exo. 23:14-17; Deu. 16:16). It is not coincidence that these 3-pilgrimage feasts take place during our ancient cousins’ 3 major harvest seasons: Pesach-Unleavened Bread during the spring harvest; Shavuot or Pentecost during the summer harvest; and Sukkot or Tabernacles during the fall harvest. As pilgrimage feasts, our ancient cousins were required to leave their homes and journey to the place where Yah placed His Name over in response to these harvest seasons. The ultimate and most well-known of those sacred places was of course Jerusalem. And it was at these sacred places–the place where the Ark of the Covenant rested within the Tabernacle/Tent of Meeting and ultimately the Temple in Yerushalayim–that Yah’s people would gather and joyously worship the Almighty in their giving of tithes and offerings that were based upon the proceeds and increase they received from their harvests. Additionally, the pilgrims would receive teachings of Yah’s Word; they would undergo various washings and purifications or mikvehs; and there would of course be recitations of prayers and scripture at these gatherings.

 

With Yah’s temple and or tabernacle no longer in operation at Yerusalayim, we really can’t keep these 3 pilgrimage feasts as Torah puts forth. However, there’s nothing stopping us from keeping these pilgrimage feasts in Spirit and in Truth. As long as we keep the basic elements of the feasts, and do so in Spirit and in Truth, Yah will work individually with us to direct us in the ways He wants us to worship Him and keep His appointed times.

 

Now, I don’t in any way mean to suggest that you keep the pilgrimage feast of Unleavened Bread as I am led to do. You see, this is an issue between you and YHVH. I’m simply giving you here that which Hilary and I have been led to do over the many years we’ve walked in covenant with the Eternal. I’m simply sharing with you what we do.

 

On these 3-pilgrimage, set-apart days, we would traditionally arrange taking the time off from our day-to-day lives and if possible and available, travel to assemblies where like-minded brethren were keeping these feasts days. When those opportunities were not available to us, such as this year, we will set-aside the week of Unleavened Bread as holy and special and honor the time with focused studies, prayers, celebration and the like. You see, upon our coming into covenant with YHVH and walking in this Faith, we chose to abandon yearly secular vacations in exchange for the pilgrimage feasts. The pilgrimage feasts were, I guess you could say, our vacation-times away from our secular lives. And because we’ve fully incorporated the Feasts of Yah into our lives to such a degree, we have been enormously blessed and our walk with Mashiyach has been notably enhanced.

 

Again, this is not in any way to suggest that you do the same. The only thing I would suggest to you is that you seek Yah’s perfect will for your life in Messiah and then walk out that will with reverence, joy and peace in the Ruach Hakodesh. If you seek Him and ask Him to lead you, He will do it. As long as your heart is where it’s supposed to be. Regardless, we must keep the Feasts of Yah in Spirit and in Truth. The particulars of how we  keep them is between Yah and you.

 Recommended Teaching on Passover

Recommend you check out Brother Robert Bills recent teaching on Pesach. (Messianic Teacher Robert Bills High Pursuit Ministry–Spirit and Truth Podcast and Webcast Program

 The Commandment to Consume Unleavened Bread

So getting back to the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which hits at sundown on 3/28 and runs to sundown on 4/4 this year), we are actually commanded to consume unleavened bread or matzah during these 7-days (Exo. 12:8-20; 13:6; 23:15; 34:18; Lev. 6:16; 23:6). Now, by this time of the holy week, we should have purged all leavened products from our homes before the Pesach meal hits. In so doing, our meals for the remainder of that holy week are to consist, in part, of unleavened bread, popularly known as matzah. Last week, I purchased a large box of matzah, and as we do each year during Unleavened Bread week, we incorporate into each meal during that week, matzah–in fact we consume matzah during that week for every meal in honor and in obedience to Yah’s commandments to do so.

 The Feast of Unleavened Bread an Opportunity for Self-Assessment and Spiritual Growth

And during this week of Unleavened Bread, we assess our walk with Mashiyach and ask Yah to reveal to us areas of our lives where sin besets us. The writer of Hebrews instructed his readers to “…strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us” (12:1). Indeed, the week of Unleavened Bread is a perfect time and opportunity to take assessment of the state of our walk in Messiah and seek, with the help of the Ruach HaKodesh, to do the very thing that the writer of Hebrews instructs.

 Keeping the Day of Firstfruits or Wave Sheaf Offering

Last, but not least, we have the rather obscure Day of First Fruits (Lev. 23:9-14). Shaul described Yahoshua as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). The firstfruits or wavesheaf offering was to take place within the week of Pesach-Unleavened Bread. It was a day intended for Yah’s people to offer unto YHVH the first of their spring harvest. Until they presented unto the Levitical Priests at the Tabernacle or Temple the first of their spring harvest in the form of a sheaf of barley to be waved before Yah in solemn acknowledgment of Yah’s sovereignty over our lives and over the work of their hands and their increase/income. They would not be permitted to consume any of their harvested grain or produce until after they’d presented an offering consisting of the firstfruits of their harvest to the Levitical Priests who would wave that offering before Yah on their behalf.

 We Begin the 50-Day Count to Pentecost–Shavuot

The other important aspect of the Day of Firstfruits which cannot be overlooked is that it is the day that we begin the 49-day count towards Shavuot or Pentecost. And the thing about Firstfruits is that the day on which it is kept by Yah’s people must always be correct and spot-on, otherwise Shauvout will be miscalculated and fall upon the wrong day on the calendar. And so it becomes important for Yah’s people to be fully aware of the days upon which Yah’s spring feasts occur in order that they keep Shavuot/Pentecost at its appointed time.

 

As it relates to us today, we honor the day of firstfruits, which depending on the calendar you follow, falls on the last day of Unleavened Bread this year, which is 4/4; doing good works and many of us will bless ministries that feed and nourish us with freewill offerings and such.

 Personal Reflections and Thoughts on the Spring Feasts

Now, I literally just scratched the surface as it relates to the Spring Feasts. I will tell you that there are a ton of excellent teachings out there that go into much greater detail than I have here. My intention was not to provide a thorough study of the Spring Feast; but rather, to give you somewhat of a broad brush overview and share with you some insights that I’ve gained in my years of keeping Yah’s feasts.

 

I simply love the feasts of Yah. I love everything about them. And I look forward each calendar year to not only keeping them and seeing what Yah wants me to do in keeping them, but also I look forward to the spiritual growth that naturally comes when we throw our whole selves into keeping these appointed, sacred times of Yah’s calendar year.

 As Yah’s Set-Apart People We Must Keep His Feasts

There’s no doubt about it friends: We are compelled to keep these feasts. We can try as we may to reason around not keeping them. And in our working around and trying to make up excuses why we can’t keep Yah’s set-apart days, we ultimately end up finding ourselves at odds with the Creator who from the beginning stipulated that His set-apart people must hear His voice, keep His Torah and His ways, which of course includes keeping His moedim–His set-apart days.

 

So let us keep Pesach-Unleavened Bread-Firstfruits with all the joy and reverence and anticipation we can muster and not let the world influence us otherwise. Like our ancient Hebrew cousins, we have been redeemed from those entities and things that have kept us in bondage. We no longer answer to those entities and things. For we have been redeemed and bought with a price; and oh what a price that was paid on our behalf (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23).

 We Have Been Purchased with a Steep Price

Shaul instructed his readers, knowing the steep price that was paid on our behalf for our redemption, to glorify YHVH with our bodies. For our bodies have replaced the Temple and Tabernacle of old as Yah’s dwelling place (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19)! Therefore, we have no excuse when it comes to our keeping Yah’s feasts. So, let’s keep His feasts with righteousness, peace and joy in the Ruach HaKodesh as we purge out the leaven and the old man and old woman, and walk in the newness of life.

 Looking Forward to Part 4 of the Paul on Being Under the Law Series

Yah willing, we’ll bring this series within a series to a much deserved close in our next installment. We will finally get to the point of interpreting and defining what Shaul meant by the phrase “under the Law.”

Have a blessed and meaningful Pesach-Unleavened Bread-and Firstfruits beloved.