In Exodus 12 How Does The Feast Of Unleavened Bread Relate To The Concept Of Holiness In The Life Of A Believer?
The Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Call to Holiness
Exodus 12 recounts the institution of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread—two foundational events in Israel’s history. These celebrations are not only significant for their historical context, but they also carry deep spiritual meaning for believers today. Let’s explore how the Feast of Unleavened Bread relates to the biblical concept of holiness and what this means for the life of a believer.
Biblical Background: The Feast Instituted
After nine devastating plagues, God commanded Moses to prepare Israel for their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The Passover meal, featuring the sacrificial lamb, was to be followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread:
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. - Exodus 12:15 ASV
Leaven (yeast) is to be removed completely from every home, symbolizing a radical break from the old life of bondage and corruption.
Leaven as a Symbol of Sin
Throughout Scripture, leaven often represents the pervasive influence of sin and impurity. Like leaven that permeates dough, sin can spread quietly but thoroughly if left unchecked.
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ. - 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 ASV
Here, Paul draws a direct connection between the Old Testament feast and the believer’s call to live a life separated from sin—set apart, or “holy.”
Holiness Defined: Set Apart for God
The concept of holiness means to be set apart for God’s purposes. The removal of leaven was both a literal act and a spiritual lesson. God was calling His people to a new identity—marked by purity and obedience.
Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am Jehovah your God. - Leviticus 20:7 ASV
This call is echoed throughout the New Testament. Because Christ is our Passover Lamb, believers are called to live out the reality of their salvation—turning from sin and living holy lives.
Practical Application: Unleavened Living
- Self-Examination: Just as Israel searched their homes for leaven, believers are called to examine their hearts for hidden sin and remove it by the power of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 139:23).
- Continuous Purity: The feast lasted seven days, symbolizing completion and ongoing commitment. Holiness is not a one-time act, but a continuous pursuit (1 Peter 1:15-16).
- Christ-Centered Holiness: Our ability to live holy lives comes not from our own strength but through Christ, our Passover Lamb, who gives us both the motivation and the means to walk in purity (Galatians 2:20).
Conclusion
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a vivid reminder of the believer’s call to holiness. By removing leaven, Israel illustrated the seriousness of sin and the necessity of separation from all that corrupts. Today, followers of Christ are called to pursue lives of holiness—not as a means of earning salvation, but as a grateful response to the saving work of Jesus, our true Passover Lamb.