3.30.25

Good morning!

Coming soon to a 'theater' near each of us is the celebration of Passover; our deliverance from bondage in Egypt (Ex. 12). With that celebration of the firstborn (Ex. 4:22; 13:15) comes the opportunity to remember this blessed occasion by physically removing 'leaven/chametz' out of your houses (Ex. 12:15,19; 13:7). This physical action of searching your house provides an opportunity for the Spirit to search out our spiritual house, our bodies, to help us rid those types of activities that corrupt the bread of our lives (1 Cor. 5:6-8). This is very significant if our lives are to be an offering to the Lord (Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 5:1-2); since no leaven was ever allowed on a sacrifice that was to be burned (Lev. 2:11).

Many ask, 'what is the leaven/chametz' anyway? Is it just the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt. 16:6; Luke 12:1)? The Herodians (Mark 8:15)? Is it just a fancy word for the yeast we put into bread to make it rise? What exactly is it?

As we head into the Lord's Spring Feast/chagim season (Gen. 1:14; Lev. 23), with the desire to live our lives unleavened, our minds could quickly come back to our Torah portion from this past weekend, where the children of Israel did exactly as Moses commanded (Ex. 40:19,21,23,25,27,29,32) until the work was finished (Ex. 40:33); leading to the glory of the Lord filling the Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34).

This week we will start studying the book of Leviticus/Vayikra and the 5 different ways we can approach the glory of the Lord (Lev. 1-5). In Lev. 10:12 Aaron and his surviving sons were told by Moses to eat the commanded/mitzvot grain offering without leaven/matzot besides the altar, because it is most holy/kadosh kedoshim.  There is a play on the two words with the law of the grain offering and Unleavened bread. Do you see the similarities? What's the meaning of this word play?

"And Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons who were left: "Take the grain offering that remains of the offerings made by fire to the Lord, and eat it without leaven beside the altar, for it is most holy." (Lev. 10:12)

The longer a commandment/mitzvah is delayed (like the leavening process) the more likely that there will be an interference in performing it.  A procrastinator who knows what to do and how to do it is allowing the commandment to become sour, with each passing hour or day (cp. Ex. 24:7). Some personal desire or benefit must be set aside in order to perform it. The good news is that doing it will reconcile the inner war (Gal. 5:16-17); so the faster, the better.

By eating the quick bread, aka matzah, the priests demonstrate to Israel the quality of "most" holiness in sacrifice:  performing the commandment quickly.  The commandment is holy!

Like Paul, we can all identify with this battle between the flesh and the Spirit/Ruach (Rom. 7:14-25). The flesh/sarx/basar has a life force/nefesh working in it (Lev. 17:11). It drives human appetites, emotions, desires, and our intellectual pursuits.

The Spring Feast season is preparation for that future day when we will be echad/one with our Bridegroom King! Do it quickly (Ex. 24:7)!

Chag Sameach/Happy Feasting!

Shalom!

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