First day of Unleavened bread 2020 | nazareneisrael2house

First Day of Unleavened Bread.

Accepting Yahshua Messiah as our personal Passover sacrifice is only the beginning of Elohim’s plan to eventually bring us into His eternal Family. It was for this reason that Rav Shaul asked the congregation at Rome,if believers should continue to sinafter their past sins have been covered by the blood of Messiah? He made use of a questioning and answer technique to get the importance of his message across to them, in Romans 6: 1 saying: ‘What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? He answers in verse 2, saying: ‘May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Rav Shaul continues his questions and answers in verses 15 - 18,saying:‘What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! (16) Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (17) But thanks be to Elohim that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and having been freed form sin, you became slaves of righteousness.’

It is true; we are saved by grace through faith as witnessed in Ephesians 2: 8& 9, in this way: ’For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim;(9) not as a result of works, that no one should boast.’ Rav Shaul therefore asks again in Romans 3: 31, saying: ‘Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.’ You and I who come from Churchianity need to be ever mindful that sin is against the Torah teachings of Elohim, as Rav Yochanan also testified in 1 John 3: 4, saying:‘Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.’ In fact when a Pharisee asked Yahshua in Matthew 19: 16, saying: “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?”Yahshua answered him in verses 17, saying: “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into (eternal) life, keep the commandments.” Even though we from the lost ten tribes of Israel have forgotten what sin is andmay only return to the covenant our forefathers made with Elohim together with the house of Judah at Mount Sinai,through Abraham’s one seed, Yahshua, we need to understand that after we have been immersed into Messiah’s Saving name, we are in the same position as our Jewish Brothers and the only waywe continue to have access to eternal life is by obedience to Elohim’s Torah. By obeying Torah we retain the Set-apart Spirit which we received as a pledge of our inheritance of eternal life as witnessed in Ephesians 1: 13 & 14 and Acts 5: 32, as follows:

Ephesians 1: 13& 14: ‘In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Set-apart Spirit of promise, (14) who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of Elohim’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.’
Acts 5: 32, “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Set-apart Spirit, whom Elohim has given to those who love Him.”

Elohim is at this time busy creating His righteous, holy, perfect character in those of us whom He is calling out of the churches of the world into His congregation of believers. We, from the house of Israel are presently being molded by Elohim as Jeremiah witnessed in Jeremiah 18: 6, saying: “Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does? Declares YHVH. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand. O house of Israel” The house of Israel, presently only a clay model, is in the process of being created in the character of the image of Elohim, as is confirmed in Romans 8: 28 & 29, as follows: ‘And we know that Elohim causes all things to work together for good to those who love Elohim, to those who are called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-bornamong many brethren.’ Since the Ten Commandments describe Elohim’s character and nature, keeping His Law is absolutely necessary to ensure spiritual growth. We are required to obey the Master Potter allowing Him to mold His perfect character in us, while we are still mortal flesh and blood human beings. Accepting Yahshua Messiah’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of our past sins is only the first step on the road to salvation. To help us understand the next step in Elohim’s Master Plan of salvation, YHVH instituted the second annual festival, namely: the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

It is by observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread that we get to understand that we must do our part to keep the sins that Yahshua covered by His shed blood, out of our lives. The truth of the matter is, that we show our heavenly Father that we want to be obedient to His Torah by keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread,as witnessed in Exodus 13: 9, in this way: ‘And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead (like tefillin), that the law of YHVH may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand YHVH brought you out of Egypt.’We read a second witness to this from verses 16 of Exodus 13, as follows: “So it shall serve as a sign on your hand, and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand YHVH brought us out of Egypt.” Elohim commanded our ancient forefathers to put all leaven out of their homes and off their property, and to eat unleavened bread during this seven day long Festival. The number seven is a complete number and it is for this reason that the Feast of Unleavened Bread reminds believers in YHVH that we are to strive to put sin out of our lives completely. After we have repented and are immersed into Yahshua’s saving name, Elohim expects each of us to strive to obey Him and keep His commandments. He wants us to ‘spiritually de-leaven’ our lives, in the same way that we physically de-leaven our homes before the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Failing to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread after observing Elohim’s Passover is tantamount to accepting Messiah’s sacrifice and then saying that Elohim’s Law is done away with – since we assume that we are ‘under grace’and have permission to continue to live in sin. How ridiculous can we get! Rav Shaul through his questioning technique continues to inform us in Galatians 2: 17 that Messiah is not a minister if sin, saying:‘But if, while seeking to be justified in Messiah, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Messiah then a minister of sin? May it never be?’

One of the clearest Renewed Covenant commands to Elohim’s congregation of called out believers is to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is recorded in the last part of 1 Corinthians 5: 7 and 8, as follows: ‘For Messiah our Passover also has been sacrificed. (8) Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.’ Our study of Elohim’s second annual festival begins where Elohim instituted it at the time of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Remember how in the evening of the 14th of Aviv each family in Israel had to kill the unblemished lamb they selected on the 10th day of the same month, and put some of the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. This was what protected their firstborn from the plague of death as YHVH instructed ancient Israel through Moses in Exodus 12: 6 – 13, saying: ‘And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. (7)Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. (8) And they shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. (9) Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. (10) And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, you shall burn it with fire. (11) Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is (YHVH)’s Passover. (12) For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment—I am YHVH. (13)And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.’ These unblemished lambs were symbolic of Messiah the Lamb of Elohim and their blood pictured Messiah’s blood, which was shed many years later, to save the qualifying first-fruits from both houses of Israel from the second death as prophesied by Caiaphas in John 11: 49 -52[1], but also ultimately the rest of mankindduring the Great White Throne Judgment period, provided they finally bow the knee before Him. We see from Exodus 12: 22 that after the Israelites partook of the first Passover and put some of the blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, they had to remain indoors until the morning, in this way: ‘And you shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorpost; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.’ Then at midnight on the 14th of Aviv YHVH struck the first-born of Egypt, as witnessed in Exodus 12: 29 as follows: ‘Now it came about at mid-night that YHVH struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of cattle.’ During the day part of the 14th of Aviv, the Israelites despoiled the Egyptians, as YHVH told them through Moses (in Exodus 11: 2), as recorded in verses 35 & 36 of Exodus 12, in this way:‘Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; (36) and YHVH had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.’ We see from verses 41 & 42, that the children of Israel left Egypt in the night of the 15th of Aviv in the light of the full moon, in this way: ‘And it came about at the end of four hundred and thirty years, to the very day, that all the hosts of YHVH went out from the land of Egypt. (42) It is a night to be observed for YHVH for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for YHVH, to be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations.’

A second witness comes from Numbers 33: 3, as follows: ‘And they journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the sons of Israel started out boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians.’ The fifteenth day of Nissan (also known as Aviv)is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as attested in Leviticus 23: 6, in this way: ‘Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to YHVH, for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.’ The Israelites were instructed to especially remember their deliverance from Egypt in Exodus 13: 3 - 7, where Moses said to them: “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand YHVH brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. (4) On this day in the month of Aviv, you are about to go forth.(5) And it shall be when YHVH brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall observe this rite in this month. (6) For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to YHVH. (7) Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders.” Therefore the eating of unleavened bread was a yearly reminder (a memorial) of the haste in which they fled Egypt. Moses told the people to put out all of their leaven according to Elohim’s instructions. In their escape from Egypt, their dough did not have enough time to ferment and rise naturally, as witnessed in Exodus 12: 33 & 34, as follows: ‘And the Egyptians urged the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We shall all be dead.” (34) So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in the clothes on their shoulders.’ The eating of unleavened bread was therefore an appropriate yearly reminder of the haste in which they left Egypt.After camping at Succoth, the Israelites went on to Ethan on the edge of the wilderness (Exodus 13: 20). Then YHVH said to Moses to tell the Israelites to turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; in front of Baal-zephon opposite the sea. YHVH had one more thing to show them. We see from Exodus 14: 5 – 8, that the Egyptians chased and overtook the Israelites at this very spot. It was on the sixth day of Unleavened Bread that the Egyptians overtook the Israelites. The Red Sea, to the east was just about eight miles across at that point, and Pharaoh’s army stood behind the Israelites – they were trapped! However, knowing that Pharaoh would overtake them, YHVH told the Israelites to leave the road normally travelled, leading them into a trap, to prove to them, as well as to us, that He alone offers salvation – if we trust in Him! But, when the Israelites understood their predicament, they became very afraid and cried out to Moses in Exodus 14: 11 & 12, saying: “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? (12) Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” Their elation and joy turned to fear and anger when they realized that is was not humanly possible to escape from Pharaoh at that point.

But Elohim again provided a way to escape, as we read from Exodus 14: 13 – 16, in this way: ‘But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of YHVH which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. (14) YHVH will fight for you while you keep silent. (15) Then YHVH said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. (16) And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.”’ Continuing in verses 23 – 28, we see what happened to the Egyptian army and their chariots when they followed the Israelites through the sea-bed, as follows: ‘Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. (24) And it came about at the morning watch, that YHVH looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion. (25) And He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for YHVH is fighting for them against the Egyptians.” (26) Then YHVH said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” (27) So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at day break, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then YHVH overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. (28) And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.’ According to tradition, the miraculous opening of the Red sea and the completion of the Israelites escape from slavery took place before dawn on the seventh and last day of the first Feast of Unleavened Bread. Then in the daylight part of the annual Sabbath, there was great rejoicing in celebrating their complete deliverance from Egyptian slavery, as recorded in Exodus 15: 1 – 21 in the song of Moses.After Elohim delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt He entered into a covenant with them at Mount Sinai, wherethey promised to obey Him. But, we know that they failed completely, except for times during which Elohim gave them a righteous ruler. They obeyed Elohim under Joshua’s leadership, who succeeded Moses, but after he died and the death of the elders of that generation, the next generation did not. This cycle was repeated time and again under the rulership of the judges. Then during the reign of David the Israelites prospered, as they did under Solomon’s reign. After Solomon’s reign YHVH split the nation in two and because of continued disobedience both houses of Israel were taken into captivity; Israel first followed by Judah 120 years later. However, whereas Judah returned 70 years later, the house of Israel remained in captivity until today.

YHVH instituted His seven annual festivals including the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Leviticus 23: 2, saying to Moses: “Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘(YHVH)’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holyconvocations— My appointed times are these.’” So we see that these are (YHVH)’s Set-apart Days to be kept by His people forever, as recorded in Exodus 12: 17, as follows: ‘You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance.’ YHVH our Elohim, the Supreme Lawgiver ensured that the knowledge of His laws, including His Sabbath and set-apart Days would be preserved by the house of Judah and that His latter day congregationmade up of the house of Judah and the house of Israel will again start obeying them. We see that Yahshua kept both the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as witnessed in Luke 2: 41 – 43. Even in the year of His impalement, His enemies expected Him to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as recorded in Mark 14: 1 & 2, as follows: ‘Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread was two days off; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth, and kill Him; (2) for they were saying, “Not during the festival, lest there be a riot of the people.”’ More than 20 years after Yahshua had been crucified and resurrected there is a clear indication that His disciples kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as recorded in Acts 20: 6, in this way: ‘And we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.’Rav Shaul and his companions observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread at Philippi. This Feast was still being kept by Elohim’s congregation, showing that it was not abolished at Yahshua’s death. As we’ve read from 1 Corinthians 5: 7 & 8, Rav Shaul told Elohim’s congregation to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He was telling the Corinthian congregation to put out spiritual leaven, just as they had already put out all physical leaven in preparation for this Festival. They were to keep the Feast not only with unleavened bread, but also with the spiritually unleavened attitude of righteousness, truth and sincerity. This is a direct command from Elohim’s apostle to His congregation of called out believers to continue to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The annual Feast Days of Elohim picture events of historic and future importance. The Sabbaths as YHVH revealed to ancient Israel was a sign that they were His people and that He was their Elohim. However as we read from Exodus 31: 13, it was a sign between Elohim and His people throughout their generations, as follows: “But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall surely observe My Sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am YHVH who sanctifies you.” The word ‘Sabbaths’ as used in this verse shows that not only is the weekly Sabbath a sign that we are Elohim’s people, but so are the Feast Days of Elohim, also known as annual Sabbaths signs that YHVH is our Elohim and as shadows of what is to come, showing us His plan of salvation for all mankind. As modern day Israelites, whether bloodline Israelites or Israelites because of our faith in Messiah (as per Galatians 3: 26 – 29, Galatians 6: 16 and Romans 9: 6 & 7), we are even now Elohim’s people. In addition, we see from Hebrews 4: 9 that the Sabbath remains binding for the people of Elohim, in this way: ‘There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of Elohim.’But, this verse has a deeper meaning as it also depicts mankind’s rest from Satan’s influence during Messiah’s millennial rule, after 6000 years of mankind’s misrule, because of Satan’s deception. Israel’s departure from Egypt has great symbolic meaning for those of us from the house of Israel returning to the covenant YHVH made with our ancient forefathers together with the house of Judah at Mount Sinai. We learned that the Passover pictures the death of Yahshua Messiah; His shed blood for the forgiveness of our sins upon real repentance, but also to save us as first-fruits from the second death, if we qualify to be in His coming Kingdom. The second festival pictures our coming out of our personal Egypt or sin, during the seven days of Unleavened Bread. We see from Romans 6: 16 that sinners are slaves of sin, as follows: ‘Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?’ However, Elohim wants us to escape the slavery of sin by obeying Him, as witnessed in Romans 6: 17, 18 & 22, in this way: ‘But thanks be to Elohim that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (22) But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to Elohim, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.’The ancient Israelites were slaves in pagan Egypt and were not allowed to honor and obey YHVH their Elohim during their time in Egypt.

Therefore the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which commemorates their coming out of slavery in Egypt, also pictures our coming out of sin. Sin enslaves! Those who are not Elohim’s Spirit-begotten children do not realize they are slaves to sin. Sin tends to increase in the one who continues to practice it. It afflicts us with physical injury, sickness and disease. It produces frustration, anxiety and hopelessness; and ultimately leads to death. The Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures the fact that Elohim wants new believers to come completely out of the slavery of sin and start obeying Him for their good! Similar to the way Israel walked out of Egypt, we must be willing of our own to come out of sin. But, it is Elohim’s goodness and mercy that leads us to repentance from sin, as is confirmed in Romans 2: 4, as follows: ‘Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of Elohim leads you to repentance.’ Eternal life is clearly a gift from Elohim to those who obey him, as is also confirmed in Romans 6: 23, in this way: ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of Elohim is eternal life in Messiah Yahshua our Master.’ Nevertheless, it is clear that Elohim wants us to be willing and actually striving to obey Him. Think carefullyabout it!

[1]John 11: 49 – 52: ‘But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” Now this he did not say on his own initiative; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Yahshua was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation (of Judah) only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of Elohim who are scattered abroad (the house of Israel).’