A Time of Spiritual Examination

by Leonard V Johnson

The LORD God’s Feast of Unleavened Bread began this year at sunset on April 12th and runs until sunset on the 19th. 

Notice here what WVTM13 writes ── 

April 12th, 2025, 

One of the holiest holidays of the year begins for the Jewish community in Alabama and worldwide. 

Passover begins at sundown Saturday and is a time of reflection and celebration, which lasts eight days. 

This special time commemorates the Jewish people's exodus from Egypt. Those who celebrate … remove leavened foods and eat … unleavened bread. 

(Read More: https://www.wvtm13.com/article/time-of-reflection-andcelebration-as-passover-begins/64465319).

However, brethren, this Passover season means so much more to us than just the Exodus from Egypt.

Indeed, many keep the beginning of this first feast of the LORD’s in observing the LORD’s Passover. Yet, they never go on to learn the awesome “depth of the riches” of God’s grace and mercy pictured by the following feasts! Let us ALWAYS look unto JESUS, “the Author and Finisher of our faith” unto salvation! – Hebrews 12:2. 

On the 10th day of this first month, the children of Israel were instructed to take a lamb without blemish. And they were to keep it UNTIL – not after – the 14th of the same first month, at “EVEN” – which is sunset – and then kill it. Notice above ── the secular source speaks of it being the 15th.

This was within – not AFTER – the 14th day. They shed the blood of the lamb, which pictured Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, which was to come. And they ate the flesh of the lamb THAT NIGHT. Then, at midnight, the death angel came, but PASSED OVER [hence, PASSOVER] every dwelling where the BLOOD had been sprinkled.

THERE ARE some very important details. And we must notice them. It proves that the Passover is to be observed on the 14th, not the 15th. 

Now, I want you to see another vital point. Turn to the Book of Numbers, chapter 28 –

Verse 16 – “’ ON the FOURTEENTH DAY [not after it] of the first month is the Passover of the LORD. 17) And ON the FIFTEENTH DAY [not before it] of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.’”

Truly, one way you can understand the Days of Unleavened Bread, is by understanding the very central focus of the Days of Unleavened Bread – Jesus Christ!

Sadly, many minds were soiled concerning the true meaning and the teaching points which are associated with the Days of Unleavened Bread! And many of these misconceptions continue to grip many people – many remnant church groups. Well, they continue to teach ritualistic housecleaning. And to so many, the Days of Unleavened Bread is a campaign to “find leavening.” And they always claim that leaven is equated with the term sin. While that is a tradition, it is not Scriptural! And I want you to understand that they were teaching this as Judeo-Christianity – not as part of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ! In fact, no Scripture declares that leaven (which is short for leavened bread) is sin. There is certainly a passage which tells us exactly what sin is. It’s 1st John 3:4 – “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”     

Our Lord and Savior – the true Messiah - never called leaven sin. An example can be found in the Book of Matthew, chapter 13 –

Verse 33 – “’ The kingdom [from] heaven is like leaven, …’”

Is He saying that the kingdom of God is like sin here? No.

And another passage which offers a perspective is in the Book of Luke, chapter 13 –

“’ To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21) It is like leaven, …’”

Again, is He saying that the kingdom of God is like sin? No.

Our Lord Jesus is saying that the kingdom from heaven is like leaven because it's likened to the concept that “’ the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, ...’” ─ Matthew 13:31.

The work of faith that grows from such an insignificant beginning. Now, if you’ve ever looked at a mustard seed – they’re the tiniest of all seeds! Yet, the Bible describes the kingdom growing into a tree in whose branches the birds of the air can rest and receive shade. Also, the faith in which we have and how it grows can signify the work of God in a person’s life.  The kingdom of God begins quite small, but will become exceptionally large. The kingdom of God will have people from all over the world. Now, some biblical commentators believe that – because He mentions leaven, it could be a warning from Jesus. Leaven is often spoken of in the Bible as a metaphor for false doctrines and self-righteousness. That ‘leaven’ could be false doctrine that began and eventually engulfed the whole earth. Jesus spoke of this false doctrine in the Book of Revelation, which will be extent at His return – and it will be immensely powerful. Like Revelation 6:2 and the ‘white horse’ – you could conceivably go either way with this. Either way – remember that these are ‘hidden truths’ which Jesus revealed to His disciples.

Here’s another example – when our Lord Jesus compared the teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees with leaven.

“’ How is it you do not understand that I DID NOT SPEAK TO YOU CONCERNING BREAD? – but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees’” – Matthew 16:11; see also Luke 12:1.

And sadly, even today, many ministers post on their websites during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, “leavening equals sin!” And they would jump from there to the next conclusion, “One must go around the house and find every little crumb of nine-month-old breadcrumbs! Wherever they might be!” And out goes the toaster into the garbage! And sadly, they taught this as one of their main doctrines for the Days of Unleavened Bread! And this ideology is continuing to be propagated!

And certainly, a true Christian should strive daily to keep sin at bay. But to outright say that leaven is equated to sin is not Scriptural. Now, we’re dead to sin, but we’re alive through Jesus Christ! We live unto Jesus Christ! “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” ── Book of Romans, chapter 6, verse 12. He is saying, ‘Don’t let sin have control over you anymore.’ You’re free! Like the man that was on death row – now you find yourself walking down the road and you say, “How in the world did I get off of death row and now walking along here a free man!?” You’re not in the dungeon anymore! You’re not in chains; you’re not waiting for execution anymore! You’re out of prison – you’re walking freely down the road! That is the analogy that he is making here.

Well, we believe that Worldwide misinterpreted, as well as misrepresented, just what the Days of Unleavened Bread truly mean. The meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread is powerful!

So, what day is established as a MEMORIAL, a feast by an EVERLASTING ORDINANCE? Not a shadow, but a memorial? Again, notice, it is the day that is the feast “’ you shall keep it as a feast …’” It is the day that is a feast day – the 15th of Abib/Nisan – not the Passover! And it is to be kept as a Sabbath – or holy convocation, FOREVER!

Exodus 12:16 – “’ On the FIRST DAY [the first day of the seven – the 15th of Abib/Nisan] there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day [the 21st of Abib/Nisan] there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work [as in labor or occupation] shall be done on them; …’”  

We Christians understand and recognize that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate penalty for our sins on the LORD’S Passover and was sacrificed smack dab in the middle of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

And brethren, all of the LORD’s Holy Days are what we call Christocentric. Meaning that they are all centered around JESUS CHRIST! In other words, we shouldn’t be so steeped and so misguided by Judeo-Christianity that we lose focus on who we are to look to! JESUS CHRIST! Recall, Jesus built His Church! The New Covenant Church!

So, if you go to JESUS CHRIST, He will forgive you – and we are told this back in the epistles of John. He is faithful to forgive!

John 6 –

Verse 48 – “’ I AM the bread of life.’” 

The Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are pointing us to ONE THING – Jesus Christ! Brethren, He is that Unleavened Bread of sincerity and truth! He is the meaning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Now, that may sound as if we here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries are part of the “Jesus Only” churches – we are certainly not!

It was not abolished with the Old Covenant

Notice that the Days of Unleavened Bread is a PERIOD – having two DOUBLE holy days. And this period is established FOREVER! The Living Bible translates this verse – “’ You shall celebrate this event each year (this is a permanent law) – to remind you …’” – Exodus 12:14, TLB. The whole period is included. 

That alone should prove that the HOLY DAYS – including the seven Days of Unleavened Bread – are binding today, and FOREVER!

The Passover is again referred to in verse 21 – “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. … 24) And you shall observe this thing as an ORDINANCE for you and your sons FOREVER.’”

A Little Bit of History 

Let’s go back into Catholic history. The Roman Catholic writer, Eusebius, recorded that Polycrates of Ephesus ── and I want to note here: Polycrates of Ephesus, as well as some other church leaders of the 2nd century (those in Asia Minor) refused to accept the authority of the Roman Catholic Church, especially when it came in conflict with God’s true teachings from His living word – the Holy Bible. But Polycrates of Ephesus, around 195 AD, wrote the following – admonishing strongly those who had changed the Passover from the 14th of Nisan to a Sunday ──

“2. We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord's coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate.

3. He fell asleep at Ephesus.

4. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna.

5. Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead?

6. All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven.

7. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said, 'We ought to obey God rather than man.' Acts 5:29.” 

 (Book V, Chapter 24 - https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250105.htm).

Please note ── it was reported that Polycrates had said that he and some of the other early church leaders (such as the apostles Philip and John, Polycarp in Smyrna, Thraseas, Sagaris, Papirius, and Melito) who were not adding or taking away from God’s living word ── because they knew just what God’s word says regarding keeping and observing the holy Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread on the correct dates. Notice also that they “observed the day when the people put away the leaven.” 

Again, here is a link to an article entitled, “What Is Meant... 'Nothing Leavened'?” 

Also, here is our suggested holy day sermon for the FIRST DAY of the Feast of Unleavened Bread for our scattered brethren and other interested people ──  “First Day Unleavened Bread.” □