"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. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever." (Exod.12:15-18)

What does "leaven" model for the Church today?

The apostle Paul used this feast as his foundation for discipline in the Church. "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."  (1 Cor 5:6-9)

1.  Leaven is a type of "doctrine."
     Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of 
     the Sadducees. (Matt 16:6) How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you
     concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
     Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the
     doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (Matt 16:11-13)
     a.  The doctrine of "hypocrisy."
           "In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people,
           insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, 
           Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." (Luke 12:1)
     b.  The doctrine of "unbelief in the supernatural"
           "Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked 
           him, saying,..." (Mark 12:18-19, Acts.23:5-9)

2.  Leaven is a type of "malice and wickedness."
     Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and
     wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."  (1 Cor 5:6-9)

3.  Leaven is a type of being "entangled with the yoke of bondage" 
     For in "Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which
     worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This
     persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."
     (Gal 5:6-9)

4.  Leaven is a type of "compromise"
     "And he (Jesus) charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and 
     of the leaven of Herod.Mark 8:15-16

     Conclusion: 
     Leaven is the frailty and weakness of our humanity, the old man, the flesh that is "enmity (hostile)
     against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Rom.8:7)

No leaven to be found in their "house" for seven days
     
"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." (Exod.12:15) This Feast is foreshadowed at our Salvation (Passover), we are completely made clean, and it is our responsibility to remain clean.

1.  Significance of the number "Seven"
     The number "seven" is always in association with the thought of completeness, maturity,
     perfection. 
     a.  On the seventh day God rested, because His work was finished. (Gen.2:1-3)
     b.  Under the Law, the leper was declared completely clean after seven days. (Lev.13:1-51)
     c.  The Feast days were complete within a seventh month period of time. (Lev.23:23-41)
     b.  Joshua and the children of Israel marched around the walls of Jericho, seven times on the
          seventh day, and Jericho was completely destroyed. (Josh.6:1-27)
     c.  Naaman was completely healed of his leprosy after he had dipped in the river Jordan 
          seven times. (2Kings.1-14)
     d.  The Mystery of God is finished at the sounding of the seventh trump. (Rev.10:7)

2.  Israel left Egypt leaven free!
     We are completely made clean at Salvation (Passover) We have been made "a new lump" 
     (Born Again) completely clean from Egypt, the old life. Not a remake, or a New Years resolution.
     a.  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. 
          For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. (1Cor.5:7)
     b.  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; 
          (all the leaven, i.e. our flesh, old life / Egypt. Bondage to sin.) behold, all things are become
          new. (2Cor.5:17)

3.  We are the "house." (The Temple, Tabernacle)
      "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. (Exod.12:15)
      a.  "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a 
           building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Cor 5:1)
      b.  "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up 
           spiritual." (1 Peter 2:5)

     Conclusion:
     At our Salvation we have been made completely clean, i.e. no leaven in our house. It is now our
     responsibility not to allow any uncleanness of the flesh to be found in our lives. i.e our house. We
     are to remain completely clean. i.e. no leaven found for seven days.

Water Baptism puts the "leaven" out of our house
Our Water Baptism buries the old life (the leaven of the sin and human frailty and weakness of our flesh ) and puts it out of our house.

1.  The importance of Water Baptism 
     After salvation, (Passover) the next step is water baptism. (Acts 2:38-39) The pattern constantly
     reveals this to be true. As in the type (model) of the feast of unleavened bread, it is a serious
     matter. (Exod.12:15 Note the words "cut off") It is a command, not an option.
     a.  Jesus said,"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
          Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt 28:19-20)
     b.  The apostle Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
          Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
          (Acts 2:38-39)
     c.  "When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the
          name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." (Acts 8:12-13)
     d.  "Immediately there fell from his (Paul's / Saul's) eyes as it had been scales: and he received
          sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized." (Acts 9:18-19)     
     e.  After preaching the Gospel to the house of Cornelius, Peter said,"Can any man forbid water,
          that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he
          commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry
          certain days. (Acts 10:47-11)
      f.  "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 19:5-6)

2.  Water Baptism is also foreshadowed by the Red Sea.
     "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under 
     the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and 
     in the sea." (1 Cor 10:1-3) 
     a.  What did the Red Sea do, it "cut off" and "buried" Egypt. God told Moses, "for the Egyptians
          (the leaven, the old life) whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
          (Ex 14:13)
     b.  Paul wrote, "Knowing this, that our old man (Egyptian bondage, leaven) is crucified with him,
          that the body of sin might be destroyed, (Passover) that henceforth we should not serve sin.
          (Rom 6:6-7) i.e. The Egyptian taskmasters. (Exod.1:11) 
          It is the same pattern.
           
 
3.  Water Baptism is also the fulfillment of Circumcision.
     In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off 
     the body of the sins of the flesh (the putting away of leaven - Exod.12:15) by the circumcision
     of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him (Firstfruits) through the
     faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Col 2:11-13, Rom.2:28-29)
     a.  What is "circumcision?"
           It began as the seal to the Covenant that God made with Abraham. "This is my covenant,
           which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among 
           you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a
           token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised
           among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with
           money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed."  
           (Gen 17:10-12)      
     b.  Those that refused were "cut off from his people" Our Water Baptism carries the same
          serious charge! Water Baptism is not an option, it is a command, just as circumcision was.
          (Gen 17:14, Matt.28:19)
     c.  At circumcision is where the child received his name.
          At the circumcision both John the Baptist and Jesus received their names. "And when eight
          days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which
          was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Gen.17:9-14, Lev.12:3, 
          Luke.1:57-66; 2:21-22) 
          - The pattern continues in Christ Jesus. We receive our name at Water Baptism.
             (Matt.28:19 "into the name of" Acts.2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5)
          - Note: God requires His name to be recorded on us. The pattern has not changed!  
             (Exod.20:24, Deut.12:5, 11; 14:23; 16:2, 23,-24; 16:2, 6, 11, Matt.16:18:20, Col.3:17,
             Acts.15:17) 
          - This is where we receive the "family" name. (Eph.5:13) 
          - The antichrist will copy the pattern of the name. 
             (Rev.13:17)
     d.  Circumcision made the distinction between the "children of the flesh of Abraham" and 
          the Gentiles (all other Nations) Israel, "the children of the flesh of Abraham" (Rom.9:8)
          were known as the "circumcision," (Rom.4:12, Eph.2:11, Titus.1:10) and the Gentiles (every
          other Nation) were called the "uncircumcision." Our Water Baptism separates us unto God
          and makes a distinct difference between us and this world. (It should!)


Next is "The Feast of Firstfruits," the third and final division of the Feast of Passover in the first month.