Keeping The Sabbaths Holy
Part Three
How to keep Passover and Unleavened Bread
by D. J. Love, Minister, TSN, SBC
Refined 4-7-2004
Refined 4-7-2007
Directly below are the proof verses, at the end of the Proof Verses is the summation, and I think you will be surprised at the conclusion. Additionally, a graphic "Timeline" is available for viewing on the "Sacred Calendar" page.
Please make yourself aware, if you are not already aware, that all of The Eternal's Annual "High Sabbaths" are designed by Him to teach those of us with "Ears to Hear" and "Eyes to See" about the True "Plan of Salvation." All High Sabbaths are physical examples of Spiritual Truths and are not to be followed as legalistic rules and regulations, but are to be used as a tool to teach Spiritual Truths.
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Unleavened Bread and Passover
Using The Physical to Spiritual Parallel Principle
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The Physical or Tangible Example
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The Spiritual or Intangible Lesson
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Four Days prior to the first Passover event.
Note: Exodus teaches us how the First Passover as an event originally occurred, but it does not necessarily teach us how to observe Passover, as it has been instituted, as a "Remembrance;" Leviticus teaches us how to remember Passover according to Torah (Law).
Exodus 12:2-3 (as it originally occurred)
2 "This month shall be to you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you.
3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household;
Deuteronomy 16:6
But at the place which the Eternal Elohiym (YHWH) shall choose to place his name in (Spiritually speaking this is His Children, but physically speaking it was the Temple in Jerusalem), there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even (evening), at the going down of the sun (prior to SUNSET), at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.
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During the Four Day period prior to the instituted Passover.
Luke 22:1-2
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew near, which is called the Passover.
2 The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him (Messiah Yahshua, The Human Passover Lamb) to death, ...
Matthew 26:2,5
2 "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."
5 But they said, "Not during the Feast, lest a riot occur among the people."
Note: The Instituted "Passover" is not a scriptural part of The (seven day) Feast of Unleavened Bread, but it does occur during the preceeding minutes just prior to sunset and may even continue into the night hours of The First Day of Unleavened Bread, but must be completed prior to dawn.
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Exodus 12:5-6 (as it originally occurred)
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep or from the goats:
6 and you shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening (Strong's H6153 - tereb, pronounced eh'-reb, which is dusk, evening, even tide, night. Taken from H6150 tarab, aw-rab', the idea of covering or growing dusky near sundown; toward evening).
Note: Traditionally, Josephus records that during the first century the Passover lambs were slaughtered "from the ninth hour (since dawn) till the eleventh" (Book 6, chapter 9, section 3), which corresponds closely to our 3:00-5:00 pm., which still allowed time for roasting over fire at the TEMPLE in Jerusalem (See Luke 23:44).
Note: The lamb (or goat) was sacrificed near the end of the 14th day, prior to sunset. However, the first actual day of "Unleavened Bread" (as Instituted) does not occur until after twilight is over and darkness is upon the land at the beginning of the 15th day of Abib. At the beginning of this period of time, "The Chosen" must remove all leavening agents from their property.
Exodus 12:15
15 Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away yeast out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
Exodus 29:2
2 unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil: you shall make them of fine wheat flour.
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Luke 22:7 (the Preparation Day for The Passover Meal came)
The days (Strong's #G2250, hemera or The Season) of Unleavened Bread (as instituted) came, during which the Passover (Lamb) must be sacrificed.
Note: Since Messiah was to be sacrificed on the Instituted "Preparation Day," (Prior to the Feast of UB; See Mark 14:2; Lest there be an uproar) he was forced to have a "Remembrance" meal with his disciples near the end of the day on the 13th of Abib (Nisan); This seasonal meal is known as a "Chagigah" and it was strictly a peace- offering, that might be twofold. This first Chagigah was traditionally offered on the 14th of Nisan (at the end of the day near a Nisan 13th sunset), the day of the Passover sacrifice (Nisan 14th), and afterwards became part of the Passover Meal. The Mishnah rule is that it was only to be offered if the Passover day fell on a week-day, not on a Shabat, and if the Passover lamb alone would not have been sufficient to give a satisfying supper to the company which gathered around it (Pes. vi. 4).
The second Chagigah was offered on the 15th of Nisan (after sunset on Nisan 14th) or the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is this second Chagigah which the Jews were afraid they might be unable to eat, if they contracted defilement in the judgment-hall of Pilate (John 18:28).
As in the case of all other peace-offerings, part of this Chagigah might be kept, though not for longer than one night and two days from its sacrifice. Being a voluntary offering (A voluntary SELF-Sacrifice in Messiah's case), it was lawful to bring it from sacred things (such as tithes of the flock). But the Chagigah for the 15th of Nisan was obligatory.
Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of YHWH, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto YHWH, which is your reasonable service.
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Leviticus 23:5-6 (as a "Remembrance")
5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even (twilight), is Yahweh's Passover.
6 On the fifteenth day of the same month (less than an hour later) is the "Feast of Unleavened Bread" to Yahweh: seven days you shall eat unleavened (wheat) bread.
Note: The Passover Meal (as a Remembrance) occurs or begins on the fourteenth day during twilight, just before the 14th day ends and the 15th day begins. However, the fourteenth day during the daylight hours is, also, the "Preparation Day," when the Passover meal is prepared.
Leviticus 2:4-7, 11, 13 (the standard method of "Preparation" of Unleavened Bread)
4 When you offer an offering of a meal-offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine (wheat) flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5 If your offering is a meal-offering of the baking-pan, it shall be of unleavened fine (wheat) flour, mingled with oil.
6 You shall cut it in pieces (will be broken prior to eating), and pour oil on it. It is a meal-offering.
7 If your offering be a meal-offering of the frying-pan, it shall be made of fine (wheat) flour with oil.
11 No meal-offering, which you shall offer to Yahweh, shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
13 Every offering of your meal-offering shall you season with salt; neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your Yahweh to be lacking from your meal-offering: with all your offerings you shall offer salt (not lacking, but abundant).
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Luke 22:11-16 (the day before the Preparation Day on Abib 13th.)
11 Tell the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room, where I MAY ( or MAY not ) eat the Passover (Chagigah) with my disciples?"
12 He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations (for a PASSOVER Chagigah PEACE OFFERING Meal) there."
13 They went (while daylight on Nisan 13th), found things as he had told them, and they prepared (for) the Passover (Chagigah PEACE OFFERING Meal).
14 When the hour (dusk) had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles ("The Instituted Passover" meal was still a day away).
15 "And he said to them (while observing The Chagigah Meal): 'I have longingly desired to eat this (COMING) Passover with you before My suffering;
16 however, I tell you that I shall not eat of it, until it can be administered (made replete) in the Coming Kingdom of Yahweh'" (on Earth).
Note: Therefore, he did not eat the "Passover Meal", and will not eat of it until it can be administered in the Kingdom of Yahweh (on Earth).
Note: The word "Replete" stresses "Abundance" and not completeness, unless abundance is the fullness of it! Even so, completeness would merely indicate the end of the FILLING or GROWTH of it, and not the end of its observance. In other words, the "Culmination of the Perfection of Passover" in Yahweh's Kingdom on Earth! The True Passover appears to incorporate The Shema into it.
John 19:31-33
31 Therefore the Jews, because it was the (Instituted) Preparation (Day), so that the bodies wouldn't remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special (HIGH) one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
32 Therefore the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with him;
33 but when they came to Yahshua, and saw that he was already dead (or they thought he was dead; either way), they didn't break his legs.
Note: Couldn't Messiah have shed blood, and still not died? Was physical death a requirement of Messiah's sacrifice OR was it death unto SELF that was the requirement?
Did Jonah die in the belly of the "Great Fish" or was he merely incapacitated for 3 nights and three daylight period of time.
SEE: The Sacrifice of Messiah
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Numbers 9:10-13 (If unable to keep the Passover at its appointed time due to "Uncleanness, sickness, travel.")
10 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be on a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover to Yahweh.
11 In the second month on the fourteenth day at even (twilight) they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs:
12 they shall leave none of it to the morning, nor break a bone of it: according to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep it.
13 But the man who is clean, and is not on a journey, and forbears to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people; because he didn't offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
Note: An Appointed Season is a Moed (H4150). This will be explained in more detail a following message.
Note: The "Blood of Yahshua" (symbolic of personal sacrifice) makes "True Believers", whose lives have become a "Living Sacrifice," after the example of Messiah, "Clean" in Yahweh's eyes for the purpose of observing Yahweh's Holy Days. See "Sacrifice of Messiah."
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Luke 22:17-21 (Nisan 14 begins in darkness or dusk)
17 He (Messiah) received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, "Take this, and share it among yourselves,
18 for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of Yahweh (on Earth) comes." (A Nazarite Vow?)
19 He took bread (G740, Artos, raised bread or leavened bread), and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory (Remembrance) of me."
Note: The Greek word "Artos" used for bread here indicates that the bread of the Chagigah or "Last Supper" was leavened, thereby indicating that The Feast of UB had not yet begun. It, also, indicates that Messiah was neither perfect nor could he be GOD.
20 He took the cup in like manner after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant (New Marriage, but Original Vows) in my blood, that which is (to be) poured out for you.
21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.
(See also, Matthew 26:19-23).
Note: It is not The Covenant (Marriage Vow) that is new, it is The People, with whom Yahweh has made His covenant "In Blood" (Living Sacrifice of "Self"), that are new. Both Covenants require us to Love and Obey Torah (The Covenant).
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Physical Purification for the Ancient Israelite was a "Copy" or "Physical Parallel" to a "Spiritual Truth."
This "Purification" was absolutely required prior to the "Observance of Passover."
John 11:55-57
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover, to purify themselves (to become "Clean").
56 Then they sought for Yahshua (Messiah) and spoke one with another, as they stood in the temple, "What do you think? Isn't he coming to the feast?"
57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had commanded that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, that they might seize him.
2 Chronicles 30:15-20
15 Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh.
16 They stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of Yahweh: the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the Levites.
17 For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites had the charge of killing the Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to Yahweh.
18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah (The High Priest & Foreshadow of Yahshua) had prayed for them, saying, The good Yahweh pardon everyone
19 who sets his heart (through Love) to seek Yahweh, Yahweh, the Yahweh of his fathers, though not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20 Yahweh listened to Hezekiah (Messiah Yahshúa), and healed the people.
See also Ezra 6:20, Nehemiah 12:30 .
Daniel 12:9-10
9 He said, Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
10 Many shall purify themselves (In Yahshua Messiah), and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but those who are wise shall understand.
Note: The Fullness of Passover will not be truly appreciated until the beginning of the Sabbath Millennium, when our High Priest (Yahshua) shall make "Atonement" for the sins of those who "Love Yahweh" and "Follow in Yahshua Footsteps" by living as best that they are able a life of Obedience through Love to Yahweh and His Commandments and Statutes.
The following verses should be in the right column, but were inserted here to save space.
Hebrews 10:16-29
16 "This is the covenant (marriage) that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'" then,
17 "I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more."
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood (Living Sacrifice) of Yahshua,
20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 and having a great (High) priest (Yahshúa) over the house of Yahweh;
22 let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith (replete), having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water (Spiritual Cleansing),
23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope unyieldingly. For he who promised is faithful.
24 Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.
28 A man who has set at nothing Moses' law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.
29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of Yahweh, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
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John 13:2-20
Note: The Washing of one anothers Feet is not only the Symbolic Purification of those who Follow in the Footsteps of Yahshua, and a tool to teach a message of humility; but also, teaches us in a subtile way that we are our Brother's Keeper through the tedious process of purification (1 John 5:16).
2 After supper, the devil (human nature) having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him (Messiah),
3 Messiah Yahshua, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands (authority), and that he came forth from (was Spiritually appointed by) Yahweh, and was (Spiritually) going to Yahweh,
4 arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 Then he (Messiah) poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, "Lord (Messiah), do you wash my feet?"
7 Messiah Yahshúa answered him, "You don't know what I am doing now, but you will understand later."
8 Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet!" Yahshúa answered him, "If I don't wash you, you have no part with me."
9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"
10 Messiah Yahshúa said to him, "Someone who has bathed (a True Believer) only needs to have their feet washed, but is completely clean. You (Peter) are clean, but not all of you (referring to Judas)."
11 For he knew him who would betray him, therefore he said, "You are not all clean."
12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?
13 You call me, 'Teacher' and 'Lord (Master).' You say so correctly, for so I am.
14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
16 Most assuredly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent (Messiah Yahshúa) greater than He (Yahweh) who sent him.
17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
18 I speak not of you all (not Judas). I know whom I have chosen. But that the scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.'
19 From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I AM ("As One" with Yahweh or I will become the "Image of Yahweh.")
20 Most assuredly I tell you, he who receives whoever I send (my servants), receives me; and he who receives me (Messiah Yahshúa), receives Him (Yahweh) who sent me (In other words, distinctly separate persons, but united "As One" in the "Image of Yahweh"). See Holy Spirit.
John 15:1-3
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.
2 Every branch in me that doesn't bear fruit, He takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Note: See Acts 10:14-20 And understand that it is not food that has been cleansed, but those "True Believers" who have been cleansed by their Love and Spiritual Understanding imparted by the Holy Spirit, which in this case are the Gentiles.
Acts 18:4-6 (Paul is clean and decides to be the Apostle to the Gentiles)
Hebrew 9:10-23
18 Therefore even the first covenant (marriage) has not been dedicated without blood (Note: The sheading of blood does not automatically require death, only blood).
19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which Yahweh commanded toward you."
21 Moreover he sprinkled the tent and all the vessels of the ministry in like manner with the blood.
22 According to the law (Torah), nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
23 It was necessary therefore that the copies (tangible physical parallels) of the things in the heavens (intangible Spiritual Truths) should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices (Living Sacrifices) than these.
Note: In other words, Messiah's sacrifice of blood and water satisfied the physical requirement of Torah for "Purification", while his Spiritual Sacrifice through Love cleanses the "True Believer." Therefore, Being "Washed in the Blood" does not mean we are no longer sinners, but that we are merely purified or made clean for the purpose of observing the Holy Days in a worthy manner. Again, I reiterate, death is not an automatic requirement for losing blood.
Atonement for Sin will not occur until Messiah Yahshua returns in the clouds of the sky and the True Believers meet with him there after the Resurrection. This event is symbolized by the Day of Atonement, and is a future event.
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Leviticus 23:6-8 (NOT a part of the "Remembrance")
6 On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened (wheat) bread to Yahweh: seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
7 In the first day you shall have a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work.
8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work.
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1 Corinthians 11:23-27 (as a "Remembrance")
23 For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the master Messiah Yahshúa on the night in which he was betrayed took ("Artos," raised or leavened barley) bread.
24 When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "Take, eat. This (leavened barley bread) is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me" (a "Remembrance").
25 In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant (marriage) in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me" (a "Remembrance").
26 For as often as you eat this (leavened barley) bread, and drink this cup, you proclaim the Master's death (at some future date) until he comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this (leavened barley) bread or drinks the Master's cup in an unworthy manner, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Master.
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Fact One: Yahshua knowingly spoke in parables and anthropomorphisms so that only The Eternal's Chosen Few would understand. For example, "Destroy This Temple and I will raise it up in three days. In this example he refers to H_I_M_S_E_L_F ; So that in hearing they would not hear, and in seeing they would not see. Thus some of the confusion was from a lack of Spiritual Discernment and too much legality (this we can blame on Satan).
Fact Two: Yahshua IS our PASSOVER LAMB (Spiritually Speaking).
So here is what I Spiritually propose to you: Yahshua was Spiritually referring to H_I_M_S_E_L_F when he told his disciples that they should go into the upper chamber to prepare THE PASSOVER Chagigah meal (I believe the disciples knew and understood this); And this is also why Paul said (1Corinthians 11) that whosoever eats THIS PASSOVER (koinonia or communion) unworthily will be GUILTY of eating and drinking JUDGEMENT unto himself not discerning THE MASTERS BODY !!!! (KUDOS to PAUL)
Conclusion: Messiah was not referring to The Traditional Passover meal, but HIMSELF (at The Chagigah - Peace Offering) !!!!
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"The Remembrance"
and
"The Holy Convocations"
"In Summation" Keep all "Annual Holy Days", but without an additional Sacrifice, because Messiah Yahshua is our Passover; and Messiah gave himself on the Instituted Passover as per Leviticus chapter 23. Yahshua was not sacrificed on the 13th of Abib, but was crucified approximately 12 noon, and was close to death by approximately 3PM near the end of the 14th of Nisan (Abib); which is the Preparation Day on or about the traditional ninth "work" hour.
Celebrate this joyous occasion with other True Believers, not as a Holy Convocation, but as a gathering of close friends and/or Family. Remember . . .
Matthew 18:20
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them."
As for those that cannot observe "The Remembrance" (Chagigah "Peace Offering") at the appointed time, due to travel or sickness; it is important for "True Believers" to remember that they are not "unclean" for observance purposes, but if you are legitimately prevented from the First Observance, then you must attempt your observance one Sacred Calendar month later on the same numbered days, in the exact same manner, even if you are alone. Yahweh and Yahshua honor the "Intents of the Heart."
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