When did the seven days of unleavened bread start in relation to Passover?
The seven days of unleavened bread began the very next day after Passover, going back to the Passover in Egypt. They pictured a nation whose sins had been atoned for or cleansed, and that cleansing was pictured with unleavened bread. Paul brings this same analogy into teaching today.
Les teaches that the seven days of unleavened bread went all the way back to the Passover in Egypt, and the very next day after Passover was the seven days of unleavened bread. The people were now pictured as a nation whose sins had been atoned for or cleansed, and they pictured that with the unleavened bread. Paul brings that same analogy into our teaching today: we must look at sin in our individual lives and in the life of the church, just like the leaven in the bread of Egypt. Scripture says we should be a new lump as we are unleavened. Being unleavened means we have been forgiven and cleansed, and so far as God is concerned, without sin. But if we leave a little leaven in our life, it will expand and consume us again. Even as Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Les also points to the doorposts, the two side posts and one on top, where in the mind's eye one can picture the outline of the cross, which he is sure God had in mind.
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.