What did the unleavened bread picture for Israel?
The unleavened bread pictured Israel as a nation whose sins had been atoned for or cleansed. It followed Passover, beginning the next day and continuing seven days, visibly representing that cleansing. Paul brings the same analogy into teaching today, applying it to sin in individual lives and in the church.
Les teaches that the practice went all the way back to the Passover in Egypt. The very next day after Passover began the seven days of unleavened bread. During that time Israel was to be pictured as a nation whose sins had been atoned for or cleansed, and they were to picture that with the unleavened bread. Les then explains that Paul brings that same analogy into our teaching today. Believers must look at sin in their individual lives and in the life of the church, just like the leaven in the bread of Egypt. To be a new lump as you are unleavened means we have been forgiven, cleansed, and, so far as God is concerned, are without sin. But if a little leaven is left in our life, it will not be long until it expands and expands and consumes us again. This connects to Christ our Passover being sacrificed for us. Les also notes the doorposts, the two side posts, and the top, which in the mind's eye picture the outline of the cross.
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.
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:
Why did Israel eat unleavened bread after Passover?
Israel ate unleavened bread for seven days after Passover to picture a nation whose sins had been atoned for and cleansed. The unleavened bread portrayed them as unleavened—forgiven and, so far as God was concerned, without sin. It was a visual lesson tied to the Passover in Egypt.
What did the seven days of unleavened bread after Passover picture for Israel?
The seven days of unleavened bread pictured Israel as a nation whose sins had been atoned for or cleansed. The unleavened bread symbolized that cleansing, while leaven pictured sin; after Passover, Israel was to live as a people cleansed from sin.
More Questions
How does Paul's unleavened bread analogy apply to sin in the church today?
Paul brings the same unleavened-bread analogy into Christian teaching today, so we must look at sin both in our individual lives and in the life of the church, just as leaven was dealt with in the bread of Egypt.