For more understanding on these important questions, lets look at the scriptures on the subject. 

Lets notice that the days of unleavened bread are to be kept joyfully
and notice the other requirements for the keeping of the days. Gladness, praising God singing, learning good knowledge of the Lord, and confessing our sins.

2 CH 30 v 21

And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

2Ch 30:22  And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers. 

The first and last days of unleavened bread should not be the only days on which we study and contemplate the meaning of the days.  The whole seven days should be observed.  If we cannot meet as a group for regular church sevices, we should have a bible study at home on the following topics for each day.

1ST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD      Meaning of the 1st day REMEMBER    THIS DAY GOD BROUGHT YOU OUT WITH A STRONG HAND... THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND REMINDER FOR WAVE SHEAF 

 2ND DAY  TALK ABOUT WAVE SHEAF [WE ARE PUTTING THIS HERE, BUT EACH YEAR IT WILL BE ON A DIFFERENT DAY DURING THE DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD,} SO NOTE THE WAVE SHEAF DAY WILL DIFFER FROM YEAR TO YEAR HOWEVER IT IS ALWAYS ON A  SUNDAY
…….CONSEQUENCES OF SIN AND LEAVING IT BEHIND

3rd DAY         BREAD OF AFFLICTION

4TH DAY      JOY GLADNESS AND SINGING and CHRIST RAISED FROM THE HEART OF THE EARTH

5TH DAY      PRAISE GOD AND CHRIST AND THANKFUL FOR CHRISTS   SACRIFICE

6TH DAY      PUT SPIRITUAL BEFORE PHYSICAL AND MAKING CONFESSIONS TO THE LORD 

7TH DAY      MEANING OF THE LAST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD AND GOD GIVES US THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME AND BE MORE SPIRITUAL 
 

THE FIRST DAY  OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
 

The first day of unleavened bread pictures the coming out of Egypt and the resurrection of Christ.

Firstly we will look at the exodus from Egypt

EX 13 V 3-5

Exo 13:3  And Moses said to the people, Remember this day in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. For Jehovah brought you out from this place by the strength of His hand. There shall be no leaven eaten. 
Exo 13:4  You are going out this day in the month Abib. 
Exo 13:5  And it shall be when Jehovah shall bring you into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 
 

Notice that the last day of Unleavened Bread, is a solemn assembly 

DEU 16 V 8

Deu 16:8  Six days you shall eat unleavened bread. And on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to Jehovah your God. You shall do no work. 
 

Lev 23:5  In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover. 
Lev 23:6  And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 
Lev 23:7  In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 

It is important that we eat unleavened bread during these days, and it is important that there be no leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. 

EX 13 V 7

Exo 13:7  Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And there shall be no leavened bread seen with you, nor shall there be leaven seen with you in all your borders. 
 

We make some unleavened bread with bitter herbs and spices
we make sure we eat a piece of this every day to remind us that it is the bread of affliction.  The bitter taste is a good way to bring to mind the unplesantness of the results of sin. 

Notice that unleavened bread is the bread of affliction.  The reason for this is because we need to realize the consequences of sin. To afflict means to be humble, to answer for something, to debase... We need to be humble and be accountable for our actions. Sin has caused the death of Jesus Christ.  We must realize this.
We must contemplate the seriousness of our sins and the misery they cause. 

Notice in the verse below that we are to remember  the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

For us today we must remember our calling when we were called.  This was something we used to talk about frequently in the church, the circumstances up to and just after our calling, but today a large number in the church have either forgotten those circumstances or deny that there was such a thing as a calling from God.

DO NOT BE DECEIVED THERE IS A DEFINATE TIME WHEN GOD CALLS US.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Christ himself stated in the above verse that we simply cannot come to Him unless the Father draws or calls us.  There is no other way..............................

Now with this firmly in our minds God wants us to remember when we were called, and these days are just the time to reflect on this mniracle in our lives.

During these days we need to think about the miracle from God that changed the way we thought about God about the way we looked at life, and how at a certain point in time that all changed for us. Suddenly we could understand things in the bible, each person has their own special story to tell and how interesting it is to listen to each persons experience, what a joy this is to share this special event with people of like mind.

The days of unleavend bread is the time to think on this and to share our own experiences with others.

One of the greatest physical miracles which was the opening of the Red Sea, coincides with one of the greatest spiritual miracles
which is the opening of our minds and then baptisim, which makes the way to eternal life available to us.

Deu 16:3  You shall eat no leavened bread with it. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of affliction, for you came forth out of the land of Egypt in haste, so that you may remember the day that you came forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 
 

The bread of affliction is also a reminder that the Israelites endured affliction while they were in bondage in the land of Egypt

Exo 3:17  And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 

WE MUST REMEMBER

When Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy he repeated the 10 commandments of Exodus, it is very interesting that the words regarding the departure from Egypt are mentioned, and that again we are told to REMEMBER.

Deu 5:15  And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and with a stretched-out arm. Therefore Jehovah your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day. 
 

We were in slavery in Egypt but now we are free.

Deu 15:15  And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this thing today. 
 

The reason why we keep this feast should be explained to our children 

EX 13 V 8

And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. 

God did not want Israel to forget that He brought them up out of the land of Egypt, 
So this feast day was a sign, a memorial, of that event. 
Egypt pictured sin, when the Israelites left Egypt, that was a type of leaving sin behind, and we can only know what sin is by knowing what the law is, sin is transgression of Gods Law.  1John 3 v 4 

EX 13 V 9

And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. 
Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.

So today we remember how God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and how that pictures today, us leaving sin behind and filling our hearts and minds with Gods law, if we make Gods law an all consuming passion in our lives, if we treat it as hidden treasure, and search the scriptures daily with our whole heart and mind, then we will be on the road to leaving sin behind.  Naturally we will never be perfect as Christ was, but we must try to be like He was. 
Remember it is the intent of the  heart that God looks for. 

Also we need to remember the time that God called us out of this world, and into the understanding of His truth and the path that leads to eternal life.

EPH 4 V 13 

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

It is important to God that we remember the day that Israel left Egypt.  Keeping the right day in the right manner and on the right time is part of the restoration of knowledge. 

Exo 13:3  And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 

BY STRENGTH OF HAND

God brought the Israelites out by strength of hand
this must also be remembered.

Exo 13:3  And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 

Exo 13:14  And it shall be when your sons asks you in time to come, saying, What is this? you shall say to him, Jehovah brought us out of Egypt by the strength of His hand, from the house of bondage. 

Exo 13:16  And it shall be for a token upon your hand, and for frontlets between your eyes. For Jehovah brought us out from Egypt by strength of His hand. 
 

Lets look at how God brought the Israelites out of Egypt.
A group of   well over a million travelling from Rameses to Pihahiroth, to cross the Red Sea.  In 1967 an army marched almost the identical route and it took them 6 days.
The Israelites left after midnight on the beginning of the 1st day of unleavened bread  {15th of Abib}stopped at Succoth, Etham and Pihahiroth and crossed the Red Sea  all night of 18th Abib.
This means the Israelites took 3 days to make this huge journey

HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE.

Remember God brought them  out with a strong hand.

Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 

Their departure was organised in advance, they left in army formation and marched out.

Exo 12:51  And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies. 

The following verse gives further proof of how God made it possible for their speedy journey.

Exo 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 

Our carnal minds would think that the people would not be able to travel at fast speeds for this distance without collapsing with fatigue, but do not leave God out of the picture.  Notice this is how it was possible.

Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

The following verse shows when the Israelites kept the last day of unlevened bread. This was three days from the crossing of the Red Sea when they reached Marah.

Exo 8:27  We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us. 

Exo 15:22  So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 

The Israeites crossed the Red Sea on the night  {beginning 18th Abib} In the morning still the 18th they travelled,18th, 19th, 20th were the three days into the wilderness they had to travel before they sacrificed to the Lord.  The 21st  was the last day of Unleavened bread .

Exo 8:27  We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us. 

THE 21ST OF ABIB WAS THE LAST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, WHICH WAS WHEN THEY REACHED  MARAH. .

It was truely amazing how God brought the Israelites out of Egypt with a strong hand.

NOW THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

1ST HOLY   DAY  2ND SERVICE

Here is amazing new knowledge for the church.
Was the resurrection of Christ the same as when He was raised from the dead.

Lets look at the scriptures and see the amazing new knowledge on this subject.

Lets see that the resurrection and the time that Christ was raised from the dead are in fact two different times.  Astounding and yet very true.

Firstly we will look at the days from Christ death until He was raised from the dead.

Christ died on Wednesday, 14th Abib at approximately 3 pm in the afternoon. On Passover day also called The preparation day.

Joh 19:14  And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 

Mar 15:34  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
Mar 15:35  And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 
Mar 15:36  And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. 
Mar 15:37  And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 
Mar 15:38  And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 

Before Christ was buried there was several things that happened. Joseph of Arimathaea went and asked for the body of Christ.

Mar 15:43  Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. 

Joh 19:38  And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 

His body was then removed by both Joseph and Nicodemus from the cross, this in itself would have been time consuming as the nails would have been removed in such a way as to not harm the body of Christ any more than it was already.  I am sure this would have been done with great sorrow and with every care. Showing dignity and love for Christ.

Then His body was anointed with spices and wrapped according to Jewish custom.

Joh 19:39  And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 
Joh 19:40  Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 

Christ was buried before sunset, as the next day was the holy day, the First Day of Unleavened Bread.

Joh 19:31  The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 

Christ died around 3 pm Wednesday afternoon and was buried sometime between 3 pm and sundown.  Before the Sabbath.

Luk 23:53  And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 
Luk 23:54  And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 

Time was getting on, the garden where Christ was buried was at the place where He was crucified.

Joh 19:41  Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 
Joh 19:42  There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. 

Notice that the sepulchre belonged to Joseph of Arimathaea

Mat 27:59  And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 
Mat 27:60  And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 

Most readers have probably not been to Jerusalem and seen first hand the sepulchre where Christ was buried.  We have seen it and it is above the ground. 
Today when we bury someone they are placed under the ground probably around 6 feet deep. 
But in stark contrast the sepulchre of Christ is not under the ground but as the scriptures state it is hewn out of rock. Christ was actually laid a few feet above  ground level, not under the ground at all.

Mat 27:60  And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 

The sepulchre is not under the earth.  So this burial was not what Christ was talking about when He said He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  What He was referring to was what would happen to Him after He was resurrected on Thursday morning. 

Sometime Thursday morning, the first day of unleavened bread, Christ was resurrected.

The sepulchre had a large stone placed at the opening, this was sealed some time Thursday, the 15th Nisan, the First Day of Unleavened Bread, and a watch of the guards placed there.

Mat 27:62  Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 

Mat 27:64  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 
Mat 27:65  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 
Mat 27:66  So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. 

When Jesus was resurrected He folded His grave clothes and departed to Hell.

Joh 20:6  Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 
Joh 20:7  And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 

It was some time Thursday morning the 15th the First Day of Unleavened bread that Christ was resurrected.  He was to then go to Hell or Hades for three days and three nights.  The three days are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the three nights are Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night. He rose from the dead Sunday morning, early.

Mat 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

Act 2:27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 

Rev 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 

Christ was resurrected into a physical body because this body was destroyed in Hell

Mar 14:58  We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 

Christ descended to Hell

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 
Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 
Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 

What did Christ do when He descended to Hell.  He spoke to the spirits in prison.

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 
1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 
1Pe 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 

Lets recap on the events so far, Christ died, on Wednesday, He poured out His soul unto death.

Isa 53:12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 

When He died He asked the Father to take His spirit.

Luk 23:46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 

When He was resurrected He was resurrected to flesh, but His soul and spirit were with Him.

The following verse shows that Christs soul was with Him in hell

Act 2:27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 

The following verse shows that Christs spirit was with Him in hell.  Notice it was by the spirit He went and preached to the spirits in prison.

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 

1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 

He then preached to the spirits in prison

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 
1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 
1Pe 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 

A further example of the ones Christ preached to in Hell

Jud 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 

This flesh body of Christ was then destroyed in Hell or Hades.

Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 

This destroying of Christs body did not happen at his crucifixion, because it is not three days from Wednesday afternoon till Sunday morning when He was raised.  Also His body was not destroyed at the crucifixion, yes it was beaten and battered but not destroyed. 

The Father then raised up Christ on Sunday morning.

Mat 16:21  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 

Act 2:24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 

Act 2:32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 

Act 10:40  Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 

The following scripture shows clearly that Christ was raised on Sunday morning.

The stone was rolled away

Mat 28:1  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 
Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 

Then  Christ appeared to Mary first.

Mar 16:9  Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 

The following event also happened very early on Sunday morning because Christ had not ascended to the Father.

Joh 20:17  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 

A very short time afterwards people were able to touch Him and so He had returned from the Father

Mat 28:9  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. 

Christ appeared in many different forms to the brethren during the 40 days He was with them.  Mary thought He was the gardener, He walked to a town with two of them in another form  and they did not know Him.

He also told them that He was flesh

Luk 24:39  Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 
Luk 24:40  And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 

It is very clear in this article that the time of Christs resurrection occurred early Thursday morning on the first day of Unleavened Bread.

Then Christ spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth preaching to the spirits in prison.

Then early Sunday morning He was raised from the dead [the dead here refers to hell]

This is very important new knowledge for the church. We have shown very clearly that the resurrection of Christ and the time that He was raised from the dead are two different times.
He was resurrected on Thursday morning, He was raised on Sunday morning.
 
 
 
 
 

2 ND DAY   CONS EQUENCES OF SIN AND LEAVING IT BEHIND

Do we take our actions seriously.  Our sins have caused the death of Christ.
Sin may seem pleasurable for a short moment, but the effects of that fleeting moment may be felt for a life time.

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 

We must not take our sins lightly, God does not.  It is a very hard thing to find people who are trying to live a Godly life in the end time.

Rom 3:11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 
Rom 3:12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 

Unless we take control of our lives and make every effort to develop character and resist sin, then sin will win out. 

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 

1Jo 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

Are we servants to sin or obedience.   If the answer is sin then the death penalty hangs over us.

The following scriptures make it plain that sin is serious and has a price tag of death.
Lets not take it lightly and fool around in dangerous ground.  Lets be serious regarding sin and put it out of our lives before it takes root and grows. 

Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 

Jam 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Christ died because of our sins 

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

Make no mistake, sin will result in death.

Jam 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 
Jam 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 
Jam 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

When the Israelites left Egypt it was a type of leaving sin behind.  In order to leave our sins behind, we must realise the seriousness of them, and strive to replace them with good. We need to look honestly at ourselves and see ourselves as God sees us.  We must be able to judge ourselves.

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

If we look at ourselves honestly we are able to see the sins which we need to work on and rid from our lives.  If we kid ourselves and think we aren’t too bad, we probably won’t see too much sin, and therefore instead of leaving it behind it becomes acceptable to us and we reason that it probably isn’t too bad.

BE CAREFUL SATAN IS THE MASTER OF DISGUISE

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 

Lets look at the wave sheaf which always falls on a Sunday during unleavened bread.
Each year it will be different what day of the 7 days the wave sheaf will fall on, so this needs to be noted by the reader.  We are  putting the wave sheaf in on the 2nd day here, as it falls on that day in the  year of writing this article,  it is always the first Sunday after the first day of unleavened bread.

If the first day of unleavened bread is a Monday, then the first Sunday will in fact be the last day of unleavened bread, so this would be the day of the wave sheaf, Sunday  the last day of unleavened bread. 
 

WAVE SHEAF

LEV 23 V 10-14

10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 11And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf and the lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. 13And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. 14And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

This ceremony is to be kept forever in your generations just as the Passover is to be kept forever.

The Wave Sheaf pictures Jesus Christ offering Himself to the Father on behalf of Gods people.

NOTE THE SIMILARITIES

{A} Sheaf to be waved the morrow after the Sabbath

LEV 23 V 11

11And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

{A} Christ was first seen after He was raised on the first day of the week
 

JOHN 20 V 1-16

1The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

11But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

{B} The Israelites were to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits

LEV 23 V 10

0Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 

{B} Christ is called the firstfruits, Christ is the first of the firstfruits

1 COR 15 V 20, 23

20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

{C} The sheaf is to be accepted by the Father for the Israelites

LEV 23 V 11

11And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

{C} Christ ascends to the Father. This is when Christs God and Father becomes our God and Father.

JOHN 20 V 17

7Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

{D} No grain to be eaten till an offering is made to God

LEV 23 V 14

14And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

{D} Christ not to be touched till He ascends to the Father

JOHN 20 V 17

7Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 

Christ has fulfilled both the Passover and the Wave Sheaf, but only the Passover ceremony is kept by the church. The reason is revealed in scripture, and is quite amazing.

Look back to Lev. 23 v 10 read these words:

When you come into the land which I give unto you

The ceremony was not to be kept till the promised land was reached.

Joshua kept the Wave Sheaf offering when he entered the promised land.

Gods people will not keep the Wave Sheaf ceremony until they have Gods Spirit  the spirit of power.{Eternal Life} The article Eternal Life shows that God gives His spirit when He is satisfied that we have the knowledge of the Father and a proper love of the brethren. And we obey God. {at baptism we receive the down payment of Gods Spirit, it is called the Ernest of the Spirit or pledge of the Spirit.} the Holy Spirit of power  is given much later.

EPH 1 V 13-14

13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Also see our articles God the Father revealed and Called and Chosen and Faithfull

If we reject these requirements we will also reject the Wave Sheaf ceremony.

As the day of Pentecost is counted from the day the Wave Sheaf is offered it would seem an appropriate offering would be

1. to offer ourselves to God as one of the firstfruits

2. an offering of thanks to Jesus Christ for His sacrifice 

3. an offering to God the Father for the knowledge of eternal life.

This offering should take the form of a prayer of thanksgiving as the following scripture indicates:

PSALM 116 V 17

17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD
 

3RD DAY BREAD OF AFFLICTION
 

Unleavened bread is called the bread of affliction….. why.  This is the time that we are to ponder on our many sins and what these sins have caused, and the wedge our sins have put between us and God.
The word afflict means to humble, to answer for something, to debase, to depress 

Deu 16:3  Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

Notice how in the following verses if we afflict ourselves the difference in our attitude.  When we eat the bread of affliction, we will afflict ourselves. Because we will become humble we are able to have a closer relationship with God. 

2Ch 33:12  And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 
2Ch 33:13  And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. 

Notice the following scripture, it is through affliction that God chooses us
So we need to go through affliction.  Again we need to have the bread of affliction.

Isa 48:10  Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

So we see that to eat the bread of affliction is to realize the seriousness of our sins, to acknowledge our sins, to come to understand what our sins have caused.  We must repent of our sins, be truly sorry for the way we are. 
Make a list of our sins, take this list before God in prayer and ask God to help us to see our sins clearly, to have the strength and courage to overcome these sins.
No sin is easy to put out of our lives and overcome, it is the difficult ones that satan will continue to use against us, he knows our weaknesses and uses them as tools.  If they were not hard to get rid of, then satan would not use them.
It takes a lifetime of struggle and we need to be led by Gods spirit, to go in the right direction.  If we reisist the devil he will flee from us.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Jam 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Psa 32:5  I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 

Remember that our sins have caused the death of Christ.

Heb 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 
Heb 7:28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. 

Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

Our sins cause us to be separated from God

Isa 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 

We need to be humble, notice the reasons why God led the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness

Deu 8:2  And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. 

God will hear us if we will humble ourselves and turn from our sins.

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Leaven puffs up…..so we need to put leaven out of our lives, we need to get rid of things like malice and wickedness, and replace them with sincerity and truth.

1Co 5:7  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: 

1Co 5:8  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. 
 

MALICE

The following scriptures give us some good areas to study and examine ourselves to see if we have these things in our lives, if we do we need to try very hard to rid them out of our lives.  Lets measure ourselves with the words of God and honestly see ourselves as God does.  This is the season for this very action. 

Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 

Tit 3:3  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 

1Pe 2:1  Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 

WICKEDNESS

Psa 55:15  Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. 
Psa 55:16  As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. 

Jer 23:14  I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

DO WE HAVE SINCERITY AND TRUTH

Now that we try to put out the old leaven of malice and wickedness, lets keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth

Jos 24:14  Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 

2Co 1:12  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

Tit 2:7  In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 

1Ki 2:4  That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel. 

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 

It is very important to remember the day that God brought the Israelites out of Egypt.  To keep this day in the correct manner and on the correct day is part of the restoration of all things.

Exo 13:7  Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. 
Exo 13:8  And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. 
Exo 13:9  And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
Exo 13:10  Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. 

The bread of affliction is a very important part of the days of Unleavened Bread.  Lets study to understand the new knowledge on this subject.  To keep the season as God intended. Remember all things will be restored, the keeping of the holy days on the correct day and in the correct manner is part of this restoration. 

4TH DAY JOY GLADNESS AND SINGING  AND
CHRIST RAISED FROM THE HEART OF THE EARTH

It is important to celebrate the holy days in the correct  manner as well as on the correct days.  God wants us to understand the meaning of these days, but the manner in which they are kept is also of great importance.
To be joyful is important, it is one of the fruits of the spirit

Lets first look at joy

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

Notice how the days of unleavened bread were kept in the days of Darius

Ezr 6:22  And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. 

God wants us to be joyful, in His kingdom there are joys for ever more

Psa 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. 

David showed joy on the holy days

Psa 42:4  When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday

God rejoices over us with joy.

Zep 3:17  The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. 

Phi 1:25  And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 

GLADNESS

Again we need to learn the manner in which the days are to be kept.  We need to be glad for many reasons, we know the meaning of the feast of unleavened bread, we have seen our sins and we are trying to put them out of our lives, the penalty for sin has been paid in full by Jesus Christ and His unselfish sacrifice.  Knowing these things should bring joy to our hearts. 

This next scripture is interesting, it suggests that the days of unleavened bread were kept like the feast of tabernacles, because the levites and priests praised the Lord day by day.  Notice the feast was kept with great gladness 

2Ch 30:21  And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. 

The feast of unleavened bread was enjoyed so much that they decided to keep another seven days, with gladness

2Ch 30:23  And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. 

When we are changed into spirit beings, we are given joy and gladness by God, therefore we can see it is a trait that we need to have in this life, lets be glad in our feast days.

Isa 51:11  Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. 

In this scripture we see an interesting point, the levites made confession to the Lord God during the days of unleavened bread.  Now these confessions were the sins of Israel and their own personal sins, we need to see our sins and confess them to God.  It is vital that we confess the sins of Israel also.

2Ch 30:22  And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers. 

Notice that Aaron confessed the sins of Israel to God on the day of Atonement. 

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 

Notice that also Nehemiah prayed for the sins of Israel

Neh 1:6  Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. 

It is interesting to note the prayer of Nehemiah regarding the sins of Israel

Neh 1:7  We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. 
Neh 1:8  Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 
Neh 1:9  But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. 
Neh 1:10  Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 
Neh 1:11  O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer. 

SINGING

God  loves us to sing to Him. It is fitting to sing hymns during the days of unleavened bread, these hymns are uplifting and praise our God.

Psa 47:7  For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. 

The whole earth will one day sing to God

Psa 66:4  All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. 

David loved to sing praises to God, and he states here that he will do it till he dies.

Psa 104:33  I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. 

CHRIST RAISED FROM THE HEART OF THE EARTH

As we stated earlier in the feast, Christ gave a sign that He would be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth.

Mat 12:39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 
Mat 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

Christ died on the 14th Abib which was  Wednesday afternoon around 3 pm.  He was buried before sunset.

When Christ was buried He was put in a tomb which was above the ground, He was not in the earth at all.

Sometime early Thursday morning Christ was resurrected back to physical flesh.

He then descended into hell

Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 
Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 

The reason Christ went down to the heart of the earth or hell as it is also called in the scriptures was to preach to the disobedient spirits held in prison there.
 

1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 
1Pe 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 
 

Christ stayed there Thursday Friday and Saturday  which is the three days  and
Thursday Friday and Saturday nights. which was the three nights.
He was raised from this place, raised from the dead [because those in hell were spiritually dead]
on Sunday morning He was raised physical because His body was destroyed in Hell.

Christs body was destroyed in this place called hades or hell

Mar 14:58  We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands

But His soul was not destroyed.

Act 2:27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 

The following verse shows that Christs spirit was with Him in hell, notice it was by the spirit.........

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 

1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 

Notice the following scripture

Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 

This destroying of Christs body did not happen at his crucifixion, because it is not three days from Wednesday afternoon till Sunday morning when He was raised.  Also His body was not destroyed at the crucifixion, yes it was beaten and battered but not destroyed. He was killed, Christ did die on the cross but His body was not destroyed.

The Father then raised up Christ on Sunday morning.

Mat 16:21  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 

Act 2:24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 

Act 2:32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 

Act 10:40  Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 
 

The following scripture shows clearly that Christ was raised on Sunday morning.

The stone was rolled away

Mat 28:1  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 
Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 

When Christ was raised He was raised into the garden and not the tomb in which He was buried.

Notice the following scriptures, the stone was rolled away and Christ was not inside He had risen outside the tomb.

Mat 28:5  And the angel answered and said to the women, Do not fear, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 
Mat 28:6  He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 
 

Then  Christ appeared to Mary first.

Mar 16:9  Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 

The following event also happened very early on Sunday morning because Christ had not ascended to the Father.

Joh 20:17  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 

A very short time afterwards people were able to touch Him and so He had returned from the Father

Mat 28:9  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. 

We need to uinderstand clearly that there is a difference between the time of the Resurrection of Christ and the time He was raised from the dead.

We have shown clearly that Christ was resurrected on the first day of unleavened bread early in the morning.  Which in the time of Christ was Thursday morning.

We have also shown clearly that Christ was raised from the dead, or brought up from hell or hades, which is a place of prison for the disobedient spirit beings, on the 4th day of unleavened bread. Which in the time of Christ was Sunday morning.
 
 
 

5TH DAY      PRAISE GOD AND CHRIST AND THANKFUL FOR CHRISTS  SACRIFICE

PRAISE  GOD

Again lets make reference to how the feast of unleavened bread should be kept

Lets look at Praise to God notice that day by day the Levites and the priests praised God.  So each day of the feast of unleavened bread we should praise God. 

2Ch 30:21  And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. 

Here is an interesting scripture, we must be careful of how we speak, we must not join in with the world and use coarse language because if we guard our speech God says He will show us the salvation of God 

Psa 50:23  Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

God is merciful and is full of goodness, and does wonderful things for man, we need to be mindful of these things. Without His loving kindness we would not have a plan for salvation.  We are mere mortals, and yet God cares what happens to us and is involved in our daily lives.

Psa 107:8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 

Those in the spiritual realm praise God, they know of His loving kindness and His great glory and the greatness of God.  If the spiritual realm praise God, we should do this also.

Psa 148:2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 

GRATITUDE

Another very interesting scripture, showing that the saints will have the honour of executing the judgments which God has decided for certain people.  This alone is a subject that would bring forth praise for God and His wisdom.  God entrusts this task to the saints.  God has made the judgments on nations etc and then the saints carry out the verdict. 

Psa 149:9  To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD. 

This scripture is referring to the getting of the holy spirit of power, which is eternal life.  There are two phases of the spirit, firstly the earnest of the spirit, then the spirit of power {or truth}.  What could warrant praise to our God, more than His willingness to share with us eternal life and a position of rulership with Him for ever.

We should shout PRAISES TO GOD WITH ALL OUR BEING.

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

God should be on our thoughts all the time, we should be thinking words of praise and have a thankful attitude all the time.  We need to bring our thoughts into captivity, and lets not have our thoughts on the material all the time, we need to let our thoughts dwell on God, His greatness and the wonderful things He does for us.

Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 

Look who is told to praise God those who fear Him.  There is so many things that God does for us, it is not hard to ponder many of these things.  The days of unleavened bread is a perfect time to do this, and is in keeping with how these days should be kept.  This is not a time to simply eat only unleavened bread, observing only the first and last days.  The whole seven days need to be full of spiritual subjects which need to be studied and pondered during this deeply important time. 

Rev 19:5  And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 

Notice how we need to be thankful

Psa 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 

These people were not greatful

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

Notice again we are told to be thankful

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

God loves us to sing to Him with praise and thanksgiving

Psa 95:2  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 
 

2Co 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 

Notice the following beautiful scriptures showing the love and unselfish act that was Christ, He died for us, He was innocent of any wrong doing, and because of His sacrifice we may live. 

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 
1Pe 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 
1Pe 2:23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 
1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 
1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

With new knowledge comes a greater understanding of the sacrifice of Christ.

We know that he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and also His brother Judas.
This came as a shock to Christ and He was not expecting this.
Notice the following scriptures.  Judas Iscariot was already there when the brother of Christ {Judas} brought in a band of officers from the chief priests and pharisees 

Mat 26:48  Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 
Mat 26:49  And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 
Mat 26:50  And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

Notice Christ asked His brother why he was there, Christ knew Judas Iscariot was going to betray Him and He expected Iscariot to come, but when His very own brother also came with a band of officers it shocked Christ.

This would have been  one of the reasons Christ told John to be a son to Mary, and told Mary that John was now her son.
Previously to this Jesus was not concerned with the welfare of Mary, because His brother Judas would have cared for her.  Now that had all changed with the shock of his actions in betraying his own brother.
Now Jesus was concerned for His mother and appointed a man He both loved and trusted to care for Mary for the rest of his life.It is quite possible that Joseph was dead at this time, and Mary may have been a widow at this time. This is probably another reason why Christ told John to care for His mother. 

Christ new when He was going to die He put His house in order before His death, He would not have waited till this late hour to arrange for the care of Mary, had He have had foreknowledge of His brothers actions. The betrayal by Judas His brother was a shock and totally unexpected by Christ.

Psa 41:9  Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

This knowledge adds to the way Christ acted towards mankind, and shows in greater detail how He suffered.

Lets move forward now to the crucifixion, we have more knowledge on this subject to look at.

Christ was crucified twice. Initially He was crucified at the third hour {9 am}for mankind generally.

Mar 15:24  And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. 
Mar 15:25  And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. 

Then He was taken down from the cross and brought before Pilate again.  Pilate was trying desperatley to free Christ.

It was the 6th Hour {12.00} and Pilate said to the crowd behold your king.  It is very clear by the scriptures below that at the 6th hour {12.00} Jesus was before Pilate and the people, He was not on the cross at this time.

Joh 19:13  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 
Joh 19:14  And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 
Joh 19:15  But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. 
Joh 19:16  Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 

Sometime after the 6th hour Christ was taken back to the cross and crucified again, this second crucifixion was for those who reject the holy spirit of power and eternal life.

Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 

Jesus died at about the 9th hour {about 3.00pm}

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
Mat 27:47  Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 
Mat 27:48  And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 
Mat 27:49  The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. 
Mat 27:50  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 

Notice that there was darkness over the earth from the 6th hour till the 9th hour {12.00-3.00}
This is the time He was taken down from the cross, taken before Pilate again, and then taken back to the cross again and crucified the second time until the approximate time of His death.
As stated above the second crusifixion is for those who reject the Holy Spirit of power and therefore the darkness pictures these people without God.  This indeed is a dark state to be in.

1Jo 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 

Combined in with the darkness is the cross and its carriage.

In the first crusifixion we see that Simon the Cyrene carries the cross, following after Christ.

Luk 23:26  And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. 

This is a type of those who obey God, and take up their own cross and follow God. 

Mar 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

Then for the second cruifixion we see Christ carried the cross Himself.
This is because some people will reject the Holy Spirit of power and eternal life, and refuse to take up their own cross.

Joh 19:17  And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 
Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 
 

THE 6TH DAY   PUT SPIRITUAL BEFORE PHYSICAL

AND OFFERING PEACE OFFERINGS AND MAKING CONFESSIONS TO THE LORD

2Ch 30:22  And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers. 

Today we do not give peace offerings, however, we should strive to live a peaceful life.

The next part of this verse is interesting, we are required to confess to God our sins.

This is one way of showing God that we are serious about getting rid of sin.  If we can admit and see our sins we are on the way to putting them out of our lives.

Psa 32:5  I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 
 

Today we live in a very physical world, with the emphasis on rushing everywhere and working long hours in order to have more than our friends and neighbours, or to have the latest  objects in todays technology,  it is easy to get caught up in the ways of this world.  It is easy to worry about our physical lives and push the spiritual into the background.  Most families have two people working, in the rush of todays world there is little time for family talks, bible studies and fun.  It is all work and no bible study.  Lets not let this situation take hold in our lives and become the norm.  Lets put God first in our lives always.

Lets look at the example of Mary and Martha 

This is a hard example for women, as I am sure every woman would want to go out of her way if she knew Christ was coming for dinner.  However the reality is that Christ would not have cared about what He ate, or how the house looked or what the table setting looked like, but the meat He spoke was the important thing, these words are the way to eternal life.  Mary chose the most important of the two options, physical or spiritual.

Marthas problem was that she had chosen the physical over the spiritual, an easy thing to do, and also an easy thing to make excuses for, as she did in fact do, in this account, but we need to be aware of our spiritual state and make sure we put it first. 

Luk 10:38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 
Luk 10:39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 
Luk 10:40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 
Luk 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 
Luk 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

Peter put the physical in front of the spiritual when it would seem he might be harmed for being a follower of Christ, he went so far as to deny that he even knew Christ to save his own neck.

Mat 26:69  Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 
Mat 26:70  But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 
Mat 26:71  And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 
Mat 26:72  And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 
Mat 26:73  And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 
Mat 26:74  Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 
Mat 26:75  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. 

Notice the account of the Israelites, they had seen many signs and wonders coming from Egypt, and yet they only wanted physical things, and were only concerned with the physical.  They took their mind off the spiritual totally and were only concerned with the physical.

Num 11:4  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 
Num 11:5  We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 
Num 11:6  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 

Solomon was a man who amassed great possessions and wealth.  These things he learned were not what brought happiness.  It was to fear God and do His commands which was the important thing. 

Ecc 2:4  I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 
Ecc 2:5  I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 
Ecc 2:6  I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 
Ecc 2:7  I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 
Ecc 2:8  I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 
Ecc 2:9  So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 
Ecc 2:10  And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 
Ecc 2:11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. 

This is what Solomon found to be important

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. 

We all need to work in order to feed our families and have a home to live in, but lets not get too carried away with physical possessions which will one day perish.  Remember to pursue the spiritual which is forever.

Mat 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 
Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 
Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

The possession of physical objects give us limited enjoyment, we need shelter and food but put them in the right perspective.

Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 
Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 
Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 
Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Lets get things into perspective during these days of unleavened bread, lets put the physical where it belongs in a temporary state of minor importance.  Lets look to God and the importance of eternal life with Him.
It is up to us what we chose, lets make the right choice and put God first.
 

THE LAST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD

This holy day is a solemn assembly; now lets look at the scriptures and see what this holy day pictures. 
After the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea, they journeyed three days into the wilderness, and came to Marah. This was on the last day of Unleavened Bread. 

During unleavened bread bitter herbs were eaten, this bitterness pictures sin. It is also a reminder of the affliction which the Israelites endured while they were in Egypt.
Unleavened bread is the bread of affliction.

The waters of Marah were bitter,  what does this picture

This bitterness of the waters of Marah pictures that the Israelites had forsaken God, and they had no fear of Him.

Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. 

During unleavened bread, we soon learn that we do not take very long before we fall into the ever present snare of sin.  It was the same for the ancient Israelites, they sinned very quickly after the Passover and continued to do so during unleavened bread. 
We cannot live our lives, without sinning and so we need Christ’s sacrifice to cover that sin. 
The tree, which was thrown into the water; pictures Christ.  This tree turned the bitter waters to sweet.  Just as Christ is able to intervene for us and has paid the penalty of our sins. 

EX 15 V 23-26

And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 
And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 
And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. 

At Marah, God gave the Israelites a statute and an ordinance and He proved them. 

God allowed the Israelites to go without water  this was one of the ways He proved them.
Notice the following.

Exo 15:22  So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 

When the Israelites were thirsty God offered them the fountain of living waters......that is He offered them to know Him and receive the spirit......they were too thirsty they were not interested in spiritual water they wanted physical water.

An interesting point to notice is that Moses stated quite early to Pharaoh that the Israelites would be going 3 days into the wilderness....that was Marah ....this is where they sacrificed and kept the Last day of Unleavened bread.

Exo 8:27  We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us. 

Notice the following scriptures, the Israelites rejected God, in preference to false idols. 

JER 2 V 11

Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. 

The Israelites rejected God, the fountain of living waters, this living water is mentioned in John 4 v 10-15 this is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and also a symbol of the Father.

Jer 17:13  O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. 

Notice also that God said to the Israelites at Marah, I am the God that healeth thee.
This is referring to a spiritual healing as well as a physical healing.  Notice the verse in Jeremiah regarding this.

Jer 17:14  Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. 

Verse 13 is refering to the fact that the Israelites rejected God the Father the fountain of living waters

The account in John may well of happened on the last day of unleavened bread. 
God offered the Israelites eternal life and they rejected it.  They preferred the idols and hand made cisterns to God and the Holy Spirit. 
The water that God was offering was the only one that mattered, it was the way to eternal life….the Israelites rejected that. 

Lets compare the two accounts of the Israelites in the wilderness and the Samaritan woman.  They were both offered living waters, which lead to eternal life. 

JOHN 4 V 5-7 

Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

Jesus told the woman, that if she had known who He was, she would have asked for the gift of God which was  living waters. 

JOHN 4 V 9-10

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 

Christ shows how the water, which He has to give will spring up to everlasting life, the living waters pictures the holy spirit.  Christ also shows the contrast between the usual drinking water and the living water.  If she chose to reject the living water she would continue to thirst, but she wanted the living waters Christ had to offer her. 

JOHN 4 V 13-14

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 

Notice how the woman wanted the living water..

JOHN 4 V 15

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 

Notice that after Christ told the woman about the living waters, which He could give her, He then proved her to see if she told the truth. 

JOHN 4 V 16

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

She told the truth.  Christ tested her and she answered Him truthfully.  Here we see this woman who was honest and wanted the living waters, which would lead to eternal life. 

JOHN 4 V 17-19

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 
For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Later in the account, if you read on a little you notice, she  brought other Samaritans to Jesus and they listened to Him and believed Him. 

Christ then tells her that the Father must be worshiped in spirit and truth.  She wanted the spirit {living waters} and she was a truthful person, so she was well on her way to what was required. 

JOHN 4 V 23

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 

The following verse is interesting, the woman no longer has any interest in the normal drinking water which she had originally came to draw.  Once she heard of the living waters, which Christ was willing to offer her, she had no desire for the physical water, only the living water. 

JOHN 4 V 28

The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 

Now lets compare this account with the Exodus 15 account. 

In John 4 v 7 the woman came to the well to draw water, she needed water. 
In Exodus the Israelites found no water, they were thirsty they needed water. 

EX 15 V 22

So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 

In John 4 v 10 if the woman knew it was God who was speaking to her, she would have asked for living water. 

The Israelites knew that God was with them, they had only just come through the Red Sea, they were at the waters of Marah, they were thirsty, so why didn’t they behave patiently and wait on God to see what He would say to them, no they didn’t believe in God, they didn’t trust Him…they were only interested in the physical things. In their physical needs and desires.  They complained to Moses. 

EX 15 V 24

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 

In John 4 v 13-14 Jesus explained to the woman that if she drank of the physical water she would thirst again, but the water He had to offer her would spring up to eternal life. 

The Israelites were only concerned in the physical water, God gave them a statute and an ordinance and he proved them.  They were offered the choice of the living water or the physical water, they chose the physical, they rejected God and the living water which is a symbol of the holy spirit, God was offering them eternal life and they rejected it.
Notice the account in Jeremiah about this event. 

EX 15 V 25

And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 
 

JER 2 V 13

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. 

John 4 v 15 states that the woman wanted the living waters. 
Read again the account in Jeremiah, the Israelites did not want Living Water, they had forsaken God the fountain of living waters. 

John 4 v 16 shows that Christ proved the woman. 

Joh 4:16  Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

EX 15 V 25

……and there he proved them

John 4 v 17-19 shows that the woman past the test and answered Christ truthfully. 
Even though God told the Israelites that He was the Lord that healeth them and He wanted them to diligently hearken to Him and obey Him, and He offered them living waters which would lead to  eternal life.  They rejected Him, they did not want living waters…..they failed the test. 

EX 15 V 26

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. 

John 4 v 23 shows that the Father wants people to worship Him in spirit and truth. 
The woman was capable of that, she was truthful and she wanted the spirit….living water. 
The Israelites did not want the living water and did not believe that God was truth. 
Therefore they did not qualify to worship Him. 

JER 2 V 19

Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts

Notice in John 4 v 28 how when the woman learned about the gift of God..the living water, she no longer cared about the physical water, she only wanted the spiritual gift of God.  She left her waterpot. 
The spiritual was far more important to her than the physical. 
In stark contrast the Israelites cared nothing for the living water, they only wanted the physical water.  The spiritual things did not matter to them, they could only see the physical. 

JER 2 V 13

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. 

Israel brought all their trouble on themselves because they rejected God. 

JER 2 V 17

Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way? 

It was evil and bitter that the Israelites had forsaken the Lord, the fear of the Lord was not in them.

JER 2 V 19

Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts

Lets recap on what we have learned, the first day of unleavened bread is a reminder that God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and that we must leave the old ways of this world behind us, we must try to live our lives without sin, we must try to be like Christ. It also pictures the resurrection of Christ. 
The feast of unleavened bread is to be kept in a joyous mood, as we endeavour to rely on God and pull away from Satan, and sin.

2 CH 30 v 21

And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

The last day of Unleavened Bread is a solemn day, it pictures the fact that Israel were offered living waters which spring up to eternal life, God offered to heal them in return for obedience to His laws. 
Israel rejected God, and eternal life choosing the physical over the spiritual The bitter waters of Marah pictured the fact that Israel forsook God and had no fear of Him……this is indeed a solemn day……. 
 
 

SECOND SERVICE

LAST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD

We have shown that when the Israelites reached Marah it was three days into the wilderness.

This was the last day of unleavened bread.

Lets recap on their journey and confirm this.

Leave Rameses on 15th Nisan {for the purpose of this article we will assume the days were the same as when Christ died}
Leave on Thursday morning before sunrise.

Exo 12:37  And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. 

Camp at Succoth Thursday night 

Num 33:5  And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth. 

Then set out for Etham on Friday morning the 16th.

Num 33:6  And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

Camp at Etham Friday night

Exo 13:20  And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 

Set out for Migdol  on Saturday morning 17th

Num 33:7  And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon: and they pitched before Migdol. 

Saturday night they cross the Red Sea.  This takes till Sunday morning the 18th

God caused the sea to be parted all that night.

Exo 14:21  And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 
Exo 14:22  And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 

Then at the morning watch God caused the Egyptians trouble in the sea.

Exo 14:24  And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 

Exo 14:26  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

Notice it is the morning now, Sunday 18th

Exo 14:27  And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 

They possibly stayed at the Red Sea Sunday night,

Monday the19th they travelled, the scriptures tell us they went three days into the wilderness.  This means they travelled Monday 19th Tuesday 20th Wednesday the 21st.
Wednesday the 21st was the last day of Unleavened bread.

Exo 15:22  So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 

When they reached Marah it was the last day of Unleavened Bread

Exo 15:23  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 

We have shown that the last day of Unleavened bread was kept at Marah.

Now lets look at why this day is solemn.

The following scriptures shows the reason, the Israelites rejected
God, the fountain of living waters, then the meaning of the rest of the verse is they chose Gods and religions which had nothing to do with the truth or the true  God, these religions could not hold water, remember God is the fountain of living water.

Jer 2:13  For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

The following verse confirms the explanation.

Jer 2:11  Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. 

Israel chose foreign Gods, and foreign beliefs rather than the truth from the bible.

The God portrayed in mainstream religion today, is nothing like the God of the bible.  Israel does not know the true God and Jesus Christ His Son.

Israel has forgotten God.

Jer 2:32  Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. 

Deu 32:18  Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. 
 

What happened back then with ancient Israel, is the same as what is happening to modern day Israel.now.  Today God is being wiped from school, and society, we no longer call on God for anything.  Gods name is blasphemed in conversation, on TV in books, on radio, and in most peoples conversation.

There is no fear of God amongst His people Israel.
Israel have made themselves Gods, who they feel comfortable worshiping.  They go to a  church which suits them, whos teachings are easy to keep.

Notice how fear of God and knowledge go hand in hand.
 

Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 

THE TRUTH IS NOT IMPORTANT TO THEM.

THEY DO NOT KNOW THE ONE TRUE GOD AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST,.

Jer 5:4  Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God. 

It was made very clear to Israel that they had to obey God and not follow after other Gods.

Deu 8:19  And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

God did not want Israel getting involved with other Gods for many reasons. There is only ONE TRUE GOD, He was responsible for their escape from Egypt.  Following after false Gods would turn the Israelites away from God.  Their is only One God who could heal them, no man made object is ever going to heal anything.

Deu 29:18  Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 
 

Today, we have wholehartedly turned our backs on the Holy One of Israel, we turn to doctors to heal us, we ignore the food laws, which are for our health, we keep pagan festivals instead of Gods commanded festivals.  We work on the sabbath.  The list goes on and on of how we, as a nation, have rejected God, and the lifestyle He has commanded us to live. 

God was willing to give the nation of Israel the holy spirit, but they rejected Him and chose other Gods.

We can easily see why this is such a solemn day.