The Feast of Unleavened Bread predicted a major event relating to God’s plan of Redemption (Hebrews 10:1).

We have explored the scriptural evidence that Passover represented the atoning death of Christ on the cross. The feast directly following Passover, so closely the two actually overlap, is called Unleavened Bread.

Passover begins on the 14th of the month and Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of the month (while Passover is still being celebrated—Leviticus 23:6).

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is observed by removing all leaven (yeast) from every Israelite home. The children of Israel were not commanded to simply refrain from using leaven during this feast but were commanded to physically remove every bit of it from their dwellings (Exodus 12:15-19).

No servile work was permitted during the feast of Unleavened Bread. Again, this was symbolic of the grace that Christ would bring (Leviticus 23:6, Exodus 12:16, John 1:17).

But what exactly did the leaven represent? What was symbolically removed from each Israelite home during the feast of Unleavened Bread?

Galatians 5:1-9 answers this question and establishes this leaven to represent the Mosaic Law. The entire book of Galatians deals with only one subject—that of believers who were saved by faith but were trying to maintain their salvation through keeping the Law of Moses.

Do Christians Have To Obey The Law of Moses?

Galatians 5:9 tells us, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”

Just as a small amount of leaven permeates the whole loaf, not just part of it, trying to mix even a small amount of law with faith results in obligating an individual to observe the whole law—making Christ of no effect in ones life (Galatians 5:3-4).

**It is recommended at this point to read the entire book of Galatians. The book of Galatians only contains six chapters (all dealing with the same subject) and should be read in its entirety.

Galatians 5:9 reveals that the leaven represents the Law of Moses, and, during the feast of Unleavened Bread, the people were commanded to put away all leaven from their homes. In Galatians 4:24 Hagar, the bondwoman, was a scriptural allegory representing the Mosaic Law, and Abraham was commanded to cast out the bondwoman and her son.

Question: Since that was the case, why was the law even necessary in the first place?

Answer: In order to protect mankind until the redeemer could come, God gave Moses a list of ordinances (laws) to keep. The law guarded and protected all who submitted to it until faith (Christ) came.

Adam and Eve needed to heed only one commandment before the fall, but the introduction of sin into creation mandated many ordinances for the purpose of protection. The prophetic aspect of the law also acted as a tutor or teacher (schoolmaster) to bring to Christ (Galatians 3:23-25, Revelation 19:10).

Since the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his atoning death on the cross, we are no longer under a schoolmaster (the law). Faith alone, in the redeeming blood of Jesus, saves us (Romans 10:4, Galatians 3:25).

Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the law for us and became the end of the law, for righteousness, to all who believe (Colossians 2:14, Romans 10:4).

The feast of Unleavened Bread and the traditions associated with it accurately predicted the putting away of the Law of Moses—which was no longer needed as of the moment Jesus was put to death. The feast of Unleavened Bread began to be celebrated while Christ’s body still lay in the grave.

It is also worth noting again, that during the Feast of Unleavened Bread no servile work was to be done. This foreshadowed the time when forgiveness of sins would be available to men without the works and sacrifices of the law.

**The entire Bible can be read through every year by reading just four chapters a day. Read your Bible prayerfully—every day--always picking up today where you left off yesterday. The book of John is a good place to start. A King James Bible with no footnotes is recommended.