Leaven VS Unleaven

We have celebrated the Passover.  We are still in one other feast though and that is the feast of unleavened bread.  (Hag Matzah)  Traditionally in the day of the first Passover the dough was not given time to rise.  However had there been time would it have risen?  The answer is an obvious “Yes!”  The dough did not rise because there was no time not because there was no leaven.  

Interestingly enough all risen leavened products were later remanded to be removed from the homes of all the “ Holy Land” Today Jews pay gentiles to hold onto their dainties and bread products by giving then buying back the items later.  Moreover both Jesus and Paul had some what to say about Leaven.  Paul writes  “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? [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: 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.” 1 Cor. 5:6-8. And “ A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” Galatians 5:9

But Jesus had more to say on leaven and interestingly enough He categorizes this leaven which we consider sin and even goes so far as to use it in an illustration of the Kingdom of Heaven.   Mind you now leaven raises the dough.  “Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” Matthew 16:6

“In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Luke 12:1

“And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.”  Mark 8:15  Herod’s leaven was the fear of men.  But look at this!

Another parable spake he unto them; “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” Matthew 13:33   “ It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” Luke 13:21  The Kingdom is likened also to that which we are told is sin.  However the Sadduccitical and Phariscitical and Herodian leavens Hypocrisy, fear of man; these were not out of the Spirit were they?  But the Kingdom of heaven likened unto leaven?

Why? 

Today when Passover is celebrated I look at some of the ethnic item and I find cake and brownies are on the list of kosher eatables.  But these things are Raised product!  Then my husband as I am keeping the feast till next Wednesday wanting to a shipped beef on biscuits asked if I could eat that which was raised using baking soda.  I said yes.   Why on the unleavened feast would one be able to eat anything raised not of yeast?  Because its not of yeast.  The yeast of the Pharisee Sadducee and Herod was what we are warned against for we are told by Paul “Let love be without dissimulation (Hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” Romans 12:9

Yet the kingdom is likened to a leavened product into which three measures are hid.  There is a little more than meets the eye.  Its in that little three measure that we find the answer as to the difference.  “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” Romans 14:17. Righteousness Peace Joy….  From the Father of lights who is one who sends the Prince of Peace we receive in Jesus sacrifice and atonal blood our righteousness and the Holy Spirit enters in and fills us to joy unspeakable and full of glory.  These are also the first three fruit of the Spirit.  Out of these three all the other fruit are brought forth. 

But in the final analogy what is it about leaven or yeast that is forbidden?  Simple enough.  The raising is the product of the fermentation of the dough brought on by the waste product of the yeast.  Just as mash is fermented by adding sugar and yeast and the waste product of the yeast is alcohol so too the waste product of the yeast the alcohol permeates the dough causing in the heat of baking a rising effect… it is an inebriation of sorts producing death.  It is a death wherein there is a puffing up but what is the death being produced in us.  For the Kingdom produce the Fruit of the Spirit as it kills us off.  The others produce deeds of the flesh.

Which leaven do you posses within?

Something to think about.

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