Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened,
they baked it into unleavened loaves.
They had rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity
even to prepare food for the journey.
We are on pilgrimage. We can't afford to stay in the Egypt of sin just to make our bread fluffy. Unleavened bread symbolizes leaving behind the superfluous and unnecessary and focusing on what really matters. With Paul leaven itself becomes a symbol of sin. Paul tells us to leave behind the old leaven of malice and evil and to keep our Christian feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (cf 1 Cor 5:8). Perhaps extraneous things can themselves become problems for us when we let them keep us from putting the kingdom first.
If we insist on spending the time in Egypt (sin) to leaven our bread, or even to bring leaven with us, we will not be able to experience the full deliverance the LORD has for us. Let us rush from Egypt and toward the promised land.
The passover from Egypt teaches us how to more fully live the passover of Jesus. Jesus brings us from sin to freedom and from death to life. We must not idle in sin and death. Because "a little yeast leavens all the dough" (cf. 1 Cor 5:6) we must not bring any sin with us from our previous lives. To do so puts us and our Christian brothers and sisters at risk.
Who split the Red Sea in twain,
for his mercy endures forever;
And led Israel through its midst,
for his mercy endures forever;
But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his mercy endures forever.
Look at how completely the LORD wants us to make a break from Egypt. By his power and mercy he delivers us. We don't have to rely on our own efforts. We would still be on bondage if we did. Let us lay aside the unnecessary things which keep us from running to God so that we can experience the power of his mighty hand and outstretched arm in our own lives. His mercy was not just available then for the Israelites. They themselves assure us: it endures forever!
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