The Spiritual Meaning of Unleavened Bread (What Unleavened Bread Means)

In this post we will discover some of the spiritual significance and meaning behind the Biblical holiday of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We will look at what this holiday means, and the reasons why it is celebrated today. This special time reminds us of how quickly the Living God acted on behalf of his people in Egypt, and the lessons we learn from those saving acts! The holiday of Unleavened Bread is found in the Bible in Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16, and Exodus 12.

Do you ever wonder what the meaning is behind the holiday of Unleavened Bread in the Bible? It's not just a weird week of eating flatbread; it has spiritual significance beyond that of being lumped in with Passover. In the Exodus story the Israelites were commanded to eat no leaven immediately following Passover, and then of course the first part of their journey into the wilderness took place during Unleavened Bread (including the crossing of the Red Sea). During this time, all believers are told to eat unleavened bread to remember the miracles that YHWH performed to free his people from slavery. It was also during this Biblical holiday that the Messiah rose from the dead! Celebrating Unleavened Bread helps us to refocus on how awesome the God we serve is and reminds us of these spiritual truths as well as many others.

Let's take a look at just a few lessons the Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches us.

1. All things are possible with YHWH. If you grew up hearing the Exodus story, it's easy to gloss over how amazing these events were after a while. Can you imagine the sudden emancipation of an entire enslaved people group? Scripture says that 600,000 men left Egypt, and with women and children the total number would likely have been around 2,000,000. I would say aside from the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah, a few million people walking away from slavery would be one of the most singularly amazing moments in history. There was no insurrection, there was no violent political coup...they just walked out. I'm sure no one would have ever expected the slaves to just go free, including those who were enslaved. Even when many people didn't expect it, the Living God worked in truly awesome ways! The Messiah's followers experienced their own version of this when, beyond all hope or expectation, their executed Savior came back to life! Whatever you're longing for in your life is possible with God.

2. Things can get better very quickly. Do you know why unleavened bread is eaten this week? It's to remember that circumstances changed so quickly for the Israelites that they didn't have time to let their bread dough rise properly before baking. They needed to leave so suddenly that there simply wasn't time. Making bread from scratch can be a lengthy project, but there is no reason it can't be done within 24 hours. In less time than that the Israelites went from enslaved by the most powerful empire in the world to having freedom, and even being sent away with gifts! What not ideal circumstances do you find yourself in right now? Where are you struggling? What do you feel like will never change? You never know how suddenly things will get better.

3. We need to get rid of the old leaven. What is leavening your life in a spiritual or emotional sense right now? There comes a time when we are told to get rid of those things. Not necessarily because they are all bad, but because we are being called to better things. Leaven is a permitted thing to us most of the time, but during this week it is not. In the same way there are times where emotions like anger are permitted (and even godly), but eventually we are called to get rid of that and not have it control our lives. Like 1 Corinthians 5 tells us, a little leaven permeates the whole thing. Don't continue to let leaven spread in your life to where it shouldn't be.

4. We need to proactively make changes. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread we are commanded to eat differently. That change is not just going to happen on its own. We need to intentionally get rid of the leavened bread in our kitchens and choose to make or purchase unleavened bread. Unless we make these decisions we will miss out on this time from our Creator. Unleavened bread is not just going to materialize in your home. What other areas of your life is YHWH calling you to make changes in? It could be to choose more life giving words for the people in your life, to spend more time studying his word or in worship, or to change your thinking in some way. Consider what steps you can take today to be obedient to the call on your life.

5. To be grateful for what we have. There's nothing like a restriction to make us appreciate what we had! That first bite of a sandwich or croissant or pizza or whatever your leaven of choice is, is a joyous moment after Unleavened Bread is over. It's easy to overlook how wonderful simple things are, and I think the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a good reminder to take joy in the things we take for granted...whether that's the people in our lives, the job we are blessed with, the home we get to live in, or the many other blessings we all have from the Creator. 

There are many more lessons to be had from the Feast of Unleavened Bread but these are a few reminders that can truly transform our lives, because the Savior lives and we have been set free!

Related posts:
Why I Started Keeping the Biblical Feasts
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Unleavened Bread
12 Ways to Celebrate Unleavened Bread

Why Some Christians No Longer Celebrate Easter (And Celebrate Unleavened Bread and First Fruits Instead)

There is a growing movement in the body of Christ that is setting aside the holiday of Easter and no longer taking part in its festivities. These aren't people that are walking away from the faith or who no longer believe in the Messiah, but people growing their faith who are no longer compelled to participate in this widely loved custom. Some who have gone this route might refer to themselves as Torah observant, Hebrew roots, or whole Bible believers, but most don't give themselves any sort of special denomination - they are followers of the Messiah, who have chosen to step away from Easter. Let's talk about why this is.

 In this post we will discover:

-Why more and more Christians are no longer participating in Easter.

-What the Bible says about this traditional holiday.

-Some of the origins of Easter.

-When the appropriate time is to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Maybe you've noticed this trend in your community. Long-standing members of church no longer using the word Easter. Maybe your in-laws have stopped hiding Easter eggs for the grandkids. Neighbors no longer decorating their yard. Relatives cooking lamb instead of ham.

It's easy to assume they are no longer believers in Jesus since they aren't celebrating his resurrection in this traditional way. Stop celebrating Easter and people will assume you had some sort of crisis of faith, or maybe that you have a Jewish background. But for a large portion of Christians, neither of those are the case! More and more people who love the Messiah - and who do rejoice that he rose from the dead - choose to no longer take part in Easter. We are going to explore the reasons behind this.

Why are people no longer celebrating Easter?

A little research into Easter reveals some concerning truths:

-The word Easter is not used in the Bible and certainly wasn't what the Disciples and early church called the day of the Messiah's resurrection.

-This holiday was not created in Jesus's honor.

-Easter does not come from the Bible, but is rooted in practices that were never intended to glorify YHWH.

-Many parts of modern celebrations have their origins in ungodly things or are even expressly forbidden by Scripture.

Yes, Easter can be fun and even spiritually meaningful, but that does not negate the concerns listed here. What if there's a better way to honor the resurrection of the Savior?

What does the Bible say about Easter?

Precisely nothing, believe it or not.

Many people believe that Easter is in the Bible, but no, only the story of the Savior's resurrection is. It's important to recognize that the word Easter is not used in Scripture. This means that there's no part of the Bible or directive from Jesus to take part in anything known as Easter, and no record of the disciples doing so. 

*Only in the King James Version is the word Easter used, and only once. It is used in Acts 12:4, but a look at Strong's Concordance reveals the original Greek word used was pascha, which means Passover.

Whether or not it was created with intent to honor God, Easter is still a manmade holiday. I could create a holiday to commemorate Jesus feeding the 5,000. It could be fun and meaningful, but it would hardly be appropriate to say you don't love God if you don't keep it along with me.

What's the problem with Easter?

Easter is about celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. There's worship, it's family time, it gets people into church, it's fun, it's not laden with the rampant consumerism of Christmas...what's the problem?

The problem is that we are mixing the glorious truth that the Messiah lives, with lies. The egg laying bunny, yes. But more significantly, by choosing Easter, we are negating the Biblical holiday that the Savior really did resurrect on...one made by the Creator himself, and one that all generations of his people are commanded to keep.

Easter is settling for less than God's best. It's mixing truth with lies.

You can still have the celebration, the worship, the family time, and the joy of Jesus' resurrection...but you can also do so in a way that's more in line with the Bible!

While the consumerism isn't as rampantly out of control as during the Christmas season, it is tragic that much of Easter celebrations are centered around new outfits and an unspoken contest to get the cutest family photo. I question any holiday that pushes the consumption of unethically made goods (sweat shop made clothing, plastic eggs, Easter baskets that get thrown away, and candy filled with questionable ingredients).

But also...when we say yes to Easter, we are saying no to other things...such as the real holidays that the Savior died and rose on. The problem isn't just that it's debatable if God is honored by leading hunts for plastic eggs filled with candy. The real problem is while we are busy with our own traditions, we are missing out on the opportunity to know God and his word better through his own holidays.

Why does it matter what you call it?

It's worth mentioning that the word Easter is based off the name of a Saxon goddess called Eostre, which means something like 'dawn goddess.' Calling the day of the Messiah's resurrection from the dead after a mythical goddess is inappropriate. Obviously the common sunrise services of Easter Sunday have some concerning implications connected to the dawn goddess. How would you like it if your loved ones started referring to your birthday by the name of an enemy of yours?

We should also note that in many pagan religions, saying or chanting the name of a god or goddess was thought to worship them and to invoke their power. This could explain the Biblical directive in Exodus 23:13 to not speak the names of other gods.

If Easter is the name of another god (and it is common knowledge that it is), then simply saying 'Happy Easter' is in direct violation of a Biblical commandment.

Words matter.

What are the origins of Easter?

Easter's origins are debated. Some say its roots are a pagan festival that occurred many years before Christ. Others will say it was an attempt of the early church to modernize the Passover festival. 

A concerning connection to many Easter practices comes from Ezekiel 8, which was written around 593 BC. While the word Easter is not used (remember, it doesn't appear in the Bible), it's difficult to read this passage and not have Easter traditions come to mind.

Ezekiel 8 mentions:

-Figures of unclean animals in the Temple of YHWH (8:10)

-Levitical priests participating in a sunrise service (8:16)

And what's more God says these are "horribly disgusting practices" (8:6), and that an idol that makes God jealous is present (8:3).

Again, the Bible never says this is an Easter service, and not all modern Eastern celebrations involve unclean animals (such as rabbits, or the traditional Easter ham), but it should give us pause when our worship practices are similar to ones the Bible harshly criticizes.

What are people doing instead of Easter?

There's been a huge influx in the number of believers that are celebrating the holidays that YHWH created - the Biblical holidays listed in Leviticus 23. Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, the Day of Cleansing, and Tabernacles. These are holidays that God created and then commanded believers to celebrate "for all generations." These holidays have the spiritual depth and meaning that many of us have so longingly looked for in Christmas and Easter.

Did you know that the Messiah not only died on one of these holidays (Passover), but that he resurrected during the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Specifically on the day known as First Fruits - which is the day the priests would offer the 'first fruit' offering of grain that is waved before YHWH. Jesus was the ultimate first fruit offering when he went to his Father that day! (1 Corinthians 15:20)

More and more of God's followers are choosing to celebrate the resurrection on First Fruits, because this is consistent with what the Bible says happened! This happens at a similar time (sometimes even the same day) as Easter, and in many ways the celebrations are similar. It's a day of worship and joy! Good food is served (but no leavened or yeasted breads!), loved ones gather together.

The differences are simple and easy changes to make:

-Calling it First Fruits and Unleavened Bread instead of Easter.

-No bunnies or Easter eggs.

-No leaven is used during the Feast of Unleavened Bread so there are no leavened or yeasted breads.

What to do with friends who no longer celebrate Easter:

Remember that stepping back from Easter doesn't mean they don't celebrate the resurrection of the Savior!

They are still your friends and family! Remember that they are doing their best to honor God and celebrate the work of Jesus in a way that honors Scripture. They have not made this choice because they don't love you or because they want to hurt you. Chances are good that they've prayed about this and prayed for people to be receptive to their choices and not offended or hurt by them.

There's nothing easy about walking away from family traditions or being the one at Bible study to say, "What about the holidays of Leviticus 23? What about Ezekiel 8?" Even if you don't agree with their choice or appreciate how they are presenting it, your encouragement and kindness would mean so much to them.

Rather than shaming friends and family with comments like, "You must not love Jesus if you don't celebrate Easter," give them credit for studying and working to honor God in all of their lives. Or ask them about how their faith has grown.

And please remember it's not a choice they made because they don't serve the Messiah - plenty of people and cultures around the world take part in Easter festivities without any thought to remembering the Savior rising from the dead.

Choosing not to take part in Easter doesn't mean that someone doesn't love the Savior or doesn't celebrate his resurrection. Not celebrating Easter is a protest against compromise, and an attempt to honor YHWH by doing what he says.

Not only is Easter not something the Bible gives us instruction to do, but when we devote our attention to it instead of the Biblical holidays, we miss out on the lifestyle and spiritual significance God wants us to learn through his holidays. Celebrating Biblical holidays helps us to better understand the word of God. Don't trade that for cheap candy and new outfits. Choosing Easter over First Fruits and Unleavened Bread is settling for less than God's best for us.

Related posts:
What are the Differences Between Passover and Easter?
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Easter

Where to Find Passover and Unleavened Bread Gatherings for Believers in Messiah (Bible Holidays 2025)

Are you looking for a Passover or Unleavened Bread event happening near you? I'm excited to share this year's directory for 2025 to help you find a Biblical holiday event in your area that celebrates the Messiah. It features Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits events happening all across the US!

If you're looking for an opportunity to celebrate the upcoming Biblical holidays with other believers hopefully you can find a site that's celebrating in your area! Passover is a one day holiday but immediately after is Unleavened Bread, which is a week long.

When is Passover in 2025?

As you'll see below, different denominations and ministries go by different calendars, but most commonly the dates to celebrate Passover and Unleavened Bread this year start around April 12, but there is a wide range in dates. I would encourage you to pray about what dates you should keep.

Please note: I am not familiar with each ministry or all the people responsible for these Passover events. People celebrate the Biblical holidays in a variety of ways, so reach out and contact the organizers ahead of time if you have specific questions about what that will look like. I simply want to give people the option of connecting with others through this list.

While many of these events are free, some do require purchasing tickets and/or registering ahead of time, so make note of that when you are making plans! 

Passover and Unleavened Bread 2025 Event Directory:

Messiah in the Passover
March 9 - 23
Oakville, Ontario Canada

Messiah in the Passover Visual Presentation
March 19
Eaton Rapids, Michigan

Zadok Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread
April 6-17
Lebanon, Missouri

Do Good Ministry Passover Dinner
April 8
Osgood, Ohio

Brazos Bereans Passover
April 8
Glen Rose Texas

Christ in the Passover Presentation
April 9
Walled Lake, Michigan

Spring Feast Festival
April 10-14
Canton, Texas

Wilderness Tabernacle Passover Seder
April 11
Culpepper, Virginia

Temple Beyth El Passover
April 11
La Vergne, Tennessee

Passover and Unleavened Bread Services
April 11, 13, 19
Ritzville, Washington

Messianic Torah Observant Passover
April 11-20
Cleveland, Tennessee

Wellspring Passover Seder
April 12
Anchorage, Alaska

Passover 2025 Kannapolis
April 12
Kannapolis, North Carolina

Lighthouse Messianic Passover
April 12
Monroe, Louisiana

Rock of Israel Seder
April 12
Hickory, North Carolina

Cliffview Church Passover Seder
April 12
Galax, Virginia

Logos Church Passover
April 12
Chatsworth, Georgia

Beth Ariel Messianic Passover
April 12
West Hills, California

Passover ATL
April 12
Atlanta, Georgia

Passover Festival of Freedom
April 12
Shepherdsville, Kentucky

Faith Baptist Passover
April 12
Champaign, Illinois

Uplift Passover
April 12
Halifax, Pennsylvania

Shalom Yeshua Seder
April 12
Evansville, Indiana

Grafted Church Passover
April 12-13
Hinton, Oklahoma

Jacob's Tent Passover
April 12-13
Cleveland, Tennessee

Yahweh's Assembly in Messiah Passover Memorial
April 12-20
Rocheport, Missouri

Messiah's New Life Tabernacle Feast of Unleavened Bread
April 12-20
Avila, Indiana

Philadelphia Christian Church Passover and Unleavened Bread
April 12-20
Lafayette, Louisiana

Beth Yeshua Passover
April 13
Macon, Georgia

Messiah in the Passover
April 13
Danville, Virginia

Hope of Israel Messianic Passover
April 13
Salem, Virginia

Passover Feast Let's Thrive
April 13
Aline, Oklahoma

Christ Centered Passover
April 13
Atkinson, Illinois

Messiah in the Passover
April 16
Staunton, Virginia

Behold the King Passover
April 17-19
Kissimmee, Florida

Last Day of Unleavened Bread Weekend
April 18-19
Tyler, Texas

House of Aaron Pesach Weekend
April 18-20
Eskdale, Utah

Passover Conference
April 18-20
Fort Lee, New Jersey

CBE Annual Passover Dinner
April 19
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Promise of Passover
April 25
Glen Rose, Texas

Passover and Unleavened Bread
April 26 - May 5
Farmerville, Louisiana

Harvest Revival Passover
April 27
Brookville, Ohio

Do you know of an event that I don't have listed? Let me know so it can be added!

Related posts:
Six Things You Can Do to Get Ready for the Spring Feasts
The Beginner's Guide to Passover
The Beginner's Guide to Unleavened Bread

Keeping the Biblical Holidays is Worship (The Best Reason to Celebrate the Biblical Holidays)

In this post we will talk about the primary reason that Bible believers today are called to keep the Biblical holidays such as Passover, Shavuot, and Tabernacles. These are holidays that were created by God and given to his people in Scripture passages such as Deuteronomy 16, and Leviticus 23. Christians should take part in these for one very compelling reason.

In the past we have talked about many reasons to take part in the feasts and holidays. Reasons like the Bible says so, Jesus did, the Disciples did, and that they can be very spiritually enriching are all legitimate and worthy reasons to stop and remember and celebrate these special times...but they are not the full story. There is more.

What is the best reason to celebrate the Biblical holidays?

It's because keeping the Biblical holidays is worshipping the Living God.

There is no better reason to take part in them. Each holiday is a time when we are collectively called, as the community of God's people, to join together in worship, as we remember the faithfulness of YHWH. We are called to remember his mighty acts that took place on the Bible holidays.

At Passover, the Messiah laid his life down for us. And thousands of years earlier, God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Taking part in the Bible holidays is about remembering these saving acts (along with many others!) and giving thanks for them. We take part in the holidays to remind ourselves that YHWH does miracles and cares for us. We worship at these times, because he is worthy.

Yes, worship is something we should do daily. But Scripture specifically calls - even commands - us to do so especially during the Biblical holidays. By taking part in Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles we show our allegiance and obedience to God. This is worship.

It's worship to center our lives around the times YHWH says to.

It's worship to take time off work and to step back from household duties to have time to remember the miracles God has done throughout history.

It's worship to gather with others in honor of the Messiah, to give thanks for what he has done in our lives.

It's worship to make plans and prepare a special meal when the Bible says to.

It's worship to read Scripture and to bless God and to sing praises on the Biblical holidays.

Part of what it means to bear God's image is to celebrate the things that he does, and he celebrates these holidays!

Bible holidays are for Bible believers...because Bible believers are called to lives of worship.

More about the Biblical holidays:

Why the Biblical Holidays are for All Believers
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Why You Should Keep the Biblical Holidays