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

Here's When the Biblical Holidays Happen in 2025

This is when the Biblical holidays happen in 2025.

If you're looking for this year's dates for Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles you have come to the right place. These holidays have historic and prophetic meaning in Scripture and believers today can take part in that by adding these dates to their calendars!

While the Bible gives specific dates for each holiday, the Gregorian calendar doesn't match up with the Creator's calendar so the dates land a little bit differently each year on our modern calendar. There are also a few different ways to calculate the start of the year and because of that some groups will observe them at slightly different times. What I'm sharing here is the most commonly used set of dates. Whether you go by this calendar or another, mark your calendars for these set apart times!

When do the Biblical holidays happen in 2025?

Passover - April 12-13

Unleavened Bread - April 13-20

First Fruits - April 13-14

Shavuot - June 1-3

Feast of Trumpets - September 22-24

Yom Kippur - October 1-2

Feast of Tabernacles - October 6-13

A couple of things about this: according to this calendar, days start in the evening at sundown. This means that Passover starts on the evening of April 12 and goes through the evening of the 13th. If you do not observe days as starting in the evening, then celebrating Passover the day of April 13th would be appropriate. This calendar also gives an extra day to both the Feast of Trumpets and Shavuot, even though in the Bible they are both just one day events...feel free to just celebrate the first day of those!

It's also important to note that while all of these are special times, some of these days are considered Sabbaths which means we shouldn't work on them. These Sabbath days are the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the first and last days of Tabernacles. This means that believers should request off from work or arrange to be away from their business on those days, as well as refrain from shopping, errands, and yard or household projects and chores. 

Sabbath days for 2025:

April 13-14
April 19-20
June 1-2
September 22-23
October 1-2
October 6-7
October 12-13

As well as all weekly Sabbaths, of course.

You have the opportunity to celebrate what God has done by joining in on the Biblical holidays this year!

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Why the Biblical Holidays Are for All Believers
Six Reasons Believers Should Keep the Bible's Holidays Today

Fun Ideas for Celebrating Passover and Unleavened Bread

Looking for some ideas for fun ways to celebrate the Bible holidays of Passover and Unleavened Bread? While these times both have great spiritual significance and we would certainly do well to spend time in prayer, worship, and Bible study, as well as perform other acts of service as a way to honor the Creator, I think it's also good to remind ourselves that it's also okay to do things just for fun. These are times of joy after all! Here are some ways to spark joy this Biblical holiday season.

Red Sea Crossing Smoothie Bowls

Why not make something delicious that also reminds you of one of the greatest miracles ever?

Lamb shaped things.

Use a lamb cookie cutter on everything from cheese to apple slices. I made cutout cookies in the shape of lambs to go with my blood on the doorpost Passover dessert.

Blood on the Doorpost Decoration from Torah Sisters

Use red cloth over your doorpost to remind your family and visitors of the Exodus story. A red cloth on the mantle can also be a reminder.

Matzah Toffee from Smitten Kitchen

Try your hand at making this traditional Passover snack! It's easier than you think.

DIY Flair Omer Counter

First Fruits begins the count of the omer, where we are fifty days from celebrating Shavuot. Making your own counter like this one can be a fun way to keep this command. Or try the Scratch Off Omer Counter.

Have a taco night!

Did you know that most tortillas are unleavened? That means having a taco night can be part of your Unleavened Bread celebrations! 

Passover Bucket List

Print this one off or make your own list of things you want to do during this feast celebration!

Unleavened Bread Pinata

Make this any size you want! If you have a square shaped box, all you need is crepe paper and candy or prizes to fill it with!

Ten Commandment Gummies

Moses Bible Crafts from Mrs. Jones' Creation Station

Hear me out on this - Bible school crafts don't just have to be for kids. If you have good memories of doing projects like these in Vacation Bible School, you might enjoy revisiting them now! Feel free take inspiration from these and make something more chic...you could write out the ten commandments in calligraphy or decorate a candleholder with a reminder of the burning bush from Exodus or make a miniature empty tomb out of wood. The possibilities are endless! 

Try a new topping on unleavened bread.

You can use homemade or store bought. Instead of plain matzo or matzah pizza, try topping yours with hummus and and seasonal vegetables (as seen here with watermelon radishes), peanut butter and jelly, cream cheese with salmon or roasted vegetables, or even a fried egg. 

Matzah Toffee Ice Cream Sundaes

You might not want UB week to end with desserts like this!

I hope you all have an amazing time celebrating these Biblical holidays! I'd love to hear what fun things you do to celebrate!

More posts on Passover and Unleavened Bread:
How to Celebrate First Fruits
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits
Unleavened Bread Recipes from Around the World

Biblically Clean Eating for Passover and Unleavened Bread

What are the Bible's instructions for us around food during the week of Unleavened Bread? What exactly is leaven? We've talked before about what it means to eat 'kosher' for Passover during this time, but we've also talked about the kosher dietary laws often going above and beyond what Scripture says and even adding to it! So how do we eat in a way that honors what the Bible says without going overboard with manmade traditions? This post is here to help. Biblically clean eating for Passover and Unleavened Bread is truly doable, and this post will walk you through what you can and can't eat during these Biblical holidays.

During the week of Unleavened Bread, all the normal dietary laws apply, plus one extra, temporary restriction. What does the Bible tell us not to eat during the week of Unleavened Bread?

"Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you shall remove leaven from your houses." -Exodus 12:15

That is the restriction...no leavened bread for the week. There is no specified grain to avoid, just a prohibition on leavened bread. If you're used to hearing that Unleavened Bread week means not eating any grains at all, and even that you have to avoid things like peanuts or beans, I'm here to tell you that the Living God did not make it that complicated.

To understand how to avoid leaven bread for the week we need to know what it is.

What is leaven in the Bible?

Leaven is grain that has been soured, or fermented. Sourdough bread is the most obvious example of a leavened product, hence the emphasis on this Biblical holiday being a time of unleavened bread. Leavening or souring is not something that happens immediately when water hits a grain, but a process that takes more time - typically several days. In Judaism there is a law that says bread dough becomes 'leavened' after 18 minutes of flour mixed with water and formed into dough, but this is not a directive from Scripture. If you've ever made bread, or tried your hand at sourdough starter, then you know 18 minutes is nowhere near enough time for leavening to happen or for dough to rise.

Nowadays sourdough bread is rare, and most breads are made with yeast. Though the Bible does not specify avoiding yeast-risen breads by name, I believe since yeast mimics the leavening process of traditional sourdough, we would do well to not partake during this time. The same would go for breads, cakes, or pastries made with baking soda or baking powder.

What should we avoid eating during the Feast of Unleavened Bread to eat Biblically clean?

Leavened bread products, such as:

-Sourdough bread
-Bread made with yeast
-Breadcrumbs
-Products containing breadcrumbs such as breaded chicken, meatballs, meatloaf, or tortellini fillings
-Muffins and other quick breads made with baking soda or baking powder
-Cakes
-Pastries such as croissants, cinnamon rolls, danishes, etc.
-Biscuits
-Pizza

Foods to watch for leaven in:
-Chicken strips or breaded chicken
-Batter for fried fish, onion rings, etc.
-Meatballs
-Meatloaf
-Ravioli and tortellini fillings
-Ice cream flavors with cake, cookies, etc. mixed in

Please note that the leaven mention in Exodus 12 does not mean all foods that have been soured or fermented. We see the Messiah serving wine (which is fermented) at the last supper, and tasting vinegar (also fermented) while on the cross. A surprising number of foods we eat today from yogurt to kimchi to chocolate are fermented, and we are free to eat those during Unleavened Bread. What we don't want to eat this week is fermented or leavened bread, or at the most, fermented or leavened grains.

Examples of soured grains that aren't bread:

-Beer
-Soy sauce (tamari is very similar to soy sauce, but made only with soybeans and is an easy substitution)

Can you cook and bake during Unleavened Bread?

Yes, absolutely you can make your own unleavened baked goods and meals for or during this Biblical holiday. I've heard too many times that the only way to be sure you're not eating leaven is to purchase all specially made and kosher certified matzah and kosher for Passover products, but the Bible does not say that only a rabbi can tell if something is leavened or not. Furthermore these products can be very difficult to find and expensive. Use your judgment. You can make your own unleavened bread in many different forms, and there are probably plenty of meals that you already make that are unleavened and would be appropriate during this feast. Take a look at recipes - if they use grains, check and see if making the dish involves souring or fermenting dough. If it doesn't - I see no reason why you can't make it as part of your Unleavened Bread meals and celebrations.

Can you eat grains during Unleavened Bread?

Jewish traditions call for avoiding all grains, except for kosher for Passover matzah, and sometimes even things like beans, legumes, and peanuts. Again, this is not something the Bible calls for. It is not called the Feast of No Grains at All, but rather the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Unleavened bread is made with grain, and it's okay to use grains during Unleavened Bread week, so long as you are not leavening them. Any grain is fine to eat, so long as it's not leavened. That includes wheat, barley, corn, teff, spelt, rye, quinoa, rice, oats, millet, etc.

With that in mind, I would not hesitate to eat things like tortillas without leavening, shortbread cookies, granola, popcorn, cooked rice, peanut butter, beans or lentils.

As always, I would encourage you to pray about how you can best implement this Biblical instruction into your life! If you're new to celebrating Unleavened Bread, focusing on avoiding leavened bread during this week and don't be overwhelmed by what others might traditionally avoid.

So what can you eat during Unleavened Bread?

-Unleavened bread in any of its variations...homemade or boxed

-Any Biblically clean meat or fish

-Any vegetables

-Any fruits

-Lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes

-Beans - black, pinto, cannelini, kidney, great northern, etc.

-Potatoes 

-Corn tortillas or tortilla chips

-Nuts such as walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.

-Dairy products like milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc.

-Eggs

With these ingredients there are plenty of wonderful foods to be had during Unleavened Bread from soups to stir fries to tacos to meat and potatoes to frittata to hummus to ice cream and more.

If you're looking for further direction on what to eat during this set apart time, I will include links below to Biblically clean recipes!

Unleavened recipes for Passover and Unleavened Bread:

Meal Ideas for the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Recipes to Use Your Homemade Matzah In
Unleavened Desserts for Passover and Unleavened Bread

Here's When the Biblical Holidays Happen in 2024

This is when the Biblical holidays happen in 2024.

If you're looking for next year's dates for Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles you have come to the right place. These holidays have historic and prophetic meaning in Scripture and believers today can take part in that by adding these dates to their calendars!

While the Bible gives specific dates for each holiday, the Gregorian calendar doesn't match up with the Creator's calendar so the dates land a little bit differently each year on our modern calendar. There are also a few different ways to calculate the start of the year and because of that some groups will observe them at slightly different times. What I'm sharing here is the most commonly used set of dates. Whether you go by this calendar or another, mark your calendars for these set apart times!

When do the Biblical holidays happen in 2024?

Passover - April 22-23

Unleavened Bread - April 23-30

First Fruits - April 27-28

Shavuot - June 11-13

Feast of Trumpets - October 2-4

Yom Kippur - October 11-12

Feast of Tabernacles - October 16-24

A couple of things about this: according to this calendar, days start in the evening at sundown. This means that Passover starts on the evening of April 22 and goes through the evening of the 23rd. If you do not observe days as starting in the evening, then celebrating Passover the day of April 23rd would be appropriate. This calendar also gives an extra day to both the Feast of Trumpets and Shavuot, even though in the Bible they are both just one day events...feel free to just celebrate the first day of those!

It's also important to note that while all of these are special times, some of these days are considered Sabbaths which means we shouldn't work on them. These Sabbath days are the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the first and last days of Tabernacles. This means that believers should request off from work or arrange to be away from their business on those days, as well as refrain from shopping, errands, and yard or household projects and chores. 

Sabbath days for 2024:

April 23-24
April 29-30
June 11-12
October 2-3
October 11-12
October 16-17
October 23-24

As well as all weekly Sabbaths, of course. 

This is your year to celebrate the Bible holidays!

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Why the Biblical Holidays Are for All Believers
Six Reasons Believers Should Keep the Bible's Holidays Today

Messiah our Passover Lamb - Free Printable

Here's a New Testament Bible verse drawing attention to two Biblical holidays: Passover and Unleavened Bread.

"For Messiah our Passover lamb was sacrificed for us: so then let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." -1 Corinthians 5:7-8

That's a powerful statement penned by the Apostle Paul. I love that he said to keep these times, not just know about them. Let us keep the feast. Let us recognize the foretelling of the Messiah in the Exodus story and the holiday of Passover, and celebrate the work he did on this day many years ago. Let us get rid of the old leaven of our cultural traditions and sincerely take part in these times, recognizing that they point to the truth of the Messiah.

What better verse to focus on during these special times? It's an easy way to add a touch of festivity to your home or office, and a decoration that is perfect for Passover and Unleavened Bread. The printable itself is simple enough to print off on any basic printer. I love having this verse out for others to see because it points to the validity of the Messiah and Biblical holidays!

This printable is free for your personal use. Click here to download this printable for Passover and Unleavened Bread. Have a joyous celebration time!

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to Passover
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits
Why the Biblical Holidays are for All Believers

Here's When the Biblical Holidays Happen in 2023

This is when the Biblical holidays happen in 2023.

What are the Bible holidays? Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles are all days we are told to observe and celebrate in Scripture. They are listed in Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16, and elaborated on elsewhere in Scripture. Each of these has historic and prophetic significance for Bible believers!

The Bible gives specific dates for each holiday, but since the Gregorian calendar doesn't match up with the Creator's calendar the dates land a little bit differently each year on our modern calendar. There are also a few different ways to calculate the start of the year and because of that some groups will observe them at slightly different times. What I'm sharing here is the most commonly used set of dates. Whether you go by this calendar or another, mark your calendars for these set apart times!

When do the Biblical holidays happen in 2023?

Passover - April 5-6

Unleavened Bread - April 6-13

First Fruits - April 8-9

Shavuot - May 25-27

Feast of Trumpets - September 15-17

Yom Kippur - September 24-25

Feast of Tabernacles - September 29 - October 7

A couple of things about this: according to this calendar, days start in the evening at sundown. This means that Passover starts on the evening of April 5 and goes through the evening of the 6th. This calendar also gives an extra day to both the Feast of Trumpets and Shavuot, even though in the Bible they are both just one day events.

It's also important to note that while all of these are special times, some of these are also considered Sabbath days which means we shouldn't work on them. These Sabbath days are the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the first and last days of Tabernacles.

More on the Biblical holidays:
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts
Why the Biblical Holidays are for All Believers
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays

Matzah Toffee Ice Cream Sundaes for Passover

This sweet treat is special for the Biblical holiday season because it utilizes the Passover favorite, matzah toffee! If you're not familiar with matzah toffee, it's a popular Passover treat. Boxed matzah is the commercial unleavened bread of choice for both Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. These thin and crunchy sheets of matzah get topped with caramel, baked, then topped with a layer of melted chocolate. There are many different versions, some add flaky sea salt, chopped nuts, or toasted coconut to the chocolate...any kind would be great in this sundae!

Creamy ice cream is offset by the crunch of the matzah toffee, giving wonderful texture to this dessert. A few raspberries add a tart counterpoint, plus a nod to the blood of the lamb, which protected the Israelites from the darkness of the angel of the death, which is symbolized in dark chocolate. Enjoy this dessert on Passover or during the week of Unleavened Bread, or any time of year!

To make Matzah Toffee Ice Cream Sundaes you'll need:

Ice cream (I used chocolate)
Matzah toffee pieces and crumbs (I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe)
Chocolate sauce
Raspberries
Whipped cream

Simply dip your ice cream into bowls, then add bite-size pieces of matzah toffee and any other toppings you like!

This dessert is easily customizable. Vanilla or strawberry ice cream would work well, instead of chocolate. Feel free to use vegan ice cream, if you prefer. You can make your matzah toffee using gluten-free boxed matzah if you'd like. Caramel sauce, berry coulis, dark chocolate shavings, or nuts would be good topping additions too.

You can make this for yourself and your family anytime during the holiday season. This also works well to serve to a larger group, like at a Passover Seder or an Unleavened Bread get together, since it's pretty hassle-free and everyone can assemble their dessert to their liking. How fun would an ice cream sundae bar be to celebrate these set apart times? The matzah toffee makes it special for Passover season.

More Passover treat posts:
Kosher for Passover Dessert Recipes
Red Sea Crossing Smoothie Bowls
Coconut Cookies for Passover

Make Your Own Unleavened Bread Pinata

This simple DIY project will add some fun to your household during Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread! While all of the Biblical holidays are spiritually significant times, they are also times of celebration and joy. Don't be afraid to do some things that are just for fun to commemorate these times of our Creator. Making this pinata can be a good activity during the week of Unleavened Bread, or do it ahead of time for decoration. Filled with candy, stickers, or small toys it would make a memorable highlight for a congregational or group celebration of Passover or Unleavened Bread.

What you need to make an Unleavened Bread pinata:

-a thin, square cardboard box (mine was about 33 inches square, and four inches thick, but feel free to make it smaller)
-hot glue gun and glue sticks
-cream and brown crepe paper
-ribbon
-candy, stickers, toys or other small prizes

To make the pinata:

If you're filling it, carefully cut a small opening in a side or the top. It just needs to be large enough for you to put in your candy and prizes if you're doing that. Fill roughly halfway with goodies, then tape over the hole before proceeding.

Cut fringe into the bottom half of your crepe paper. Starting at the bottom of the box, hot glue strips of the crepe paper to the box. Mixing up the cream and brown paper is what makes this pinata resembled boxed matzo. Once the bottom is done, hot glue the next strip just above it so there is no box exposed between the two layers. Do this all the way to the top and then work on the sides and back. While this process is straightforward, it can get repetitive (especially if you are using a large box), so this is a great time to enlist help from your kids or be sure to put on some music or a teaching.

When you get to the top, hot glue a two-foot ribbon on both ends to the middle of the box. This is what you'll use to hang the pinata from, if you wish to hang up for decoration or for whacking down to get at the prizes. Consider the weight of the prizes and reinforce the ribbon with extra glue or tape if needed.

There you have it: a piece that's sure to get everyone smiling at your Unleavened Bread celebrations! This is easy to make, with inexpensive materials that aren't hard to find and are environmentally friendly. Even if you're not up for bashing in all of your hard work this is still a fun decoration or photo prop!

Related posts:
Celebrating the First and Last Days of Unleavened Bread
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits
In Remembrance of the Messiah - Passover Pictures