The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Unleavened Bread

You can take part in and celebrate the Creator's set apart time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread...even if you never have before! The Biblical holidays were given to all believers, and they are a joy to take part in. Here's how to get started.

What you need to know about the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

-It is seven days long and starts immediately after Passover.

-The first and last days are considered Sabbaths and we are not to work on them.

-During this time we are not to eat regular leavened bread or have it in our homes.

-The Hebrew word for unleavened bread is matzah, and these terms are used interchangeably. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is also called Matzah Week or the Feast of Matzah.

-You can have flour, etc. in your home as long as you are not leavening it. I don't get rid of my flour because I use it throughout the week of Unleavened Bread to make unleavened bread. Of course, it would not be appropriate to make leavened bread with it.

-It is a time for feasting, rejoicing, worship, and celebration.

Spiritual significance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

-Matzah Week is when the Israelites hit the road when they fled Egyptian slavery. That YHWH freed his people from slavery is worth remembering and celebrating! During the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Exodus, his people were in that in between place of leaving Egypt, yet not yet entering into the fullness of his promises.

-The bread they ate was unleavened because YHWH changed their circumstances so quickly that they didn't even have time to let their bread rise. No matter how hopeless a situation in our lives may seem, our God can turn that around.

-The Messiah rose from the dead during Unleavened Bread!

-The principle of leaven is very powerful. If you've made bread using sourdough starter or yeast then you know the small amount of this changes the end product significantly! While it can be easy to think that little things in our life don't matter, they can make a huge difference for good or bad. 

-Leaven is typically seen as sin in the Bible. Like sin, leaven shows up in more places than we would expect and we are called to make an effort to avoid it. During this Feast we are to examine ourselves and our lives extra closely and get rid of anything spiritually leavened.

-Unleavened bread is seen as a symbol of the Messiah's physical body. He was sinless (unleavened), and the piercings and dark spots that appear on both homemade and boxed matzah are fitting symbols of him being beaten and bruised for us. Don't forget that Yahusha described himself as the "bread of life." (John 6:35)

How to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

-Take a look through your pantry and freezer and take note of what you have that is leavened. This includes things like sandwich bread and frozen pizzas, and also fermented wheat products including soy sauce and beer. Think about storing these things on a certain shelf or area of the pantry so that you can use up anything leavened before the set apart time starts. If you don't have time to use it all then share your bounty with friends, or a food pantry. Burn or throw away the last bits of leavened bread if necessary. 

-As you go through the process of removing leaven from your home, consider how we are called to examine our hearts and actions for spiritual "leaven." Pray and ask YHWH if there is something he would like to clear out of your life as you are cleaning your cupboards of leaven. These questions are a good guide to spiritual preparation for this time.

-Get a recipe to make your own unleavened bread, or order or purchase boxed matzah bread. Boxed matzah is similar to a large cracker, whereas homemade matzah is soft, comparable to naan bread. This is my recipe made with einkorn flour, but you could substitute all purpose or whole wheat flour.

-Think about incorporating matzah into at least one meal a day throughout the week. It's appropriate to eat unleavened bread during the Feast of Unleavened Bread! There are many ways to enjoy matzah. Eat it with sandwich toppings, alongside a bowl of soup or curry, make matzah pizzas, or turn it into matzah toffee! See this post for other ideas for serving unleavened bread.

-Take at least the first and last days of Unleavened Bread off from work, errands, and household chores. If possible, consider taking more time off from work to spend with your family or to make this holiday more special to you. Taking a day trip somewhere during the week can make it fun and memorable - I visited the Ark Encounter during Matzah Week a few years ago!

-Take joy in worshiping YHWH, and studying the Bible. Attend services at a congregation if possible, and watch children's Bible story videos - if you don't have kids do it for fun! 

-Not everything you do has to be 'spiritual' - make the week fun with things you enjoy. Go somewhere beautiful for a hike, play games or do a puzzle with family, make a craft or an omer counter, invite friends over for dinner, make special foods, and take time to relax.

There is some learning curve when you start to observe a new holiday, so give yourself grace about that. It takes time to get used to celebrating the times of the Creator and next year it will seem more natural and be even more fun! The Living God is honored by your efforts to take part in his set apart times!

Other posts about celebrating this holiday:
12 Ways to Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread
My Matzah Week - What Celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread Looks Like
Recipes for the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Biblically Clean Sheet Pan Meals

In The No-Stress Guide to Sabbath Meal Prep, I mention how sheet pan meals are great to make right before the Sabbath, but really I love these for anytime you don't have much attention or time to put into making dinner, but still want a healthy and delicious meal. Simply place all your ingredients onto a baking sheet and let it roast in the oven! The cleanup is minimal, and your hands and attention are free for other things during the cooking. These recipes are simple, easily adaptable, and made from whole, real ingredients. 

A few pointers for easy sheet pan meals:

-Don't hesitate to use an extra sheet if the recipe makes more than you expected, or you just want a double batch for leftovers.

-Instead of just using chicken breast or thighs, feel free to swap in a whole quartered/chopped chicken. This can save money or be easier for those who eat locally.

-Bake some rice. If you're looking to round out your meal, put some rice in the oven to bake while you're at it. Here's a recipe for making brown rice in the oven. Personally, I don't bother bringing the water to a boil and I just use a pan with a glass lid instead of foil. It takes a bit longer but turns out well for me.

Roasted Harissa Chicken and Potatoes from This Healthy Table

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables from How Sweet Eats

Garlic Ginger Chicken with Broccoli from Pinch of Yum

Curried Sweet Potato Chickpeas from Minimalist Baker

Greek Sheet Pan Chicken Souvlaki from Half Baked Harvest

Salmon and Asparagus from A Couple Cooks

Kung Pao Cauliflower from How Sweet Eats

15 Minute Kale and Egg Bake from Healthy Nibbles

Nacho Chicken from How Sweet Eats

Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Tacos from A Couple Cooks

Mediterranean Salmon from This Healthy Table

Poblano Chicken Fajitas from Half Baked Harvest

Sheet Pan Cauliflower Curry from A Beautiful Plate

Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga from Pinch of Yum

Easy Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner from A Couple Cooks

Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken from How Sweet Eats

Sheet Pan Salmon from This Healthy Table

Other Biblically clean recipes:
Biblically Clean Tacos
Chinese Food Recipes that are Biblically Clean
Biblically Clean Soups

Messianic Customs That Are Not From Scripture

Many of us who have wound up in the Messianic or Hebrew faith movements have been quick to point out to family and friends many of the unbiblical customs that are prevalent in the Christian church. I have done this myself, pointing out that Christmas is not in the Bible. But if someone asked me if I celebrated Hanukkah I would say yes, and make the argument that that was okay since it was "Biblically based." Talk about confusing! It is a poor testimony when we criticize others for participating in traditions and customs that are not found in the Bible, while we participate in different traditions and customs that are also not found in the Bible.

It can also be incredibly confusing for others to hear me say things like, "I just do what the Bible says," while doing quite a few things that are not even suggested in Scripture, let alone commanded...and what's worse is if I act like doing those things makes my faith more sincere than theirs.

Now, tradition is not always bad, and not all cultural customs are wrong. My point is not to condemn anyone who has participated in these things, but to shed more light onto what is and is not in the Bible. It is important that we know the difference between what is a commandment from YHWH given to us in Scripture, and what is simply a manmade tradition or cultural custom. This post is to point out a few of these unbiblical customs that are frequently seen in the Messianic movement; it is not a conclusive list.

Messianic customs that are not Biblical:

-Davidic dancing. This is the circular dance you might see a group of people participating in during worship at a Messianic congregation. While Scripture tells us that David danced in worship, it never suggests he did so in a circle. The similarity between Davidic dance and the maypole dance should give us pause. The maypole dance is a fertility ritual that is significant to Wiccans. I'm not saying those who participate in Davidic dancing have any intentions other than to honor YHWH, but you should know that other religions do very similar dances.

-Hanukkah and Purim. Yes, these are both mentioned briefly in the Bible (Hanukkah in John, and Purim in Esther), but nowhere does the Bible give us a command to participate in either, as it does in Leviticus 23 for the set apart times of YHWH. It is simply wrong to treat these like they are the same as the holidays that YHWH created and commanded us to celebrate. It seems hypocritical to tell others that it's not okay to celebrate a manmade holiday based on the events of Luke 2, only to turn around and celebrate a manmade holiday based off the events of Esther.

-Prayer shawls. I've visited congregations where these are so prevalent they might as well be the official uniform of that ministry, but there is simply no Biblical command or precedent for prayer shawls. While there's nothing wrong with wearing a shawl, consider why you are taking part of this. Wearing a prayer shawl does not make you any closer to YHWH.

-Star of David. This six pointed star gets slapped on everything from jewelry to ministry logos to menorahs...and never once does the Bible say this is a symbol we should be using. I recommend taking a look at this video before incorporating this star into your wardrobe or decorating your home or meeting place with one.

-Shabbat candles. Did you know the Bible does not command us to light candles to usher in the Sabbath days? Did you know there's not even a reference to a Biblical character ever doing this? It's simply wrong to teach or say that you need to light candles in order to properly observe the Sabbath.

If these things are prevalent in your home or congregation, consider the message that sends to visitors. Many Torah keepers use phrases like, "We do Bible things in Bible ways." If you hear that while you're surrounded by people in prayer shawls or dancing in a circle, in a building that's decorated with stars of David, it sends the message that those are Bible things when they are not. 

Let's be clear about our faith practices and make a distinction between Biblical commandments and manmade traditions. Please don't imply or say that believers need to participate in customs or rituals that are not found in Scripture.

Related posts:
The Seven Branch Menorah
Why Hanukkah is Not a Biblical Holiday
Commandments or Traditions - Understanding the New Testament

The Two Houses: Israel and Judah in Scripture

When I was growing up we typically went to church twice a week, but I never once heard that there were two houses of Israel in Scripture. I distinctly remember in my teens reading through the whole Bible and wondering why in Kings it kept going back and forth between mentioning Judah and mentioning Israel. Weren't these the same thing?

It has been said by Biblical scholars that if you don't realize that there are two houses of Israel then you're going to misunderstand seven-eighths of the Bible! I heard that quote before I knew about the two tribes and, in all honesty, I didn't believe it. Sure, I wasn't a Bible expert, but I grew up in church and was very familiar with Scripture. How could a topic that seems like it is barely brought up keep me from understanding properly almost 90% of the word?

Originally there was only one kingdom of Israel, which was made up of twelve tribes, named after the sons of Jacob/Israel. The tribes had their own territory, comparable to the states making up the USA. However, the kingdom split after King Solomon died. A great portion of Scripture relates to the two houses becoming unified again.

Where we see the two houses of Israel and Judah in Scripture:

1 Kings 11:31 - The prophet Ahijah tore his garment into twelve pieces, and told Jeroboam to take ten, because YHWH was tearing the reign from Solomon and giving it to Jeroboam. This was happening because Solomon had forsaken YHWH and worshipped Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech and did not follow Biblical law (verse 33). Since Jeroboam is not given all twelve tribes, this makes two separate kingdoms of YHWH's people.

1 Kings 12 - This is where the people rebelled against Solomon's son, King Rehoboam, on account of heavy labor and taxation. Verse 20, "It came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they sent for him and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only." David's grandson, Rehoboam was now king of Judah (and also Levi, since the temple was in Jerusalem, where he reigned), while Jeroboam was now king of Israel. (Note that the birthright to the name of Israel was given by Israel/Jacob himself to his grandson Ephraim in Genesis 48. This is why the ten tribes were called Israel.)

Jeremiah 31:31 - "The days are coming," declares YHWH, "when I shall make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah." There are many verses like this in the Bible, that we just won't be able to make sense of unless we acknowledge the split between Israel and Judah. It's significant that both houses are involved in the new covenant! The Gospel is not just for people of a certain bloodline or background, forgiveness and redemption is available to all. 

2 Kings 17:23 - "Israel was exiled from their land to Assyria, as it is to this day." This happened in roughly 740 BC, later we see the house of Judah taken into Babylonian captivity around 600 BC. We simply cannot reconcile the accounts of the Bible unless we look at Israel and Judah as separate entities at this point. It's also imperative to recognize that while the house of Judah returned from exile after 70 years and their culture was intact at the time of the Messiah, the house of Israel was scattered and 'lost,' which leads us to a major theme in Scripture of YHWH regathering and restoring his people.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 - Do you know the story of the dry bones? If not, please read it because it's amazing! But it's not just a euphemism for areas of our lives that feel hopeless. The Bible explains in verse 11, "These bones are the house of Israel." 

Ezekiel 37:15-28 - YHWH instructs Ezekiel to connect two sticks that he has written on. One says, "For Judah," and the other, "For Ephraim." This was a visual illustration of all twelve tribes being reunited, even though by this time the people of house of Israel had been scattered abroad.

The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) - While you are probably familiar with this story, it's interesting to see that the Messiah is acknowledging the separation of the tribes here. In his story, the first two people that pass the man who had been beaten, robbed, and left for dead were a priest and a Levite, so they would be from the house of Judah. Many people in Samaria at that time were from the house of Israel. The Messiah's point is not that one tribe is better than the others here. Since many of those in Judah looked down on those from the house of Israel, he used this story to say that he didn't look down on those from Israel or think they were all bad.

1 Kings 22:2 - "King Jehoshaphat of Judah went down to visit King Ahab of Israel." As the chapter goes on they speak to each other and talk about going to war together, showing the houses operate as separate entities from each other with their own armies, etc. Many people read through Kings and don't catch that Israel and Judah are two distinct kingdoms, but in this chapter it's easy to see.

Hosea - The story of Hosea being told to marry a harlot makes a lot more sense when we look at it through the lens of the house of Israel. Judah wasn't perfect either, but the house of Israel went significantly astray from YHWH. Jeroboam's sin of not adhering to Biblical law would later lead Israel into the grievance of worshiping demonic entities, thereby committing harlotry against YHWH. Hosea's action was a beautiful foreshadow of him lovingly coming after the unfaithful house of Israel.

Matthew 15:24 - "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Raise your hand if you've understood this verse to mean that the Messiah came only for Jews. Raise your other hand if you've believed that the Gospel was only made available to everyone because Jewish leaders rejected the Messiah. I have both arms up. I used to read this verse and feel slightly rejected because I am not from the tribe of Judah, but that's not what the Messiah is saying here. He said he came for the house of Israel, a people that had been in captivity and scattered in the nations for more than 750 years when he made this statement. Most of these people weren't serving YHWH, didn't know his instructions (let alone follow them), and wouldn't have known that their ancestors were part of Israel and the family of YHWH. That's significant because he's still after people like that.

Acts 13:46 - "It was necessary that the word of YHWH should be spoken to you first; but seeing as you push it away, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, we turn to the Gentiles." This happened shortly after Peter's vision about not believing that certain people were unclean or unfit for the Gospel. It was after that revelation that the Gospel was preached outside of the house of Judah. Up until then, New Testament leaders struggled with manmade teachings about those from Judah being superior to those from the house of Israel, or other nations.

Hebrews 8:8-9 - "I shall make with the house of Israel and house of Judah a new covenant, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers when I lead them out of Egypt." Another reiteration of YHWH bringing the houses back together and making covenant with the people of both houses.

These are a handful of examples, but once you recognize this distinction you will start to see it throughout the Bible. The prophets frequently specify which group they are talking to, and once you realize that, they don't sound wishy-washy, saying one thing and then another, because you realize different messages were for the different houses! Kings is another great example, the story of Elijah calling fire down from heaven happened in Israel; the evil Athaliah, who murdered all but one of her grandchildren, was Queen of Judah. These distinctions matter and will help you to better understand the word!

Related posts:
Understanding the Other 88% of the Bible

Commandments or Traditions: Understanding the New Testament
Comparing the Melchizedek and Levitical Priesthoods