Monday, April 25, 2022

SEVENTH DAY of Unleavened Bread Sermon

                                                                                               

Leonard V. Johnson





     Greetings EVERYONE! Including our dear brethren and friends in Springfield, Missouri; Elkview, West Virginia; across the ocean in Kingston Upon Thames, United Kingdom and up in Toronto, Canada. Welcome to the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries, I’m Leonard V. Johnson.
     Well, here we are on the glorious SEVENTH DAY of the LORD our God’s holy Feast of Unleavened Bread!
     One of the major proofs of the very existence of a CREATOR is CREATION. And it is creation that actually identifies God. And, the weekly Sabbath is a memorial of creation. Every week it should be a reminder to us all of God’s awesome creative power and majesty! It should keep us all in remembrance of the true worship of God and of the true God. Indeed the SEVENTH DAY OF THE WEEK is a sign {1} with great and significant meaning. It was implemented by God to help keep us in the true worship of the CREATOR!

Why the HOLY DAYS!?

     This early morning, our 9-year-old niece enters the office, crying. She was crying because the Easter rabbit didn’t deliver an Easter basket full of chocolate “bunny” eggs to our house as she was spending the night! My wife speaks up and says that the Easter rabbit didn’t know that she was spending the night – that surely he had left a basket at her house!! I just shook my head in bewilderment.
     Thank God, dear brethren, that we know God’s living truth in regards to Easter, {2} but also that God gave His Church seven annual feasts. And these Holy Days are to keep His begotten children in the true memory and worship of God by helping us to be constantly in the understanding of His Master Plan – from the beginning. These annual feasts picture the different epochs of His Master Plan for the redemption of all mankind. They mark the dispensations and their meaning.
     Like I was explaining briefly to my wife the other day that our great and loving God has shown all mankind what death is like, along with what happens after death – with sleep. Throughout the day we grow tired to the very point of going to bed and falling asleep - sleep is defined as a state of unconsciousness from which a person can be aroused. Eight hours can pass by in the blink of an eye, and before we know it, we’re awake and refreshed – ready for a brand new day! Death and the resurrection unto life are reenacted day after day after day continually.
     These worldly churches continue to incorrectly teach that Jesus Christ finished the “work” of redemption on the cross. But the very FIRST event in God’s Master Plan for the redemption of all mankind was our Lord and Savior’s death on the cross. At the acceptable year of the LORD ‘the Spirit of the Lord GOD was upon Him because the LORD had appointed Him to preach good tidings to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and open the prison to those who are bound’ – Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:16-19. And this great operation began… well… let’s begin in the Book of Genesis, the 3rd chapter. Many biblical commentaries tell us that this is one of the very first messianic prophecies in the Holy Bible. This is where God extends His curse on mankind for sinning and to Satan the devil himself.
     Verse 15 – “’ And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, …’” – talking, of course, of Satan the devil and Eve. “ … ‘And between your seed …’” – speaking here about the followers of Satan the devil  {3} – “ … ‘and her Seed; …” – the followers of her Seed – the living Jesus Christ - which would come after her.
     “ … ‘He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.’” – that may sound confusing here, but the commentaries realize that this is a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ. That He would eventually bruise the head of Satan the devil. In other words, He would overcome Satan and put him down. Yet, before that happened Satan would ‘bruise His heel.’ And, of course, the reference here, is when he would succeed in bringing about the death of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. So, here we see a great prophecy which is some six-thousand-years old, which points to the Messiah.
     Also, in the Book of Jude, he quoted from a portion of something which the prophet Enoch had written. He said, “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15) to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’”
     So here is a man – the prophet Enoch – whose life actually overlapped Adam’s. They lived contemporaneously for 365 years! And the prophet Jude is quoting a statement here from the prophet Enoch that is talking about the returning LORD returning with ‘ten thousands of His saints.’ So, we’re moving forward in time and we see another prophecy about the Messiah.
     And we find the operation of this great sacrifice, which began in the garden of Eden when Abel sacrificed a substitute lamb – cf. Genesis 4:3-5. We see what the apostle Paul says in Hebrews 9 –
     “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” – verse 22.
     But, why blood? Of all things, why blood for the remission of sins?
     Let us notice what God’s living word says about blood. Genesis chapter 9 –
     “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2) And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, and on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3) Every moving thing that lives [and is clean according to God’s law of clean and unclean meat {4}] shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4) But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.’”
     Blood is the source of life. {5} God would later tell the children of Israel: “’ For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. 14) for it is the life of the flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.’” – Leviticus 17:11, 14.
     And it’s reiterated in Deuteronomy chapter 12 –
     “’ Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life; you may not eat the life with the meat.’”
     So we see, brethren, that in the Old Testament blood sacrifices were a type of the perfect blood sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that provides a total and complete, and permanent, forgiveness of sins – and more importantly “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” – Romans 6:23. We are spiritually dead in and of ourselves: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” – Ephesians 2:1.
     And so we see God’s plan in the redemption of all mankind in Genesis 18.
     Verse 1 – “Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2) So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, [he sees what appears to be] three men [walking towards him]. … he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, …” – and why does he bow down!? Because he knows who one of them is! It is the One we now call Jesus Christ! Verse 3 – “and said, ‘My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.” – and then what does he say!? He tells his servants, verse 4 – “Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.’” – so there’s a little foot-washing ceremony taking place. And then he says in verse 5 – “’ And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that, you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.’” They said, “‘Do as you have said.’ 6) So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.’” – so, when you take a little flour and a little oil and knead it up and put it on the grill – you have unleavened bread. Doesn’t have time to leaven. And so, they’ve got a foot washing, they’ve got unleavened bread Verse 7 – “And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, …” butchered it, and they have themselves a meal. A little pre-Passover meal.
     So, upon delivering His people from Egypt, God taught them the proper time. {6} God said, “’ This MONTH shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you’” – Exodus 12:2.
     Certainly many keep the beginning of this first feast of the LORD’s in observing Passover. Yet, they never go on to learn the awesome “depth of the riches” of God’s grace and mercy pictured by the following feasts! Let us ALWAYS look unto JESUS, “the Author and Finisher of our faith” unto salvation! – Hebrews 12:2.
     On the 10th day of this first month, the children of Israel were instructed to take a lamb without blemish. And they were to keep it UNTIL – not after – the 14th of the same first month, at “EVEN” – which is sunset – and then kill it.
     This was within – not AFTER – the 14th day. {7} They shed the blood of the lamb, which pictured Jesus Christ’s sacrifice which was to come. And they ate the flesh of the lamb THAT NIGHT. Then, at midnight the death angel came but PASSED OVER (hence, PASSOVER) every dwelling where the BLOOD had been sprinkled.
     THERE ARE some very important details. And it is vital that we notice them. It proves that the Passover is to be observed on the 14th, not the 15th.
     Now, I want you to see another vital point. Turn to the Book of Numbers chapter 28 –
     Verse 16 – “’ ON the FOURTEENTH DAY [not after it] of the first month is the Passover of the LORD. 17) And ON the FIFTEENTH DAY [not before it] of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.’”
     And the last writings of Moses talk about this – Deuteronomy 16:3 – “’ You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction …’” – and that’s one of the meanings of the Days of Unleavened Bread. “…’ the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4) And no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory for seven days, …’” – so, that’s very clear. Verse 8 – “’ Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a [holy convocation, a solemn assembly] …’”
     Minister Michael C. Garrett wrote:
     “So, what have we concluded from all of those … biblical passages!? During the Days of Unleavened Bread, you are to eat – every day – at least some unleavened bread. And for those seven days, you will not eat leavened bread. Now that’s all it said. It didn’t say, “Get down on your hands and knees and look for old cookie crumbs.” It just didn’t say it. It is not the Days of Unleavened Beer. You know, in order to make beer you have to have yeast. Yeast, the number one leavening agent in the history of mankind, always has been always will be. It is not the Days of Unleavened Wine. It is not the Days of Unleavened Toothpaste. Because some toothpaste has baking powder in them, I am told. And all the other things you can worry about. A lot of people think, ‘Well I’m not supposed to eat leavening.’ You’re not supposed to consume leavened bread. Didn’t we read that!?”
     Truly, one way you can understand the Days of Unleavened Bread is by understanding the very central focus of the Days of Unleavened Bread – Jesus Christ!
     Sadly, many minds were soiled concerning the true meaning and the teaching points which are associated with the Days of Unleavened Bread! And many of these misconceptions continue to grip many people – many remnant church groups. {8} Well, they continue to teach ritualistic housecleaning. And to so many, the Days of Unleavened Bread is a campaign to “find leavening.” And they always claim that leaven is equated with the term sin. While that is a tradition, it is not Scriptural. And I want you to understand that they were teaching this as Judeo-Christianity – not as part of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ! In fact, there is no Scripture that declares that leaven (which is short for leavened bread) is sin. There is certainly a passage that tells us exactly what sin is. It’s 1st John 3:4 – “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”
     Our Lord and Savior – the true Messiah - never called leaven sin. An example can be found in the Book of Matthew chapter 13 –
     Verse 33 – “’ The kingdom [from] heaven is like leaven, …’”
     And another passage that offers a perspective is in the Book of Luke chapter 13 –
     “’ To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21) It is like leaven, …’”
     Here’s another example – when our Lord Jesus compared the teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees with leaven.
     “’ How is it you do not understand that I DID NOT SPEAK TO YOU CONCERNING BREAD? – but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees’” – Matthew 16:11.
     Verse 12 – “Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine [Strong’s 1322, didache, teaching or instruction] of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
     Yet, so many ministers would get up at the podium during the LORD God’s holy Feast of Unleavened Bread and announce, “YOU MUST PUT SINNNNN OUT OF YOUR LIFE!” {9} Claiming that leavening equals sin. And they would jump from there to the next conclusion, “One must go around the house and find every little crumb of nine-month-old bread crumbs! Wherever they might be!” And out goes the toaster into the garbage! And sadly, they taught this as one of their main doctrines for the Days of Unleavened Bread! And this ideology is continuing to be propagated!
     Well, we believe they misinterpreted, as well as misrepresented just what the Days of Unleavened Bread truly means. The meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread is powerful! And as Minister Michael C. Garrett states – it is truly like an onion. You peel an onion, and what do you get? More layers!
     But, again, the 14th day is the PASSOVER. And it is the first of the feasts of the LORD mentioned after the weekly Sabbath (Leviticus 23:4-5). “’ On the FOURTEENTH DAY of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s PASSOVER.’” – Leviticus 23:5. And, the apostle Paul teaches us distinctly that the New Covenant Passover is not the LORD’s Supper {10} – cf. 1 Corinthians 11:20, 34. On the “’ FIFTEENTH DAY of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; …’” The FEAST day begins after Passover has ended.
     With this in mind, let us turn to the Book of Exodus chapter 12 –
     Verse 1 – “Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron … 14) ‘So this day shall be a MEMORIAL; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS. You shall keep it as a feast by an EVERLASTING ORDINANCE. 15) Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses.’” – Exodus 12:1, 14-15.
      Again, Minister Michael C. Garrett:
     “Exodus 12:15 – and what’s our little objective here in this part!? To find out EXACTLY what the Bible says about Unleavened Bread - and not the Jewish Talmud. “’ Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. … ’” – pretty simple, isn’t it!? Now, the next part is where they got tricked up, it says, “… ‘On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whosoever eats leavened bread …’” – what’s the implication!? The word leaven is a shortened contraction meaning what-leavened bread. The whole idea was that for seven days you’re going to have in your house, and on your person, unleavened bread, and for seven days you are NOT going to eat leavened bread. Now, that’s all these verses are going to say.”
     So, what day is established as a MEMORIAL, a feast by an EVERLASTING ORDINANCE!? Not a shadow, but a memorial!? Again, notice, it is the day that is the feast “’you shall keep it as a feast …’” It is the day that is a feast day – the 15th of Abib/Nisan – not the Passover! And it is to be kept as a Sabbath – or holy convocation, FOREVER!
     Verse 16 – “’ On the FIRST DAY [the first day of the seven – the 15th of Abib/Nisan] there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day [the 21st of Abib/Nisan] there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work [as in labor or occupation] shall be done on them; …’”

It was not abolished with the Old Covenant

     Notice that the Days of Unleavened Bread is a PERIOD – having two DOUBLE holy days. And this period is established FOREVER! The Living Bible translates this verse – “’ You shall celebrate this event each year (this is a permanent law) – to remind you …’” – Exodus 12:14, TLB. The whole period is included.
     That alone should prove that the HOLY DAYS – including the seven Days of Unleavened Bread – are binding today, and FOREVER!
     The Passover is again referred to in verse 21 – “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. … 24) And you shall observe this thing as an ORDINANCE for you and your sons FOREVER.’”

Purpose of the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread

     We Christians understand and recognize that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate penalty for our sins on the LORD’S Passover and was sacrificed smack dab in the middle of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!
     And brethren, all of the LORD’s Holy Days are what we call Christocentric. Meaning that they are all centered around JESUS CHRIST! And as Minister Garrett has so boldly proclaimed unto the world, we should LOOK TO JESUS, NOT MOSES! In other words, we shouldn’t be so steeped and so misguided by Judeo-Christianity that we lose focus of who we are to look to! JESUS CHRIST! Recall, that Jesus built His Church! The New Covenant Church!
     So, if you go to JESUS CHRIST, He will forgive you – and we are told this back in the epistles of John. He is faithful to forgive!
     John 6 –
     Verse 48 – “’ I AM the bread of life.’”
   Recall earlier I called all the Holy Days Christocentric!? Again, the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are pointing us to ONE THING – Jesus Christ! Brethren, He is that Unleavened Bread of sincerity and truth! He is the meaning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Now, that may sound as if we here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries and our affiliated churches are part of the “Jesus Only” churches – we are certainly not!
     Verse 49 – “’ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. …’”
    Now, I’ve had this thought for some time here in regards to what our Lord Jesus Christ said of the Jews’ fathers who ate the manna in the wilderness for forty years. I think, personally, that that generation which saw the LORD our God’s Works for those forty years, blasphemed the very Holy Spirit! And we get a clue of this in Exodus chapter 17, verses 2 and 7, along with in the Book of Psalm chapter 95, verses 7 to verse 11. And in the Book of Hebrews chapter 3, verses 7 to 11. God swore in His wrath, ‘They shall not enter His rest!’ The Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary has this to say concerning this very verse – Verse 11 of Hebrews chapter 3 –
     “’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’
     “ … the threat extended farther than the exclusion of the unbelieving from the literal land of rest, and that the rest promised to the believing in its full blessedness was, and is, yet future.”
     Let’s turn and notice this in the Book of Psalm chapter 25 –
    Verse 12 – “’ Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. 13) And himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.”’
     Psalm chapter 37 –
    Verse 9 – “For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth. 11) But the meek [the humble] shall inherit the earth, … 22) For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. 29) The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.”
     And, of course, our Lord Jesus Christ repeats this in His beatitudes Matthew 5:5!
     So I think there is an even greater meaning behind what our Lord stated in verse in verse 49 – “’ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. …’”
     Returning now back to the Book of John chapter 6 –
     Verse 50 – “’ This is [speaking of Himself] the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51) I AM the living bread which came down from heaven. If ANYONE eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.
   Sadly, as I stated earlier, this Judeo-Christian – Old Covenant – ideology is continuing to be propagated and taught around the world on such websites as https://www.hwalibrary.com/. And I’m not stating that everything on that website is wrong, but there is a whole generation with the mindset, “I don’t want to learn any more than I did in 1972!” {11} I guess, completely forgetting what the apostle Peter admonished of us –
     “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, BEWARE lest you also fall from your own steadfastness [the quality of being resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering], being led away with the error of the wicked; 18) but GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST” – 2 Peter 3:17-18.
     The Jews of our Lord Jesus’ day just couldn’t handle Jesus saying, ‘Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’ The Jews arguing amongst themselves, saying, verse 52 – “ … ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’” And sadly, to this very day, many still have no clue of what He is saying to them and what He said to their fathers. But, those of us who participated in the New Covenant Passover ceremony the other night, we know what our Lord Jesus Christ was speaking of! We partook of His Body which was sacrificed for us. We partook of His blood which was shed for us. We re-upped our annual covenant with Jesus Christ our Master, Elder Brother, and Savior.
     This whole week I have re-posted a series of sermons that Minister Garrett gave back in 2017 – “Christ In You.” And this very concept comes from the Book of Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 –
     “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
     A very meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread – “Let this mind be in you …”
     For seven days practice this imbibing Jesus Christ.
     So let us dear brethren and friends hear this inspiring and glorious word of God through the prophet Moses in the Book of Exodus chapter 14 –
     Beginning in verse 13 – “ … ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD … 14) The LORD will fight for you, …”
     How wonderful!
    We are to stand still – stand firm – and see the salvation of the ETERNAL! He shall fight for us. Because we cannot conquer sin – we cannot conquer Satan the devil, ourselves, and this world, alone. But it is the risen Christ Jesus – our High Priest and Advocate – who will cleanse us, sanctify us, deliver us, who said He would never leave us for forsake us! Now, we cannot keep His holy, righteous and relevant LAW  {12} – summed up in the Ten Commandments in our own power and strength. But CHRIST IN US, we can. We Must always rely on Him – in faith.
     So, thank you for listening and watching today. We hope and pray that you had a most wonderful, glorious, and very spiritually fulfilling Feast of Unleavened Bread 2022! God bless every one of you!
     Very soon the Day of Pentecost will be here!
     Thank you so very much, and we pray for you always – wherever you may be, and we hope that you are continuing to pray for us here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries and our affiliated churches.
     Until next time, this is Leonard V. Johnson.
     Goodbye for now.


{1} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson had in mind this very article - "'It is a sign.'"

{2} Editor's Note: Though Mr. Johnson didn't mention the article, he was surely referring to an article such as "Lent, Ash Wednesday and Easter - Did the Original Christians Observe These!?"

{3} Editor's Note: There are a growing number of worldly churches that are incorrectly teaching that Satan the devil cohabited with the "daughters of men" called the "Seed of Satan." A perverted teaching of Genesis 6.

{4} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson added this, with the article in mind "Is God's Biblical Food Laws Still In Effect!?"

{5} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson was thinking - "this is the main reason of why I don't donate blood."

{6} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson almost added here, "Have we lost time? It is truly the year 2022!? And, is there a way to know for sure!?"

{7} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson just recently purchased a book written by Minister Coulter entitled The Christian Passover, which he didn't mention in this sermon. But certainly had this book in mind with this thought.

{8} Editor's Note: The many "remnant church groups" Mr. Johnson has in mind here are the innumerable churches which sprang up from the Worldwide Church of God. 

{9} Editor's Note: Even though Mr. Johnson gets this phrase from Minister Garrett, he personally heard a version of this at the Feast of Tabernacles 1986, Eugene, Oregon.

{10} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson had this in mind still from the notes from Passover Service 2022.

{11} Editor's Note: The generation Mr. Johnson is referring to is that are some in the generation that was members of the Worldwide Church of God (1968 - 1986) under Herbert W. Armstrong with this mindset.

{12} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson began using the word "relevant" in regards to God's Ten Commandments after listening to Minister Garrett's powerful and spiritually enriching 20-part sermon "The Eternal Relevancy of the Ten Commandments."

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