The seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread — death to a ‘sour’ spirit; life in ‘sincerity and truth’

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Richard Agee discusses the significance of the Days of Unleavened Bread, emphasizing its connection to the parting of the Red Sea and the satnctification of the firstborn. He explains that the firstborn represents the strength and dignity of the Father, and their sanctification is crucial for the nation’s holiness. He also highlights the importance of removing sin and leaven from one’s life during these days, symbolizing a spiritual transformation. He also connects the Israelites’ journey through the Red Sea to baptism, representing a spiritual death and resurrection, and stresses that true sanctification is a lifelong process.

God commands His people to observe the seventh and last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread with a “holy convocation.” The day has connections to Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea after the Exodus and baptism in the name of Messiah Yeshua.

The Days of Unleavened Bread give us the opportunity to reflect on the spiritual lesson of humility. The Apostle Paul warns us that self-glorification is like leaven—something to be purged. The Days of Unleavened Bread are a yearly personal reminder to avoid pride, particularly in professional accomplishments. While individuals may excel in various fields—law, medicine, journalism, engineering—those talents are gifts from the Creator, not reasons for self-glory. All credit and recognition should go to God, who designed humans with these capabilities from the beginning.

“And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: ‘Sanctify unto Me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast, it is Mine.'” (Exodus 13:1-2, JPS Tanak, 1917)

God commands Moses and later the priest to sanctify the first born of both men and livestock to Him.

What is the Hebrew word translated as sanctify in this text (qadash, Strong’s lexicon No. 6942)?

The spiritual significance of the Days of Unleavened Bread, can’t be understates as we are called up to focus on sanctification, sincerity, and truth before God. These days are not merely symbolic but a call to live wholly dedicated, sincere lives toward the Creator—not just externally, but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Sanctification involves removing spiritual “leaven” (sin and pride), examining oneself, and committing to holiness because God is holy. Participating in this holy time requires personal accountability, repentance, and a focus on living in alignment with God’s truth—not just in words but in lifestyle. Even physical missteps, like accidentally consuming leavened food, serve as reminders of the need for deeper spiritual vigilance. Ultimately, sanctification means setting oneself apart to reflect God’s holiness in all aspects of life.

There are many verses in the Tanak related to firstborn (Gen 10:15; Gen. 25:11-13; Gen. 27:19; Gen. 35:23; Gen. 36:15; Gen. 41:51; Gen. 44:33; Gen. 49:3).  As you read each scripture where the phrase “firstborn” is found you being to notice a clear pattern.

Biblically, the firstborn is not just the first to be born from the womb, but symbolically includes the first fruit from a tree, showing it’s more than just a human concept. The key idea is that the firstborn is always male and is recognized as the firstborn of the father, not the mother.

This role carries responsibility and meaning: the firstborn represents the father’s strength, dignity, and excellence. For those who are firstborn males, especially, the message is that they have a God-given role—not one of personal choice, but of divine purpose—to carry and reflect these qualities in their lives. The concept is tied to sanctification and being set apart to fulfill God’s will.

What’s the point of eating Unleavened Bread? It’s not just about avoiding leaven—it’s about remembering Christ in your daily life. For seven days, you’re called to sanctify yourself by doing what is holy, right, and good. You approach each day with sincerity toward the Creator of heaven and earth.

Yes, eating unleavened bread can be unpleasant—especially as you get older. It doesn’t always digest easily. I remember one time during Passover, my wife thought she was pregnant because of how it affected her stomach. During the meal, we had unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and sweet elements. In Jewish tradition, you eat the bitter first, then the sweet. Personally, I do the opposite—I start with the sweet and then the bitter.

In the Book of Revelation, God instructs the Apostle John to eat a scroll—it tastes sweet like honey, but it turns bitter in his stomach. This is like the bitter herbs we eat during Passover—not sweet ones. When we accept the sweetness of the Messiah, we also have to accept the bitterness—His suffering.

Our experience is mild in comparison, but even a little bitterness is harder to digest as we get older. The bitterness has meaning. It shows us that God’s Word isn’t always pleasant. In Revelation, the message from the scroll wasn’t good news—it was hard to accept. God’s truth may sound sweet at first, but when you truly take it in, it can be difficult and challenging. It’s supposed to change something inside you.

Here’s what we see: the role of the firstborn has a deep meaning. When we look at the Messiah, He represents the Father’s strength, dignity, and excellence—He is the very best of the Father. And yet, His life was taken. That’s a powerful and profound truth.

We also know that Reuben, though he was the firstborn of Jacob, didn’t live up to that role. He didn’t represent Jacob’s strength, dignity and excellence at all, but this isn’t just about Reuben’s personal failure—it’s a prophecy. So what happens when a firstborn doesn’t live up to his purpose? He brings shame to his father. And we can do the same if we don’t live according to our calling.

Now, moving forward to the next chapter—Exodus 13, this part is especially important and, to me, very fascinating.

How did Egypt suffer after the death of their firstborn males?

When God killed the firstborn in Egypt, it had a powerful effect—it marked the land as no longer sanctified. He destroyed them all. Why? Because Egypt symbolizes what happens when the firstborn fails to carry out their role and responsibilities. When the firstborn doesn’t fulfill their purpose, it corrupts the entire nation.

Now, this isn’t to say the Egyptians knew any better—they weren’t taught God’s ways. The point is that God was showing us a lesson: when the strength and dignity of the firstborn are misused or abused, destruction follows. Egypt’s pride and power were completely broken.

This was done as a warning and lesson for us—not to condemn Egypt, but to recognize the seriousness of the firstborn’s role and to understand that it was God’s deliberate act. If you’ve ever wondered why God specifically targeted the firstborn, this should give you some insight.

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night: 22the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22, JPS Tanak 1917)

This part of Scripture is unique—it’s the only place where God leads His people both day and night, without stopping. That’s why the journey through the Days of Unleavened Bread went by so quickly. Normally, people would get tired, but God gave them strength, so they didn’t wear out—not even the children. They moved quickly and constantly.

God led them to a place that looked hopeless: the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian army behind them. The people panicked, asking Moses if they were brought out just to die—either by drowning or being killed by the Egyptians. But this was all part of God’s plan to show a greater purpose and deliverance.

After six days of learning about sanctification, the Israelites were being prepared by God to be set apart as holy, even though they didn’t fully understand it. God told Moses that He would sanctify all of Israel. One key symbol of this was the unleavened bread—they were not to eat leavened bread because leaven represents pride and self-glorification. Paul later explained that a little pride (leaven) can spread and corrupt everything.

God told them to pack up quickly and not let their bread rise, ensuring they only had unleavened bread. This wasn’t just about food—it was a complete life change. They had to leave behind the comfort and luxury of Egypt, including homes, gardens, businesses, and even loved ones. All they could take was some cattle and flour.

This teaches that when God leads someone out of sin, it often means leaving behind even the good and comfortable things of the past. Just like the Israelites had to move forward through the sea, we also have to move forward in life, leaving the past behind—even if it’s painful. Turning back, like Lot’s wife did, is not an option. God wants us to walk forward in faith, even when everything familiar is gone.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, particularly the last day, is about sanctification—God setting you and me apart to live according to His will. When we walk in sanctification for seven days (symbolically), it shows our willingness to live a holy life. As a result, our entire life changes—how we live, think, and act—nothing stays the same.

The focus isn’t on Egypt, sin, or the world. It’s about salvation—being brought out of death and into new life. The seventh day represents resurrection and completion, and it’s all by God’s will, not ours. We didn’t choose Him—He chose us. The Father is the one who draws people to Christ and into the meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread.

These days are not about external things like jobs, money, or worldly concerns. They’re about asking God to sanctify us—to change us inwardly. In the past, people didn’t understand this fully, but now we do. As Paul said, we learn from their example.

We are already “unleavened”—meaning we’ve been made clean and set apart—because the Father drew us into this truth. Now, as we go forward, we must continue walking in that sanctified life with patience and purpose.

The Apostle Paul in Rom. 6:1-14 talks about baptism. Baptism represents cleansing, dying to the past, and the elimination of sin. Once you pass through the water, you can’t go back; the past is gone, and this is why Paul says there is only one baptism. It’s not a repeated event, and the idea of multiple baptisms is not correct. Baptism, whether through immersion or another method, symbolizes death and cleansing. Water is used because it naturally cleanses and decomposes, representing the elimination of the old self.

In Romans 6, Paul explains that baptism into Christ’s death means we participate in His death and resurrection. Through this, we are made holy, symbolized by being unleavened, as the death of Messiah (Christ) is our Passover. This is not something we do ourselves, but something God calls us to. Baptism is a step into walking a new life, living in the world as unleavened, not just for seven days but as a symbol of completion, with the seventh day marking the fulfillment of the process.

Speaker: Richard Agee.