And nothing leavened shall be seen among you
April 19, 2008 - email from The Open Scroll email list
Greetings!
I am struck by the great irony of the moment. Right now, as you may know, I am convinced we are in the momentous season of fulfillment of a vast set of prophesies in the Bible, at one of the very most pivotal moments in all history. Around me, many people are focused upon the symbols of these realities instead of the realities themselves, engaged in the practices relating to what amounts to rehearsals. (Colossians 2:16-17) I'm not at all being critical or condemning about this activity, but just observing what must happen in just this way.
As I recently wrote in A Synchronicity of Calendars at this "Bloody Sacrifice to the Beast" "There is a synchronization of ritual symbolic activity with the realities the rituals testify of and foreshadow. This is true in God's economy, and in Satan's, which is a sub-economy of the sovereign God." In many writings on theopenscroll.com I show how the fulfillment of events happens on the very holy days that foreshadow them. While Y'shua was being born, the people of Israel were busy celebrating Yom Teruah. While He was being baptized, the High Priest was in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur occupied with the symbolic version of the same. Afterwards, when the spirit sent Y'shua out into the wilderness, a symbolic representative called the scapegoat was sent out bearing its synchronous testimony. When Y'shua died as our Pesah lamb, the families in Israel were at that moment slaying their Pesah lambs. In each instance, would not the participants in the antitypical have noted the irony? While the antitypical is being brought forth, the typical is played out once again by those who missed the point of the exercise, and in the irony of the situation the merely symbolic appears almost farcical. But it's not really funny.
There is, of, course, nothing wrong with being obedient to the Lord's commands to celebrate the holy days and their specific commands. Even at the present time, these are important shadows and they are valuable means of instruction, modeling the realities in the natural realm. As the time comes for the things foreshadowed to be exhibited, the great value of lessons learned from the shadows will be manifest. What I encourage and pray for is that we will see beyond the symbolic, beyond the veil, and take hold of the reality, the One the symbols represent, who is Y'shua, and the reality of His interaction with His people. He is the Lord of the Shabbat. He is the One we are to see in all the faint images expressed in the appointed times, the law and its commandments, and in the temple, the priesthood, and indeed even in all things created!
The Pesah points back to the time of the exodus, which points to this present time, right now. I recently got a chuckle out of using Yahoo maps satellite view to find the local observatory, Lick Observatory, on Mount Hamilton. While I was seeing a view of their facilities from a satellite, were some down there looking up, possibly with that very satellite not far out of view? Funny, yes? I waved. :) While folks are observing the Pesah and Hag HaMatzot over the next few days they are looking back to the institution at the time of the Exodus as a memorial. What is in their view port is this present time! Hello?
The Pesah is about to be celebrated around the world with its Seder. I wonder how many, if any, in the midst of this consideration of the truths inherent in the Seder will recognize the patterns and awaken to the reality of their situation?
There are two aspects here that both seem really noteworthy. Because there is "confusion" about when to celebrate, most are celebrating earlier than the proper time that is in accordance with the observation of the new moon. What should be done on the 15th is actually being done on the 13th. This fact finally sheds light on why the "Last supper" in John 13 is from one perspective a picture of a Seder that is supposed to take place on the 15th. Now I get it that the whole model is about to be played out to perfection! Folks will be celebrating their Seder on what is shown to be the 15th on their trusted calendars, but it will actually be the 13th. And, during that time, it appears what is modeled in the "Last Supper" that actually happened on the 13th will become reality! The identity of the betrayer will be revealed! Fantastic! I will watch and pray. Then, the other reality will come, as the Midnight cry occurs followed by the sign of Jonah. Then, it will begin to sink what irony has been wrought.
The one symbol relating to the Hag HaMatzot commands I feel should speak to us most particularly as Bride candidates at this particular moment is the putting away of chametz or leaven from the house, which is the putting away of sin from the body, house, or temple; from ourselves, to make ourselves holy and clean for the Bridegroom's coming. You may have noticed that I have recently sent a series of emails to do just this, to remove chametz from the house.
It is Time to Serve as a Foot Washer - April 9
I think I have too many friends - April 15
Will I be Found Worthy of Him When He Comes? - April 16
Roll away the reproach of Egypt - April 18
Isn't that a coincidence? No, not really.
'Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
16) 'On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you.
17) 'You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance.
18) 'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.
19) 'Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land.
20) 'You shall not eat anything leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.'"
Exodus 12:15-20
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2) "Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me."
3) Moses said to the people, "Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the LORD brought you out from this place And nothing leavened shall be eaten.
4) "On this day in the month of Abib, you are about to go forth.
5) "It shall be when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall observe this rite in this month.
6) "For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD.
7) "Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders.
8) "You shall tell your son on that day, saying, 'It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'
9) "And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt.
10) "Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.
Exodus 13:1-10
Not long after the lawless one is revealed, the Bridegroom will come steal His spotless holy Bride away from the house. Friends, this is now time when all chametz is to be burned, to be removed from the house. The Bride must be unleavened, as barley, as her Bridegroom. He was the true bread from heaven, and He was and is unleavened. Be as He is, unleavened, as He calls you to be. This is not a drill. Call on his candlelight to shine and illuminate any chametz in your house, and let it be collected and burned. Help us Lord. The hour has come.
Bob Schlenker
TheOpenScroll.com