How should we observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread?

Answer From The Annual Reading Schedule - Week 28 Notes For Leviticus: First of all, for any observance we must remember that Yahweh does not like iniquity or unrighteousness and assembly to be mixed together (Isaiah 1:13). What this means is that we cannot be hypocritical. We can't be pretending to follow Yahweh when it comes time for an observance, and then on all other days living wickedly without any regard for the laws of Yahweh. We can't oppress the poor, the fatherless, and the widow a day before a feast, keep the feast and rest, and then go back to oppression the day after the feast and expect that Yahweh will be pleased with us.

We need to make sure that we are not pretending and that we are looking at the way we live and our hearts to see if they are in line with Yahweh's laws. If we're just pretending on feast days and other observances and not really following Yahweh in the rest of our life, then He will not be pleased with our fake attempts to keep His Set-Apart Days. Now, to the specifics of this question:

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is mentioned in this reading in Leviticus 23:6-8. Leaven is representative of sin. One of our many goals in life is to get the sin out, and keep it out. Sin has no place in our lives because we are children of the Most High. We are a new creature in the Anointed (Messiah/Mashiach) Yahushua. We are born again, given Yahweh's Set-Apart Spirit, a Royal Priesthood, a Set-Apart Nation. We are Yisra'elites (Israelites). So sin has no place in our hearts, our thoughts, feelings, desires, motives, or any single aspect of our life inward or outward. Be gone sin!

But if a little sin gets in somewhere, some nook or cranny, some evil thought, some evil desire, some thorn trying to choke out the Word in some way, and if it works its' way through us and we don't get rid of it, there is potential for us to become corrupted and to carry out sinful desires. Yahweh help us all! This is just like leaven – and leaven is what is kneaded and mixed into a ball of dough to make that dough rise and become puffed up. The end result, if cooked, is leavened bread.

Thanks be to Yahweh that we are not on our own in this fight, and He can help us to overcome all through the blood of the lamb. Thanks be to Yahweh that our righteousness comes from Him, and not from our own works!

So – to observe this Feast – First of all, before the Feast of Unleavened Bread, to prepare, you need to make sure you get all the leaven out of any areas you have authority over. If you rent or have been given a room which you can do what you want with, that means the room you sleep in. If you rent or own a house or any land, that means the whole house and any land. If you rent an apartment, that means the apartment you rent. You are responsible for your areas where you have authority. However, for example, if you are a wife and your husband is not observant of the laws and he owns the house and he forcefully stops you from getting out the leaven, then he will be held responsible for that, not you.

We should get the leaven out of our areas of authority (completely 100% off our property) and we should also examine our hearts and our life to get spiritual leaven out as well. We don't want any false doctrines in our life.

What is the literal leaven that we must remove from our homes? For the answer to that, please read the "What Is Leaven?" study. That study will answer a lot of the questions regarding removing and keeping literal leaven out of our homes.

During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, not only should we keep leaven out and not eat any leavened bread, but we are also commanded in Leviticus 23:6 and other places to eat unleavened bread for all 7 days of the feast. In addition, we learn that in Leviticus 23:7-8 on the 1st and 7th Days of the feast we are commanded to have a Set-Apart Gathering and Reading of the Scriptures. We should gather on the 1st and 7th Days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread with other believers and hear the Word of Yahweh just as on the weekly 7th day Sabbath. In general, we should be treating the 1st and 7th Days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread just like we treat the weekly Sabbath except that we're permitted to cook just enough food for each person to eat according to Exodus 12:16. Please see the other question related to cooking on the 1st and 7th Days of this feast for more detailed information.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is also specifically a time to remember how Yahweh brought the Yisra'elites and us as well out of slavery and to remember that we were a slave. Generally speaking, feasts are a great time for having wonderful meals, gathering with other believers, fellowshipping, praising Yahweh, praying, digging into Yahweh's Word, and other joyful things! Feasts are a time to rejoice and be thankful! Specifically, we can be thankful that we are no longer slaves to sin!

Ideal times to gather on the 1st and 7th Days for prayer and offering of praises and giving of thanks to Yahweh are the times of the morning and evening offerings at the 3rd and 9th hours of the day, and perhaps also the 6th hour of the day. At some point, probably morning, afternoon, or both if you want, you should have a Set-Apart Gathering for Reading of the Scriptures. Don't forget that a Set-Apart Gathering for Reading the Scriptures is required on the 1st and 7th Days.

We also want to remember how when they were brought into the wilderness they went through hard things and were tested. So we need to have our guards up and if we go through hard things we need to do our best to respond in a way that is pleasing to Yahweh and seeking to pass any tests, if we are tested.