Christian Churches of God

No. 65

 

 

 

 

The Leaven of Pentecost

(Edition 2.0 20040503-20040503-20070820)

 

The leavened loaves of Pentecost were entirely misunderstood by the Church of God in the last half of the twentieth century. The understanding of the purpose of de-leavening in order to become sons of God in power from the Resurrection of the Dead as Christ was lost for some time. The aim of this paper is to revive that understanding.

 

 

 

 

The Leaven of Pentecost

 

The New Moon of the Third month of the Sacred Year usually falls in the seventh week of the Omer count to Pentecost. In most years, the following Sabbath and the first day of the week that follows it make up the two-day Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. As we should know, Pentecost means to “count fifty”. In this period we build up to the receipt of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There are a number of things that we seek to perfect in this Omer count. The love and unity of the brethren is of great importance and also follows on from our love of God.

 

We should have kept the Passover, having sanctified ourselves from the New Year on the 1^st of Abib. We should have fasted on the 7^th of Abib. Some Churches of God have actually ignored the sanctification of the ‘simple and erroneous’ when they should have fasted, and instead appointed a fast on the Sabbath on a day in the Omer count to satisfy one of their traditions. God wants obedience more that sacrifice. When He says to sanctify the congregation with a fast and to keep the 7^th of Abib for the simple and erroneous, He means just that.

 

The entire period of twenty-one days in the First month of Abib is a period of sanctification. We have to keep it to understand this fact. We have to remove the leaven of malice and wickedness and keep the Feast in sincerity and truth (see the paper The Old and the New Leaven (No. 106a)). In this way, the count to Pentecost is commenced on a sound basis. The procedure is then commenced to the Feast, where we are given the leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven that was given to the woman, who placed it within the three measures of meal until the whole was leavened (Mat. 13:33). Bullinger’s explanation of this text in The Companion Bible is the exact opposite of the words of Christ.

 

Over the years, the Churches of God have failed to come to grips with the symbolism of the leaven of malice and wickedness being replaced by the leaven of the Holy Spirit, which is the Kingdom of Heaven and which is among us. Much of this failure is directly attributable to the failure to keep the Feast correctly for the full eight days from 14 Abib to 21 Abib. It is only by obedience in keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread for the seven days, and being present in fellowship, that we come to understand. We should not be surprised when those in the Churches of God understand this process the least. They do not understand because they do not obey God. We ought to remember this fact: “Give your ways to the Lord and He will establish your thoughts” (Prov. 16:3). It is not the other way around. It is not: “Think about God a little and He will then establish your ways”. That is not the way it works. We are simply required to do it, and then we will understand.

 

The fact is that God has ordered the placement of leaven in the two loaves at Pentecost. Are we truly asserting that God would place the symbols of sin in one of His offerings? Do we attribute sin or capriciousness to God?

 

The offerings at Pentecost pointed towards the Church – the Temple of God. The leaven in the loaves of Pentecost pointed towards the dual nature of the Scriptures, and of man in his walk with God through the Holy Spirit. It also alludes to the duality of the heavenly and earthly Host in the City of God (see the paper The City of God (No. 180)). The three measures of meal represent the threefold aspect of the Kingdom of God. Christ was present as King, Priest and Prophet (see the paper Jesus the Christ, King, Priest and Prophet (No. 280)). So too are we called out and chosen to become a nation of kings and priests, and the work of prophecy is among us as the third element of the Church and its people.

 

The Holy Spirit works in the individual, forming him/her into the Body of Christ and developing everyone as kings, priests and prophets. In this way, as scribes of the Church we are instructed in the Mysteries of God. We are like a householder who brings forth things old and new out of his treasure (Mat. 13:52).

 

In the days of Christ, things were spoken in parables so that people would not see and understand, and hence turn and be saved before their time. The Church also has been prevented from speaking plainly over the years by the actions of the Adversary. Through persecution, the Church was protected by parables and the slow release of information. In many cases, the Church itself did not understand through the disobedience of its officers and people. The Church is like the moon, waxing and waning in understanding over the centuries.

 

The disciples asked Christ: “Why do you speak to them in Parables?”

 

Christ said:

“Because it is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. For whosoever has, to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance, but whosoever has not, from him will be taken away even what little he has. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because they, seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not and do not understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: ‘By hearing ye shall hear and not understand, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive; For this peoples heart is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear;” (Mat. 13:10-16; cf. Isa. 6:9-10, and also the versions in Jn. 12:39-40; Acts 28:26).

 

The development of the Church has always been in sincerity and truth. The old leaven of malice and wickedness is removed. The Feast is kept in sincerity and truth, and through sincerity and truth we progress to the leaven of the Holy Spirit, which makes the person a new functioning whole. Through that leaven we are converted and become a new person. Christ said to Peter:

 

“Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for you that your strength fail not: and when you are converted strengthen your brethren” (Lk. 22:31-32).

 

We should all progress in truth. Pilate asked: “What is truth?” because he had seen so many lies and false ideas. The Church of God should be able to discern truth and divide the word of God in righteousness. Conversion is the turning of the individual to God (cf. Mat. 18:3). To be as a little child is to come to God in innocence and a desire to learn. One cannot grow by stifling the truth. Only the truth can set us free (see the paper Truth (No. 168)). It is through the truth and a love of the truth that one is converted (see the paper Conversion and Truth (No. 72)).

 

We see that there is a distinction between the normal carnal mind and the minds of the sons of God. There are a number of concepts and Scriptures that are related to the parables of Matthew 13.

 

It is we who are made alive by the leaven of the Holy Spirit.

 

And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, ² wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:1-2).

 

For, indeed, the Adversary had blinded us all, as Paul says in 2Corinthians.

 

…in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them (2Cor. 4: 4).

 

In this sense, the gospel of the glory of Christ is what makes us enlightened.

 

Many of us are called to the Faith, and some are chosen. These are they that hear and see, and the seed bears fruit.

 

A major parable of Matthew 13, following on from the injunction to the disciples regarding hearing and seeing and being converted (see above), is that of the sower.

On that day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. ² And there were gathered unto him great multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach. ³And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow; ⁴ and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them: ⁵ and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: ⁶ and when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them: ⁸ and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹ He that hath ears, let him hear (Mat. 13:1-9).

 

The most faithful of the Churches of God He termed the Philadelphians, because they loved one another. These had little power but worked in faith and dedication through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name (Rev. 3:8).

 

What sets us apart is the power of God in the Holy Spirit, so that we are able to keep the Commandments of God and the Faith or Testimony of Christ.

 

And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus (Rev. 12:17).

 

Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:12).

 

The process of baptism and repentance brings us to the point where the Holy Spirit works within us. We wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb, for his sacrifice enabled us to enter into Judgment and receive the Holy Spirit, which then works within us.

 

¹⁴ Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city (Rev. 22:14).

 

It is by hearing the word in the Spirit, and acting on it, that we are able to understand. Matthew13:10-23 says:

 

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? ¹¹ And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. ¹² For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. ¹³ Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. ¹⁴ And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: ¹⁵ For this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. ¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. ¹⁸ Hear then ye the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. ²⁰ And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; ²¹ yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. ²² And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. ²³ And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

 

In understanding, we bear fruit by action. Matthew13:24-30 says:

 

Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: ²⁵ but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. ²⁷ And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? ²⁸ And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? ²⁹ But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.

 

This grain grows in the individual and becomes all in all as God becomes all in all, and we then become elohim (see The Elect as Elohim (No. 1)). That is the end object of our calling, as we also see from Psalm 82.

 

Matthew 13:31-32 says:

Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: ³² which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof.

 

God destroyed the Earth and all that was in it in the Flood, because the evil was insurmountable. Genesis 6:5 shows us the evil of man’s heart also.

And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

 

However, God promised to redeem us and He sent Christ to do just that, as we see.

 

Matthew 13:33 shows us that the Church, represented by the woman, divides the leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven into three measures.

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.

 

Those three measures represent the threefold functions of the Church. These are the roles of Christ as King, Priest and Prophet.

 

The elect are redeemed from among men as a body of kings and priests, and in them is handled the spirit of prophecy. Thus the Church is prepared for its task in this threefold phase, where the Holy Spirit develops gifts and gives them to the individual according to the needs of the Church at the time.  

 

The trauma of the Faith is worth the effort for the salvation of us all.

 

John 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world.

 

The woman is the Church of God, and the bride of Christ. For this reason the Adversary persecutes the Church, as we see from Revelation 12:13:

And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child.

 

Revelation 12:17 continues:

And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus:

 

The seed, which is Christ and the Church, will triumph over the Adversary and his system, as we shall see. The prophet Zechariah shows us what will come to pass. He was raised up for the encouragement of the nation after their return from captivity.

 

Zechariah 5:5-11:

Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. ⁶ And I said, What is it? And he said, This is the ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their appearance in all the land ⁷ (and, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead); and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah. ⁸ And he said, This is Wickedness: and he cast her down into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. ⁹ Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came forth two women, and the wind was in their wings; now they had wings like the wings of a stork; and they lifted up the ephah between earth and heaven. ¹⁰ Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? ¹¹ And he said unto me, To build her a house in the land of Shinar: and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own place.

 

This text does not refer to the Babylonian captivity but to the Latter Days. The woman here is the lawless system and she is cast down and her mouth is sealed with a talent of lead and she is carried away to the land of Shinar by the two who were like storks. The ephah, as a symbol of commerce coupled with the false religion of the Adversary, is set up as the Babylonian system. It is the Church of God that is responsible for correcting those errors of this false system.

 

We are rendered unclean by our association, as we see from Haggai.2:13:

Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

 

Sin is uncleaness, and this aspect was instilled in Israel by the requirements of ritual purification, as we see in Leviticus 22:4-6:

⁴ What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath an issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him; ⁵ or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; ⁶ the soul that toucheth any such shall be unclean until the even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his flesh in water.

 

These things require repentance as we are cut off by sin. The Corinthian Church had a particular example of it and did not realise its significance, as we see from 1Corinthians 5:1-6:

It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one of you hath his father’s wife. ² And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you. ³ For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing, ⁴ in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

 

In this sense, the leaven was a member who was sinning and was corrupting the Body of the Church that did not see the problem as Paul saw it. But sin is much more than fornication, and he who is angry and hates his brother is as much at fault.

 

There are two competing leavens. The leaven of Satan seeks to make us unfit for the leaven of the Holy Spirit, which is the Kingdom of Heaven, for then the Spirit withdraws from us and we are further corrupted.

 

Matthew 13:34-58 says:

All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them: ³⁵ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world. ³⁶ Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. ³⁷ And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; ³⁸ and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; ³⁹ and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. ⁴¹ The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, ⁴² and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear. ⁴⁴ The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. ⁴⁵ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: ⁴⁶ and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. ⁴⁷ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: ⁴⁸ which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. ⁴⁹ So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous, ⁵⁰ and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. ⁵¹ Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea. ⁵² And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. ⁵³ And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. ⁵⁴ And coming into his own country he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? ⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? ⁵⁷ And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. ⁵⁸ And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

 

The use of the term leaven also concerns teaching and doctrine.  The teachings of the Bible texts as the leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven not only concern the Holy Spirit as the power of God, being the Kingdom of God extended to all mankind, but also of the truth and doctrines it imparts. The understanding of the texts of Scripture was corrupted by the Pharisees, and although the Sadducees had the Calendar correct so that the Temple functioned, nevertheless, their teachings were contrary to the Kingdom of God and hence a leaven that was to be avoided.

 

In Matthew16:6-12 we read:

And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. ⁷ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread. ⁸ And Jesus perceiving it said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread? ⁹ Do ye not yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? ¹⁰ Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? ¹¹ How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. ¹² Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 

The concept of leaven as sin was derived from texts such as these, where what was false and improper, if continued, would destroy the person.

 

1Corinthians 5:6-8 says:

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? ⁷ Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ: ⁸ wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 

The offering of leaven as a pure offering of thanksgiving was not only at Pentecost, but also symbolised the pure of the repentant hearts of Israel. Through the prophet Amos, God said what He wanted from Israel. He was again referring to the pure heart filled with the Holy Spirit, and this was symbolised by the leaven in the thanksgiving offering.

 

Amos 4:1-5:

Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say unto their lords, Bring, and let us drink. ² The Lord Yahovah hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that they shall take you away with hooks, and your residue with fish-hooks. ³ And ye shall go out at the breaches, every one straight before her; and ye shall cast yourselves into Harmon, saith Jehovah. ⁴ Come to Beth-el, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes every three days; ⁵ and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill-offerings and publish them: for this pleaseth you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord Yahovah.

 

Amos refers to the oppressors as the kine or cattle of Bashan. This attitude pleases men but it does not please God.  We need to study what Amos has to say about the system and the proper keeping of Sabbaths and New Moons (Amos 8:5).

 

We will now look now what the Pentecost Offering is all about. In Leviticus 23:15-16 we see the details of the count to Pentecost. It goes on to reveal exactly what the loaves represent.

 

Leviticus 23:17-22 says:

Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baken with leaven, for first-fruits unto Yahovah. ¹⁸ And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering unto Yahovah, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Yahovah. ¹⁹ And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings. ²⁰ And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before Yahovah, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Yahovah for the priest. ²¹ And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no servile work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. ²² And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Yahovah your God.

 

These are the loaves or bread of the first-fruits. It is the plainest of symbols that the first-fruits after Christ is the Church of God, and the Holy Spirit is represented by leaven in the loaves. Both Christ and the Church are made into sons of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the bread of Christ at Pentecost becomes a leavened loaf. This leaven can only represent the leaven of the Kingdom of God that is the Holy Spirit. Also note here the other requirements of righteousness, and especially the regularity of tithing (see the paper Tithing (No. 161)). Our sacrifices are prayer and fasting together with freewill offerings.

 

We all sin and we all fall short of the glory of God. We are required to overcome and use the Holy Spirit to good effect and be strengthened by it. We ought not to grieve the Holy Spirit nor diminish it, but should repent and be sincere.

 

Romans 7:14-25 says:

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. ¹⁵ For that which I do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not. ¹⁹ For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise. ²⁰ But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. ²¹ I find then the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present. ²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: ²³ but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? ²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

Thus, Paul depicts the duality of the conflict between the leaven of Satan and the leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven – the Holy Spirit. It is the means by which the Kingdom can be among us.

 

We are all corrupt as carnal people. Yahovah searches the mind for the intent of what we do and think.

 

Jeremiah 17:9-10 also states:

The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it? ¹⁰ I, Yahovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

 

We ourselves cannot overcome without the intervention of God through His Holy Spirit.

 

Jeremiah 10:23-24:

O Yahovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. ²⁴ O Yahovah, correct me, but in measure: not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

 

Through Isaiah, God promises us that He will pour out His Holy Spirit on the seed, which is the Body of Christ as the Church. This Body is symbolised by bread. The bread at Passover is not leavened because we have to remove the leaven of malice and wickedness. Only from the last day of Unleavened Bread on 21^st of Abib, when we are properly de-leavened of the former self and sin, can we proceed to Pentecost where the Spirit is present and we are leavened by the power of God. It is thus important that we keep the full eight days of the Feast in order to prepare ourselves properly for Pentecost.

 

Isaiah 44:3 says:

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

 

The sin offering made those who touched it holy (Lev. 6:24-27), and that was to indicate that Christ would atone for sin and make Israel – and ultimately the whole world – holy.

 

However, the means by which it was prepared is broken and left, as we ourselves will become spirit beings and lose our bodies.

 

Leviticus 6:28 says:

But the earthen vessel wherein it is boiled shall be broken; and if it be boiled in a brazen vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water.

 

The Levites who helped prepare the sin offering were also cleansed, as we ourselves must be cleansed.

And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves (Num. 8:7).

 

The symbols of Christ being the means by which we access the Holy Spirit of God were given to us in the wilderness.

 

Numbers 20:8-11 says:

“Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink.” ⁹ And Moses took the rod from before Yahovah, as he commanded him. ¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? ¹¹ And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.

 

So also, Nehemiah says they were given that food from Heaven, so that they might inherit their birthright promises.

 

… and gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and commandedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them (Neh. 9:15).

 

And that Rock was Christ.

… and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ (1Cor. 10:4).

 

And that was Beer or the well or spring.

And from thence they journeyed to Beer: that is the well whereof Yahovah said unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water (Num. 21:16).

 

We see that this symbolism of the water of the Spirit revives the spirit in man.

 

Judges15:19 says:

But God clave the hollow place that is in Lehi, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore the name thereof was called En-hakkore, which is in Lehi, unto this day.

 

This leaven of the Holy Spirit is also likened to the oil that fills the lamps of the elect.

 

Matthew 25:1-13 says:

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. ² And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them: ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶ But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. ⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out. ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. ¹⁰ And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. ¹² But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. ¹³ Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour.

 

Christ showed us that the water was symbolic of the living waters of the Holy Spirit that would be poured out on all people at the judgment represented by the Last Great Day.

 

John 7:37-39 says:

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. ³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. ³⁹ But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.

 

So also he extended that gift to the Gentiles.

 

John 4:10-15 says:

Jesus answered and said unto unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. ¹¹ The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water? ¹² Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle? ¹³ Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: ¹⁴ but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life. ¹⁵ The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw.

 

So, we are all baptised with the Holy Spirit and that power fills us and makes us new beings. We are leavened with a new leaven and a new power making us the loaf, which is the Body of Christ and the Manna of Heaven.

 

Matthew 3:11 states:

I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:

 

Mark 1:8 renders it:

I baptized you in water; But he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.

 

While Luke says in Luke 3:16:

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:

 

Ephesians 5:26 shows us how the sanctification occurs.

… that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,

 

We should also be ever mindful of the symbols of these who eat with us and yet are without the Spirit, as we see in Jude 12.

 

Jude 12:

These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

 

God says through Christ in Revelation 21:6:

And he said unto me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 

 

We are fed of the Holy Spirit freely as we overcome.

 

Likewise, he says in Revelation 21:17:

And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

 

We shall be as angels and sons of God together with the loyal Host as spirit beings.

 

1Corinthians 6:11 shows us we are all washed and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Spirit of our God.

And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

 

We are all made into one body for that Spirit is one.

 

1Corinthians 12:13 shows us our unity of Spirit.

For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.

 

In this we are one and brothers together, and brides of Christ – all of us. We are the leavened loaves of Pentecost with the heavenly Host as first-fruits unto God.

 

(Quotations are based on the American Standard Version 1901, but amended to read Yahovah. There is no letter 'J' in Hebrew; and we know from the excavations that the old name was Yaho and Yahovah, and not Jah and Jehovah, or even Yahweh as is also often claimed.)

 

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