| |
What is just as
important as putting the leaven out?
printer-friendly
I was in a phone conversation the other day. The topic was
getting leaven out of our homes. The person said, "Well at least,
I don't have to deleaven the garage. I know I did no eating out
there all year." Maybe you have made similar comments. I
know I have over the years. When we meditate on the subject of
deleavening however, there is something just as important as making our
homes leaven free.
What are the chief lessons God wants us to learn in the deleavening
process? Deleavening is an action. Leaven pictures the sin.
We are to invoke an action that results in the putting out of sin.
Is the idea behind deleavening just to "get the sin out"? Does the
time ever come when we say to ourselves, "The leaven is completely out,
I am done deleavening."? We can answer this by asking ourselves if
we ever come to a point in our physical lives when we are sin free.
The answer, of course, is no. We never reach true perfection until
we are changed to spirit. Therefore the "deleavening" process must
continue throughout our lives. This being so, it should continue
before and during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
In Exodus 12:15 we read that we are to, "put away leaven out of your
houses." The Days of Unleavened Bread picture our entire life in
the Salvation Process. The first Holy Day acknowledges our
entrance into that process. The Second Holy Day acknowledges our
staying in that process till death or the return of Christ. The
"putting out of sin" or overcoming sin is something we do throughout
the Salvation Process. The physical type should closely represent
the spiritual application of what God wants us to do. Notice verse
19: "Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses..."
This clearly implies that we are to continue looking for the leaven
throughout the days of Unleavened Bread. Sin is present and we are
subject to sin throughout our lives which the Days of Unleavened Bread
represent. Therefore we need to be looking for sin everyday we are
in the Salvation Process.
As we come up to and into the Days of Unleavened Bread, look for any
opportunity to deleaven some part of your home, even after you have
officially deleavened the home prior to the Passover or the first Holy Day.
Clean out a drawer, search that garage and purposely go to that place
where you "know" the leaven could not possibly be.
What we are learning here is the process; the act of putting sin out and
this NEVER stops. Don't let it stop during the Days of Unleavened
Bread.
If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let
not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. –Job 11:14
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of
sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
–Romans 6:6
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put
away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. –Job 22:23
That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do
no more. –Job 34:32
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to
his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your
transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you
all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a
new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
–Ezekiel 18:30-31
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
–James 4:8
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he
is pure. –1 John 3:3
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God. –2 Corinthians 7:1
Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have
transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye
die, O house of Israel? –Ezekiel 18:31
|
|