Bread Without Yeast
Ezekiel not only gave the dimensions of the future Temple, but He gave us the ordinances for worship in Israel and in that temple at that time. It is very interesting to see the similarities with what Moses wrote in the first five books of the Bible and to see the things that are different. I would urge all of us to read this passage, watching for the differences and asking ourselves why those things would be different in the future land of Israel. One thing that will be the same is that the year will begin with the Passover feast on the 14th day of the 1st month. (Ezekiel 45:21) Of course, the Passover was instituted by God to remind the people of Israel of how He killed the firstborn of the Egyptians, but death did not touch the families of Israel, who gathered to kill the lamb and put its blood on the door of their houses. When the Lord saw the blood, He passed over that house. At that time, they were in a hurry to prepare to leave Egypt, so they used bread made without yeast to save time. However, after that they ate bread made without yeast for all 7 days of the feast, because yeast was a symbol for sin. They were to make sure their hearts were clean before the Lord. The same will be true for the future temple, and we can learn from this ordinance.
Yeast is the perfect symbol for sin in that just a little yeast in some flour dough spreads through the whole lump of dough, so that it all rises because of its powerful effect. In our lives it only takes a little sin to spread through our life and the lives of those around us. That is why we need to be very mindful to sweep our lives clean by confessing our sins on a regular basis. Since we will never be free from sin in this life, we must be confessing our sins often. That way our sin doesn't get worse and worse as it spreads, and it doesn't have a bad effect on those around us. Of course, the bread of the Passover supper was used to represent Christ in the Last Supper He had with His disciples before His death. The absence of yeast in the bread reminds us that Jesus was sinless, and He was able to die in our place, so we can have eternal life, death will not touch us. I believe that is why this ordinance is included for the future temple. Israel will be reminded to look back to Jesus, our sinless Lord and Savior.
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Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 46-48.