LEAVEN IN THE BREAD
by Sandy Simpson, 1999


This is a call to all who are truly born again Christians in the body of Christ.

It is time to expel the leaven from among us and separate ourselves to God.

In the following pages I have listed all the verses that deal with leaven (yeast).  It was curious to me that God spent so much time instructing Moses to avoid the use of leaven in bread used in the tabernacle.  This put me on to the thought that it must be a picture of something pretty serious.

The picture?  God hates the leaven of unrighteousness!

The Third Wave "New Apostolic Reformation" Latter Rain counterfeit revival movement is leavening the church as never before.  There are people out there who are deceived or deceivers who are leavening churches, families, and children before our very eyes.  And yet most of us just stand there and watch, cowed into submission by those who would call us "God mockers" and "heresy hunters".  This should rather be a clarion call for the true Body of believers to stand up and expel the wicked man from amongst you!  God does not tolerate wickedness in His holy place, and we should not either.  I believe that this is a test for the Church to see if she can obey God, stand up for sound doctrine, stand firm in the faith, and do what is right.  I know that what I am saying is very unpopular right now.  I'm sure Paul was unpopular for judging a number of people and sending them away from the body of Christ.  But he was entirely right and we must do the same thing before our friends, our families, our children, our neighbors and our fellow believers are hoodwinked with false doctrines, false prophesies, and a false anointing.

It is important that you see the correlation to what Paul talked about in 1 Cor. 5 with what is being said and done in the Third Wave before you expose yourself or your family to a great delusion.  Ask the Father for wisdom in this matter.  There is help for you out there, and there are many of us who are taking this stand now.  But it must be done!

THE MEANING OF LEAVEN

Old Testament

Strongs Hebrew 07603 - sa'or means 1) leaven
Strongs Hebrew 04682 - matstsah means  1) unleavened (bread, cake), without leaven.
Strongs Hebrew 02557 - chametz means 1) a thing leavened 2) leaven

New Testament

Strongs Greek 2210 - zume means 1) leaven,  2) metaph. of inveterate mental and moral corruption, viewed in its tendency to infect others

Leaven is applied to that which, though small in quantity, yet by its influence thoroughly pervades a thing; either in a good sense as in the parable Mat. 13:33; or in a bad sense, of a pernicious influence, "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump"

The term "leaven" was primarily used as:

1) a remembrance to Israel of the haste of the Passover meal before fleeing Egypt
2) as a symbol of Israel being influenced to sin by surrounding nations
3) as a symbol of the body of Christ being influenced to sin by false doctrines
4) as a symbol of the kingdom of heaven which will leaven the whole until it is brought to the fullness of the will of the Father
5) thanksgiving and praise with leaven

The use of "unleavened bread" was primarily used as:

1) a symbol of Israel being set apart from the nations unto God
2) as a remembrance of the physical body of Christ being put to death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins
3) as a symbol used in the Lord's Supper of our separation unto God by the physical death on the Cross and our faith in Christ

VERSES ABOUT LEAVEN

Ex 12:15   Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. (1)(2)
Ex 12:19   Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. (1)(2)
Ex 13:7   Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. (1)(2)
Ex 34:25   Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning. (2)
Le 2:11   No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire. (2)
Le 6:17   It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering. (2)
Le 10:12   And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy: (2)
Le 23:17   Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD. (4)
Am 4:5   And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. (5)
Mt 13:33   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 the whole was leavened. (4)
Mt 16:6   Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (2)(3)
Mt 16:11   How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? (2)(3)
Mt 16:12   Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (2)(3)
Mr 8:15   And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. (2)(3)
Lu 12:1   In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. (2)(3)
Lu 13:21   It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. (4)
1Co 5:6   Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (3)
1Co 5:7   Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (3)
1Co 5:8   Therefore 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. (3)
Ga 5:9   A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (3)

VERSES CONTAINING THE WORD "LEAVENETH"

1Co 5:6   Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?  (3)
Ga 5:9   A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (3)

VERSES CONTAINING THE WORD "UNLEAVENED"

Ge 19:3   And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
Ex 12:8   And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (1)
Ex 12:15   Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. (1)(2)
Ex 12:17   And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. (1)
Ex 12:18   In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. (1)(2)
Ex 12:20   Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread. (1)(2)
Ex 12:39   And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual. (1)
Ex 13:6   Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. (1)(2)
Ex 13:7   Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. (1)(2)
Ex 23:15   Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) (1)(2)
Ex 29:2   And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. (2)
Ex 29:23   And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD: (2)
Ex 34:18   The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt. (1)(2)
Le 2:4   And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. (2)
Le 2:5   And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.  (2)
Le 6:16   And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it. (2)
Le 7:12   If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. (2)
Le 8:2   Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin
offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; (2)
Le 8:26   And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder: (2)
Le 23:6   And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.  (1)(2)
Nu 6:15   And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings. (2)
Nu 6:17   And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering. (2)
Nu 6:19   And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven: (2)
Nu 9:11   The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. (2)
Nu 28:17   And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. (2)
De 16:3   Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. (1)
De 16:8   Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein. (2)
De 16:16   Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: (2)
Jos 5:11   And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. (1)(2)
Jud 6:19   And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. (2)
Jud 6:20   And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. (2)
Jud 6:21   Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. (2)
1Sa 28:24   And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: (2)
2Ki 23:9   Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren. (2)
1Ch 23:29   Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; (2)
2Ch 8:13   Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.  (2)
2Ch 30:13   And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.  (2)
2Ch 30:21   And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.  (2)(5)
2Ch 35:17   And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. (1)(2)
Ezr 6:22   And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful,
and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. (2)(5)
Eze 45:21   In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. (1)(5)
Mt 26:17   Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? (1)(2)(3)
Mr 14:1   After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. (1)(2)(3)
Mr 14:12   And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? (1)(2)(3)
Lu 22:1   Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. (1)(2)
Lu 22:7   Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. (1)(2)
Ac 12:3   And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) (1)(2)
Ac 20:6   And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.(1)(2)
1Co 5:7   Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1)(2)(3)
1Co 5:8   Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavenedbread of sincerity and truth. (1)(2)(3)(4)

OUR KEY PASSAGE - 1 Cor. 5:1-13

1   It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2   And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3   For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4   In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5   To deliver such an 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?
7   Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8   Therefore 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.
9   I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10   Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11   But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12   For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13   But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

VERSE 11 - DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS

fornicator, sexually immoral, idolater, railer, drunkard, extortioner, greedy, slanderer, swindler, covetous, whoremonger

KJV -  11   But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
NIV -   11   But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
DBY -  11   But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
YLT -  11   and now, I did write to you not to keep company with him, if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--with such a one not even to eat together;
NRSV -  11   and now, I did write to you not to keep company with him, if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--with such a one not even to eat together;
RSV - 11   and now, I did write to you not to keep company with him, if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--with such a one not even to eat together;
ASV -  11   and now, I did write to you not to keep company with him, if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--with such a one not even to eat together;
MKJV - 11   and now, I did write to you not to keep company with him, if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--with such a one not even to eat together;
WEY -  11   and now, I did write to you not to keep company with him, if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--with such a one not even to eat together;

CONCLUSIONS

The main picture of leaven in the OT concerning the tabernacle and sacrifices was a picture of Israel being set apart to God, holy and without the leavening influences of the pagan nations around them.  This is also a picture of the coming Messiah, who in 1 Cor. 5 is likened to the unleavened bread of the Passover.  Though the picture of the unleavened bread of the Passover is also a picture of the haste to leave Egypt, it is a also a picture of the haste to leave or expel the leaven from among first Israel, and as grafted in branches, the Gentile church -- the body of Christ.  The body of Christ is to be without leavening influences such as idolatry, greed, sexual perversion, slander, drunkenness, covetousness, theft.

Leaven was most often used in the NT to describe the influence of the hypocritical Pharisees who pretended to be examples of the truth but were living a lie.  They burdened others with legalism but did not understand the freedom that Christ brought, nor did they truly understand Scripture.  They used Scripture to lord themselves over people and put burdens on them they could not bear.

Today churches should, in celebrating the Lord's Supper with unleavened bread, be drawn a picture each time of being set apart for Christ, as well as the body of Christ broken on the cross as our "once for all" sacrifice for sin.  It should also remind the church that those who would pretend to live a Christian life but are teaching false doctrine, practicing idolatry in the form of ritualistic pragmatic "means to an end", greedily running for profit by using Christian whitewashed sorcery, slandering the saints, drunk in ANY way including "drunk in the spirit", are covetous especially of high standing in the church due to "greater anointing" -- should be rebuked and expelled if they do not repent and change their ways.  This is the only way the church will stand unleavened in the last days.  God has hated leaven from the beginning, which is obvious by the multiple pictures in the OT.  It is time to take the leaven out of the lump, deliver them over to "Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord" (1 Cor. 5:5), and move on with strengthening the relationship of those who are truly one in the Spirit, obedient to the law of Christ and the Word of God, and are living according to His purposes.